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    Home » Desserts » Candy and Sweet Treats » Christmas Crack with Pretzels

    Christmas Crack with Pretzels

    Published: Dec 18, 2015 · Modified: Dec 16, 2021 by Linda Warren

    Jump to Recipe

    This delicious crunchy, chocolaty Christmas Crack with pretzels is so easy, has only 4 ingredients, and takes just 25 minutes. It’s the perfect sweet and salty combination but, be warned, you won’t be able to stop eating it! Great for holiday gifts or snacking any time of year.

    Crystal bowl of Christmas Crack with pretzels on white table with red ribbon.

    I love to make candy and especially at Christmas time. Favorite homemade treats include my Gingerbread Truffles, Peanut Brittle, and some chocolate fudge, usually made with my favorite liqueur flavoring at the time. Today was time to make the infamous Christmas Crack aka Christmas Bark.

    Christmas is the perfect time to make this oh-so-addictive candy. This Chocolate Bark with pretzels is so easy to make it's practically foolproof! This recipe is slightly different than the standard bark. It uses pretzels as a base in lieu of the standard crackers. I feel it adds the perfect touch of salt versus sweet.

    Chocolate Bark with pretzels stacked on white table.

    What is Christmas Crack?

    Christmas Crack, also known as Christmas Bark, is a crunchy, salty mix of layers containing saltines, or in this case pretzels, toffee and chocolate. Its name "crack" relates to the fact that it is totally addictive, like one bite and you might as well eat the whole bowl (I'm just sayin').

    Of course, it could also refer to the fact that when it's cooled it certainly makes a big crack when you break it. Finally, it is usually made at Christmas time ... ummm I guess the name "Christmas Crack" is pretty accurate! 

    Variations

    • Base - you can use saltines, Ritz crackers or even graham crackers like my S'mores Bark
    • Chocolate - use a combination of white and semi-sweet chocolate or go with dark chocolate. You can even opt for peanut butter cups or Andes Creme de Menthe chips!
    • Toppings - while chocolate is still warm, top with chopped nuts, toffee bits, crushed candy canes, crushed Oreos or M&Ms

    Ingredients

    Pretzels - look for the mini pretzels as they work much better when cracking the candy

    Butter - I like to use salted butter to help stabilize the toffee

    Sugar - use light brown sugar to add sweetness and a bit of molasses flavor to the candy

    Chocolate Chips - semi-sweet, dark chocolate, milk chocolate or a combination of any all taste delicious

    Sprinkles - an optional topping but makes the bark look like Christmas

    How to make Christmas Crack

    Layer of pretzels on baking sheet.
    1. Line a baking sheet with rim with parchment paper and spray well with nonstick spray.
    Collage of steps to make toffee.
    1. Place butter and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat.
    2. Stir until the butter is melted then let it come to a rolling boil. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until it changes to a rich caramel color and starts to foam. Remove from heat.
    Toffee layer spread over pretzels.
    1. Immediately pour over pretzels. Don't worry if it didn't cover all the pretzels as it will spread as it is heated in the oven. Place in 400 degree oven for 5 minutes.
    Chocolate chips sprinkled on top of warm toffee.
    1. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle chocolate chips over hot toffee.
    Apreading melted chocolate over toffee.
    1. Wait for 3-5 minutes for the chips to start to melt then spread evenly over toffee.
    Overhead of Christmas crack with pretzels and sprinkles.
    1. Immediately sprinkle with sprinkles or any other extra topping you prefer.
    2. Place in refrigerator to allow it to harden then take out and crack into pieces.
    Closeup of cracked Christmas Bark with pretzels in crystal bowl.

    Just look at all that crunchy deliciousness! I mean, how can you go wrong with toffee and chocolate, right?! But really, in the end, the only thing that matters is that this Christmas Crack with pretzels is mighty good and lucky, or unlucky (for our waistlines), it's so easy to make.

    This is one recipe you can whip up in less than 30 minutes then just wait impatiently for it to set. Voila - Christmas gifts for your family and all the neighbors! Oh, and don't forget to keep a bowl for yourself! Enjoy!

    More Homemade Christmas Goodies

    Sweet Candied Pecans - are cinnamon sugar-coated nuts that are baked to a sweet and crunchy finish. 

    Chocolate Covered Toffee - is a rich, buttery homemade toffee coated with rich dark chocolate and sprinkled with crunchy nuts.

    Christmas White Trash Popcorn Snack Mix from Soulfully Made - is a combination of popcorn, pretzels, M&Ms, and mini marshmallows coated in almond bark.

    Spicy Gingerbread Cake - is a quick and easy recipe that is full of rich molasses & flavored with plenty of ginger & cinnamon. 

    Millionaire Cookie Bars - are a treat of delicious buttery shortbread that's topped with creamy caramel and rich chocolate.

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    Chocolate Bark with pretzels stacked on white table.

    Christmas Crack with Pretzels

    Chocolate, toffee and pretzels combine to make this easy, deliciously crunchy & addictive snack. Great for holiday gifts too!
    5 from 14 votes
    Print Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Servings: 20 servings
    Calories: 270kcal
    Author: Linda Warren

    Ingredients

    • 8 oz. mini pretzels
    • 1 cup butter, softened
    • 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
    • 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
    • Colored sprinkles

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with sides with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray. Or simply spray a large cookie sheet with nonstick spray making sure it covers every nook & cranny.
    • Break up the pretzels and spread in an even layer on the bottom of the cookie sheet.
    • In a small saucepan, heat butter and sugar to boiling, stirring to combine. Once it comes to a rolling boil, stop stirring, and let it cook for 3-5 minutes. It will start to foam up and turn a pretty caramel color as it reaches the correct temperature.
    • Pour the caramel (butter-sugar mixture) evenly over the pretzels. Don't worry if there are little spots it didn't cover as it will spread in the oven.
    • Place cookie sheet in the oven for 5 minutes.
    • Remove and immediately sprinkle chocolate chips over the top.
    • Let sit 3-5 minutes to soften the chocolate then spread evenly over the top with a silicone spatula.
    • Immediately sprinkle with colored sprinkles or other preferred toppings.
    • Place in refrigerator to help it set faster. Once it hardens, take out and crack into pieces. Store in airtight container in the refrigerator.

    Notes

    VARIATIONS
    • Base - you can use saltines, Ritz crackers or even graham crackers like my S'mores Bark
    • Chocolate - use a combination of white and semi-sweet chocolate or go with dark chocolate. You can even opt for peanut butter cups or Andes Creme de Menthe chips!
    • Toppings - while chocolate is still warm, top with chopped nuts, toffee bits, crushed candy canes, crushed Oreos or M&Ms

    Nutrition

    Calories: 270kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 229mg | Potassium: 135mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 293IU | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 2mg

    This post has been updated with step-by-step directions and new photos. It was first published on December 18, 2015.

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    Hey, I’m Linda, the recipe creator, photographer and cocktail lover at 2 Cookin Mamas. Here you’ll find easy recipes that are not only delicious but can get you out of the kitchen ASAP. Come and join me and let me take you on a tasty trip through your kitchen. Thanks for stopping by! Learn more about me

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