Vegan Christmas Crack

This vegan Christmas crack recipe tastes so good and is surprisingly easy to make. With a crunchy base, rich caramel, dark chocolate and white chocolate you will love how good this dessert is. It's also gluten free, dairy free and paleo and is perfect for the holidays, or anytime.

What is Christmas crack?

Christmas crack is a classic holiday dessert recipe that is traditionally made with crackers, caramel, and chocolate and then baked in the oven. Some xmas crack recipes are topped with nuts, while others are nut free.

Why you will love this recipe:

• This is the best ever vegan Christmas crack recipe! It tastes amazing! The combination of salty crackers, rich caramel, dark chocolate, and white chocolate combine for the perfect holiday treat.
• It's healthier than other Christmas crack recipes as it's only sweetened with coconut sugar so it's refined sugar free.
• It's surprisingly easy to make and stores really well if you don't eat it all right away.
• Besides being vegan this xmas crack recipe is also gluten free, grain free, dairy free and paleo.
• This paleo Christmas crack could also be served at new year's parties, or birthday parties.
• It's made with no nuts, no Saltines, no butter, and no brown sugar.
• If you love Christmas crack, you will also love pretzel Christmas crack and graham cracker Christmas crack.

Taste and texture:

This Christmas crack has the best flavour. Slightly salty from the crackers, then there is a sweet caramel layer which gets topped with dark chocolate and white chocolate layers. The caramel is ooey gooey, while the rest is nice and crunchy for the perfect texture.

Key ingredients and substitutions:

• Crackers - I use Simple Mills Fine Ground Sea Salt Almond Flour Crackers to form the crunch, salty base of this dessert. If you tolerate grains feel free to use any other type of cracker that you like including Saltines or Ritz crackers.  
• Coconut milk - to make the rich caramel layer of this dessert. I recommend using full fat coconut milk and not light coconut milk as light coconut milk will be too watery. 
• Coconut sugar (also known as coconut palm sugar) - to give this dessert the perfect amount of sweetness. You could also use brown sugar instead, but it just won't be refined sugar free if you do.
• Tapioca starch - to thicken the caramel sauce. You could swap this for cornstarch instead. 
• Dark chocolate bars (my favourite brands are Zazubean and Hu Chocolate) - these are used to make that delectable chocolate layer for this Christmas dessert. You could swap this for milk chocolate if you prefer. 
• Coconut Manna or coconut butter - this is used to make the final white chocolate layer for these dessert bars. You could omit this if you like or even use melted white chocolate instead if you prefer. 

How to make this recipe:

To make the caramel layer:

Step one: 

First, place a small pot on the stove and add all the ingredients for the caramel sauce.

Step two: 

Next, turn the burner onto low heat and whisk the ingredients together.

Step three: 

Allow the ingredients to come to a low boil and stir or whisk the ingredients regularly and allow the caramel to simmer for 5-10 minutes (it will thicken while it cooks).

Step four: 

Then turn off the burner and allow the caramel to cool for a few minutes (it will thicken even more during this time). While the caramel is cooling move on to the cracker layer.

To make the other layers:

Step one: 

First, preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step two: 

Then line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the crackers out in an even layer on the baking sheet.

Step three: 

Now pour the caramel sauce over the crackers and spread evenly until smooth (don’t worry if all the crackers aren’t completely covered as the caramel will spread more in the oven).

Step four: 

Then place the tray in the oven and bake for 5 minutes, until the caramel is bubbling.

Step five: 

While the crackers and caramel are baking, melt the chocolate by breaking the chocolate bars into pieces and placing them into a microwave safe dish. Microwave on high for 20-30 second intervals until the chocolate is melted.

Step six: 

When the crackers and caramel are done, remove them from the oven and let cool for a few minutes (until the bubbles disappear).

Step seven: 

Pour the melted chocolate over the caramel layer and spread evenly until smooth.

Step eight: 

Now melt the coconut manna or coconut butter in the microwave by heating the jar for 30-60 seconds on high (this will depend on how full your jar is).

Step nine: 

Then drizzle the melted coconut manna over the chocolate layer and place the tray in the freezer and freeze for 1-2 hours, until hardened.

Step ten: 

Lastly, break it apart into desired sized pieces and enjoy!

Chef's tips:

• I used coconut sugar sweetened chocolate bars for the chocolate layer but you can also use dairy free chocolate bars with cane sugar as an alternative or chocolate chips. My favourite brands of coconut sugar sweetened chocolate bars are Zazubean and Hu Chocolate.
• Don't try using low fat coconut milk for the caramel sauce. Low fat coconut milk has more water added and so the caramel won't thicken enough.
• The only grain free cracker brand I know of is Simple Mills, but if you eat and tolerate grains feel free to use any other cracker brand you wish.
• Feel free to add other toppings such as chopped nuts or dried fruit.
• Coconut manna is the same thing as coconut butter or coconut cream concentrate.

How to store:

You can store this homemade Christmas crack in either the fridge or freezer. I personally prefer storing it in the freezer as it keeps the caramel layer as firm as possible, just be sure to take it out a few minutes before serving. Whether you keep it in the fridge or freezer, just be sure to store it in an airtight container. It will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, and good in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition info:

Each serving of this chocolate Christmas crack has approximately 94 calories, 8 grams of total carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 7 grams of net carbs, 1 gram of protein and 7 grams of fat. This recipe is not low carb, sugar free or keto but it is gluten free, dairy free, paleo and vegan.

Frequently asked questions:

Other dessert recipes you will love:

• Vegan Peppermint Bark
• Vegan Apple Pie Bars
• Vegan Turtle Bars
• Oat Milk Hot Chocolate
• Gluten Free Lemon Bars with Cranberry
• Dairy Free Brownies with Caramel
• Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

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