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    Home » Course » Dessert

    Graham Cracker Christmas Crack

    Published: Dec 8, 2022 by Erin Carter · This post may contain affiliate links · 1 Comment

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    A stack of graham cracker Christmas crack pieces.
    A stack of graham cracker Christmas crack pieces stacked on top of each other.

    You are going to love this graham cracker Christmas crack recipe. This holiday treat is made with graham crackers and buttery caramel and then topped with dark chocolate to give it the best flavour. It's also easy to make and I've included gluten free, dairy free and vegan options too.

    A plate of graham cracker Christmas crack pieces.

    Why you will love this recipe:

    • The flavour! These toffee crack bars taste like a Skor chocolate bar.
    • It's easy and simple to make and only requires a few minutes of hands on time.
    • You only need 4 ingredients to make this recipe.
    • It's made with pantry staple ingredients like graham crackers, butter, and dark chocolate. It's also made without condensed milk.
    • This diy xmas crack recipe is perfect to serve at Christmas, the holidays or anytime.
    • You can easily make this graham cracker dessert recipe dairy free, lactose free, gluten free, vegan or paleo.
    • You can top it with whatever you like including pecans, almonds, walnuts, course sea salt, pretzels, white chocolate, or just leave it plain.
    • It stores really well and makes great leftovers.
    • If you love Christmas crack recipes you will also love pretzel Christmas crack.

    Taste and texture:

    This Christmas crack with graham crackers has the most incredible flavour. The combination of sweet crackers, buttery caramel and dark chocolate combine perfectly and the flavour reminds me of a Skor chocolate bar. The top and bottom layers are nice and firm and crunchy, while the middle caramel layer is soft and sticky.

    Key ingredients and substitutions:

    The ingredients needed to make graham cracker Christmas crack separated into bowls.
    • Graham crackers - you can use any type of graham cracker or graham wafer that you like for this recipe. If you are gluten free be sure to use gluten free graham crackers. I actually used Simple Mills Honey Cinnamon cookies to make mine to keep this recipe grain free and refined sugar free. You could also use honey grahams, digestive cookies or digestive biscuits instead.
    • Butter - butter is used to make the most incredible caramel layer. I recommend using salted butter rather than unsalted butter if you can. If you are vegan you can use a vegan butter instead.
    • Coconut sugar - combined with the butter this makes the most amazing caramel. If you don't have coconut sugar you could use brown sugar instead.
    • Dark chocolate - dark chocolate is the final layer in this dessert bar recipe. The contrast of the dark chocolate with the sweet caramel and graham cracker layers is perfect. You can use either dark chocolate bars or dark chocolate chips to make this.

    How to make:

    Step one:

    Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

    Step two:

    Then line a baking sheet with parchment paper and line the baking sheet with the graham crackers until you have an even layer. 

    Graham crackers on a piece of parchment paper.

    Step three:

    In a medium pot, combine the butter and sugar over medium-low heat. Stirring constantly, bring to a rolling boil and heat for approximately 4 minutes, until the caramel is bubbling and thickens in texture. 

    Sugar and butter boiling in a pot on the stovetop.

    Step four:

    Remove the pot from heat and pour the caramel over the graham crackers. Spread the mixture with a knife or spoon – it doesn’t have to be perfect because it will spread as it bakes.

    Caramel spread out over graham crackers.

    Step five:

    Then place the pan in the oven and bake for 7 minutes.

    Step six:

    Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place the chocolate on top of the bubbling caramel. Then place the baking sheet back in the oven for about 1 minute, to allow the chocolate to melt. 

    Pieces of dark chocolate on top of melted caramel on a baking sheet.

    Step seven:

    Using a knife or spoon, spread the melted chocolate out evenly over the caramel. Then top with the optional course sea salt. Next, place the baking sheet in the freezer for about 25-30 minutes, until the chocolate and caramel have hardened. 

    Dark chocolate spread out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

    Step eight:

    Remove the pan from the freezer and let it rest for a few minutes. Then break, or cut the crack into pieces and enjoy:

    Cut up pieces of graham cracker Christmas crack.

    Tips:

    • You can either break this crack into pieces, or use a hot knife to cut it into squares.
    • You can add any toppings that you like including crushed nuts, sea salt, white chocolate, pretzels or just leave it plain.

