You are going to love this graham cracker Christmas crack! This holiday treat is made with graham crackers and buttery caramel and then topped with dark chocolate to give it the most amazing flavour. It's so easy to make with only 4 ingredients and I've included gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan options too.
Holiday treats like gluten-free peppermint brownies, dairy free eggnog, gluten free hot chocolate bombs, and dairy free peppermint bark are some of my all time favourite desserts, which is why I am so excited to share this holiday dessert recipe with you!
Table of Contents
Why you will love this recipe:
- The flavour! This dessert tastes like a Skor chocolate bar. The combination of sweet graham cracker crust, gooey caramel, and dark chocolate is just perfect.
- It's so easy to make and you only need 4 ingredients to make it! You also don't need a candy thermometer which makes it even easier.
- Kid's love it!
- It stores really well and makes great leftovers so it's a great option to have on hand during the holidays.
- I've included options to make this dessert dairy-free, lactose-free, gluten-free, or vegan depending on your dietary restrictions or allergies.
If you love Christmas crack recipes you will also love pretzel Christmas crack and gluten free Christmas crack.
Ingredients and substitutions:
- Graham crackers - these are used to form the base of this dessert. You can use any type of graham cracker or graham wafer that you like. If you are gluten-free be sure to use gluten-free graham crackers. I use Simple Mills Honey Cinnamon cookies to make mine.
- Butter - this is used to make the most incredible caramel layer. I recommend using salted butter rather than unsalted butter. If you are vegan or dairy free you can use a vegan butter instead.
- Coconut sugar - combined with the butter this makes the most amazing homemade toffee layer. If you don't have coconut sugar you could use brown sugar instead.
- Dark chocolate - dark chocolate is the final layer in this dessert. The contrast of the dark chocolate with the sweet caramel and graham crackers is so perfect. You can either use dark chocolate bars or dark chocolate chips to make the chocolate layer.
Recipe variations and add ins:
- If you want you can add toppings to this dessert such as nuts like pecans or walnuts, flaky sea salt, or pretzels. If you do add any toppings add them when the chocolate is still warm before you put it in the freezer.
- Feel free to add a little salt or vanilla extract to the caramel mixture to give it a different flavour.
- To make this dairy-free: use a vegan butter and dairy-free chocolate.
- To make it gluten-free: 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 make graham cracker Christmas crack:
- Step 1: Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and while the oven is heating line a baking sheet with parchment paper and line the baking sheet with the graham crackers until you have an even, single layer.
- Step 2: In a medium saucepan on a stovetop, combine the butter and sugar over medium-low heat. Stirring constantly, bring the sugar mixture to a boil and heat for approximately 4 minutes, until the caramel thickens in texture.
- Step 3: Remove the pot from the 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). Then place the pan in the oven and bake for 7 minutes.
- Step 4: 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.
- Step 5: Using a knife or spoon, spread the melted chocolate out into an even layer over the caramel. Then sprinkle the top of the melted chocolate with a little sea salt if you want to add it, otherwise just leave the chocolate plain. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for about 25-30 minutes, until the chocolate and toffee have hardened.
- Step 6: Remove the pan from the freezer and let it rest for a few minutes. Then break, or cut the crack into pieces and enjoy.
Top tip:
You can either break this crack into pieces with your hands or use a hot knife to cut it into squares.
How to store:
Store any leftover graham cracker toffee crack in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 14 days.
This dessert also freezes really well in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Graham cracker Christmas crack FAQs:
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.
Why is it called Christmas crack?
Christmas crack got its name because the dessert bars crack in your mouth when you bite into them.
Can I add candy to the top of this crack?
Yes you can. You can add any toppings that you like. Just add them when the chocolate is still melted before you freeze it.
Other dessert recipes you will love:
Recipe
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.
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Servings: 30
Calories: 253kcal
Equipment
- Pot or saucepan
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
- coarse 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
- You can use any type of dark chocolate that you like including chocolate bars or dark chocolate chips.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 14 days.
- Nutritional values are an estimate and will vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
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
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Kristie
So delicious!!