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Christmas Crack Cookies Recipe

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★★★★★

4.9 from 75 reviews

Christmas Crack Cookies combine a delightful toffee-covered saltine cracker base with a rich, brown butter cookie dough studded with crunchy toffee pieces. This festive treat offers a perfect balance of sweet, salty, and buttery flavors with a crisp texture from the cracker toffee and a soft, chewy cookie finish. Ideal for holiday baking, these cookies bring a fun twist to traditional cookie recipes.

Ingredients

Scale

Christmas Crack Base

  • 9 saltine crackers
  • 6 tbsp salted butter
  • 6 tbsp brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup (150g) chocolate chips

Brown Butter Cookie Dough

  • 1 cup (222g) salted butter, browned
  • 1 cup (246g) brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup (115g) granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 1/4 cups (342g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • Flaky sea salt, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Christmas Crack Base: Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Line a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper and arrange the saltine crackers evenly across the bottom. Set aside.
  2. Make the Toffee Sauce: In a small saucepan, combine 6 tablespoons of salted butter with 6 tablespoons of brown sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil without stirring. Once boiling, let it boil for 2 1/2 minutes to achieve a proper toffee consistency.
  3. Assemble and Bake Toffee Base: Immediately pour the hot toffee evenly over the arranged saltine crackers. Bake in the preheated oven for 6 minutes to set the toffee layer.
  4. Add Chocolate Topping: Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the hot toffee. Let sit for 5 minutes to soften the chocolate, then spread to form a smooth layer. Let the cracker toffee cool completely, then freeze until firm.
  5. Browm the Butter for Cookie Dough: While the toffee chills, melt 1 cup of salted butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Continue cooking and stirring until the butter bubbles, turns a golden brown color, and emits a nutty aroma. Remove from heat.
  6. Combine Dough Ingredients: Pour the browned butter into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Add brown sugar and granulated sugar, mixing thoroughly for 1 minute.
  7. Add Eggs and Vanilla: Incorporate the eggs and vanilla extract, mixing until smooth and the mixture is no longer grainy.
  8. Mix Dry Ingredients: Add the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined; the dough will be very soft.
  9. Incorporate Toffee Pieces: Remove the cracker toffee from the freezer and chop it into small bite-sized pieces. Gently fold these pieces into the cookie dough.
  10. Shape Cookies: Scoop the dough into 3-tablespoon portions and place them on a parchment or silicone-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt on top.
  11. Dough Rest: Allow the shaped cookie dough to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before baking to improve texture.
  12. Bake Cookies: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Bake the cookies for 9 to 11 minutes, or until they have spread and the surface is no longer glossy.
  13. Cool Cookies: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet before transferring them for storage or serving.

Notes

  • Using parchment paper to line the baking pans helps prevent sticking and eases cleanup.
  • Brown butter adds a rich, nutty flavor that elevates the cookie dough.
  • Resting the cookie dough before baking helps achieve a better texture and reduces excessive spreading.
  • Freezing the toffee base before chopping makes clean, manageable pieces for incorporation into the dough.
  • Adjust baking time based on your oven and cookie size for best results.

Keywords: Christmas cookies, toffee cookies, brown butter cookies, holiday baking, salty sweet cookies

Find it online: https://nayabaker.com/christmas-crack-cookies-recipe/