    Recipe variations:

    • To make this dairy free: use a vegan butter and dairy free chocolate.
    • To make this into a gluten free Christmas crack recipe: use gluten free graham crackers or grain free graham crackers.
    • To make it vegan: use a vegan butter and dairy free chocolate.
    • To make it refined sugar free: use graham crackers sweetened with coconut sugar and chocolate sweetened with coconut sugar.

    How to store:

    Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 14 days.

    This dessert also freezes really well for up to 3 months.

    Nutrition info:

    One serving of this dessert has approximately 253 calories, 20 grams of total carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 18 grams of net carbs, 2 grams of protein, and 19 grams of fat. This dessert is not low carb, low fat, sugar free or keto but it can easily be adapted to be gluten free, dairy free and vegan.

    A stack of graham cracker Christmas crack pieces.

    Frequently asked questions:

    Can I gift this Christmas crack?

    If left out of the fridge for too long the caramel layer will start to melt so as long as you can keep it cold this would make a great gift.

    Is this a healthy Christmas crack recipe?

    Healthy is a relative term, but I would personally not consider this to be a classically healthy recipe, as it is high in sugar. However, a healthy diet is all about balance and allowing yourself the occasional indulgent dessert can definitely be part of healthy, balanced, lifestyle.

    Why is it called Christmas crack?

    Christmas crack got its name because the dessert bars crack in your mouth when you bite into them.

    Other recipes you will love:

    • Christmas Crack
    • Chocolate covered Rice Krispie Treats
    • Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
    • Nut Butter and Chocolate Crunch Bars
    • Turtle Cookies Bars
    • Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars

    Since you made it this far we are basically best friends so be sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok and Facebook where I share even more recipes and healthy living tips! And don’t forget to leave this recipe a star review before you go!

    A plate full of pieces of graham cracker Christmas crack topped with course sea salt.

    Graham Cracker Christmas Crack

    You are going to love this graham cracker Christmas crack. It is so easy to make with just four ingredients and tastes like a Skor bar.
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Vegan
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Freeze time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes
    Servings: 30
    Calories: 253kcal
    Author: Dr. Erin Carter

    Ingredients

    Base Layer

    • 8.5 ounces graham crackers (240 grams)

    Caramel Layer

    • 2 cups salted butter
    • 1 1/2 cups coconut sugar

    Chocolate Layer

    • 15 ounces dark chocolate

    Optional

    • course sea salt

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 325°F.
    • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and line the baking sheet with the graham crackers until you have an even layer.
    • In a medium pot, combine the butter and sugar over medium-low heat. Stirring constantly, bring to a rolling boil and cook for ~4 minutes, until it's bubbling and thicker in texture.
    • Remove the pot from heat and pour the caramel over the graham crackers. Spread mixture with a knife–it doesn’t have to be perfect because it will spread as it bakes.
    • Bake for 7 minutes.
    • Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place the chocolate on top of the bubbling caramel.
    • Place the baking sheet back in the oven for about 1 minute, to allow the chocolate to melt.
    • Using a knife or spoon, spread the melted chocolate out evenly over the caramel. Then top with the optional course sea salt.
    • Place the baking sheet in the freezer for about 25-30 minutes, until the chocolate and caramel have hardened.
    • Remove the pan from the freezer and let it rest for a few minutes. Then break it into pieces and enjoy!

    Notes

    1. You can use any type of dark chocolate that you like including broken chocolate bars or dark chocolate chips. 
    2. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 14 days. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 253kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 169mg | Potassium: 119mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 384IU | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @pureandsimpleno or tag #pureandsimpleno!

    More Healthy Dessert Recipes

    • 3 Ingredient Mug Cake
    • Coffee Cookies
    • No Bake Peanut Butter Fudge
    • Chocolate Filled Cookies

    DISCLAIMERS: The statements made on this website have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration or Health Canada. The information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. You assume full responsibility for how you use this information. Always consult with your physician or other health professionals before making any diet or lifestyle changes. This post may contain affiliate links whereby if you purchase these products I receive a small percentage of the sale price. This allows me to keep the blog running and I thank you for allowing me to do that!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kristie

      December 28, 2022 at 11:09 am

      So delicious!!5 stars

      Reply

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