Christmas Cracker Toffee is a festive twist on classic saltine toffee that looks just like Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes. This copycat Little Debbie Christmas Tree recipe takes simple crackers and transforms them into a beautiful holiday dessert with white chocolate, green sugar, and red icing stripes in just 20 minutes of hands-on time.
Christmas Cracker Toffee
What makes this homemade Little Debbie Christmas Trees recipe so special is how fun it is to make with kids. The green sanding sugar and red icing lines turn ordinary Christmas cracker candy into something that looks store-bought, but tastes so much better. Plus, you can break it into whatever size pieces you want, making it perfect for cookie tins, bake sales, or packaging up as gifts.
Ingredients & Equipment
- Saltine crackers
- Brown sugar
- Unsalted butter
- White chocolate chips
- Red cooking icing
- Green sanding sugar
Full measurements for each ingredient can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
You’ll also need a few things from your kitchen:
- Large baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Medium saucepan
- Spoon or spatula for stirring
Step By Step Directions
This recipe makes about 40 pieces depending on how you break it. It takes 10 minutes of prep time and 10 minutes of cook time.
Step 1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2. Line the baking sheet with saltine crackers in a single layer and set aside.
Step 3. In a medium sauce pan, combine the brown sugar and butter. Cook over medium-high heat until butter melts and mixture begins to simmer.
Step 4. Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 5. Pour the sugar and butter mixture over top of the saltines evenly.
Step 6. Bake in the oven for about 5 minutes. Sugar and butter will be bubbling.
Step 7. When you remove the pan from the oven, quickly sprinkle white chocolate chips over top.
Step 8. Allow a minute or two for the chocolate chips to begin to melt, and smooth the chocolate out evenly over the crackers and toffee.
Step 9. Sprinkle with green sanding sugar while the chocolate is still wet.
Step 10. Use the cookie icing to draw lines across your bark to make it resemble Christmas Tree Cakes. Allow 4 hours to set completely before breaking into pieces.
Variations
- Use milk chocolate chips instead of white chocolate for a different flavor and skip the green sugar
- Add crushed candy canes on top instead of green sugar for a peppermint version
- Try red and green sprinkles mixed together for a festive look without the icing lines
- Use graham crackers instead of saltines for a slightly sweeter base
- Drizzle melted dark chocolate over the white chocolate layer for contrast
- Skip the Little Debbie decoration and just top with holiday sprinkles for simpler Christmas cracker candy
- Add chopped nuts like pecans or almonds over the toffee layer before adding the chocolate
Leftovers & Storage
Store Christmas Cracker Toffee in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. Layer pieces between parchment paper to keep them from sticking together. You can also refrigerate it for up to two weeks, which is helpful if you’re making it ahead for holiday cookie trays or gift giving.
Tips & Tricks
- Make sure to use cookie icing that hardens, not frosting, so the red lines set properly and don’t smudge when you break the bark
- Watch the toffee mixture closely during the simmer so it doesn’t burn and stir it occasionally to keep it smooth
- Work quickly when adding the chocolate chips and smoothing them out because the toffee layer starts to cool fast
- Add the green sanding sugar right away while the white chocolate is still melted so it sticks well
- Let the bark set completely at room temperature rather than rushing it in the fridge, which helps prevent the chocolate from getting chalky
- Break the cooled bark with your hands for irregular pieces that look more homemade and rustic
Recipe FAQs
Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted? You can, but the toffee will be saltier since the saltine crackers already add salt. If you use salted butter, the overall flavor might be too salty for some people’s taste, so unsalted butter works best.
Where do I find cookie icing that hardens? Look for decorating icing tubes in the baking aisle near the sprinkles and cake decorating supplies. Wilton makes tubes of red icing that work perfectly. Regular frosting won’t harden, so make sure the package says it’s for decorating cookies.
My toffee burned on the bottom. What did I do wrong? The toffee mixture needs constant attention while it simmers. Stir it every minute or so and keep the heat at medium-high, not too high. If it starts to smell burnt or gets too dark, it’s cooking too fast.
Can I make this DIY Little Debbie Christmas Tree recipe ahead of time? Yes! This Christmas Tree dessert keeps well for up to a week at room temperature or two weeks refrigerated. Just make sure it’s completely set before storing, and use parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking.
Why isn’t my white chocolate melting smoothly? The crackers and toffee need to be very hot from the oven for the chocolate chips to melt properly. If they’ve cooled down, pop the pan back in the warm oven for 30 seconds to reheat before spreading the chocolate.
Can I use a different color of sanding sugar? Absolutely! Red sanding sugar would look festive, or you could use a mix of red and green. White sanding sugar or pearl sugar would give it a snowy look. Use whatever colors match your holiday theme.
More Bark Recipes
- Oreo Cookie Bark
- Cranberry Pistachio Bark
- Reindeer Chocolate Bark
- Turtle Candy Bark
- Chocolate Hazelnut Bark
- Chocolate Candy Bark (can use different colored candy for different holidays)
- Pecan Pie Bark
- Ritz Cracker Candy
- Christmas Crack (Saltine Toffee)
- Graham Cracker Toffee
Ingredients
- 40 saltine crackers approximately
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 18 ounces white chocolate chips 1½ 12 oz. bags
- Red cooking icing must be cookie icing so that it hardens
- Green sanding sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F, and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Line the baking sheet with saltine crackers in a single layer and set aside.
- In a medium sauce pan, combine the brown sugar and butter. Cook over medium-high heat until butter melts and mixture begins to simmer.
- Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Pour the sugar and butter mixture over top of the saltines evenly.
- Bake in the oven for about 5 minutes. Sugar and butter will be bubbling.
- When you remove the pan from the oven, quickly sprinkle white chocolate chips over top.
- Allow a minute or two for the chocolate chips to begin to melt, and smooth the chocolate out evenly over the crackers and toffee.
- Sprinkle with green sanding sugar while the chocolate is still wet.
- Use the cookie icing to draw lines across your bark to make it resemble Christmas Tree Cakes. Allow 4 hours to set completely before breaking into pieces.
Notes
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