Get into the holiday spirit with this Buddy the Elf-inspired Christmas Crack, a fun twist on the classic treat that's got everything from candy canes to mini M&Ms on a bed of saltine crackers, all coated in a crackly layer of caramel and chocolate, topped off with white chocolate 'spaghetti' swirls—because we all know elves have four main food groups! This sweet concoction will have you feeling like you're in Santa's workshop with every bite.
42saltine crackers(about 1 1/2 sleeves of saltine crackers)
1cupunsalted butteror 8 ounces
½cuplight brown sugar
½cupdark brown sugar
2tspmaple extract
1packagechocolate chips12oz package
2ozwhite chocolate
About 15mini candy canes
About ½cupcandy corn
About ½cupmini M&Ms
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400℉.
Set aside a piping bag with a small round tip.
Set aside the candy corn, candy canes, and M&M candies.
Butter a rimmed cookie sheet or sheet pan generously or line it with parchment or a silicone mat.
Line up the saltine crackers in rows, placing them next to each other as closely as possible. Fill the tray row by row carefully, trying not to force too many in each row or break any crackers.
Add the butter and brown sugar to a large saucepan and stir to combine over medium high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and stir constantly for about 3-4 minutes, heating to just below hard crack stage, about 300 degrees (hard crack stage is between 300-315℉). Use a candy thermometer to watch the temperature of the mixture as it boils. Once it reaches about 280 degrees, it takes very little time to get to the hard crack stage, so be very watchful and remove it from the heat just before the thermometer reaches 300. The heat will keep rising just a bit even after you remove it from the heat. If it is not heated to the hard crack stage, when it cools it will be chewy, not crunchy. (Be very careful not to burn yourself. The mixture is extremely hot and might bubble over if your pan is too small or if you stop stirring. If you feel that it might boil over, reduce the heat and keep stirring. Never let small children stir hot caramel or stand too close where they might get burned.)
After you remove the caramel from the heat, carefully add the maple extract (it may bubble up) and stir to combine.
Pour the caramel carefully over the top of the crackers, spreading quickly and evenly with a spatula. You may not be able to spread it all the way to the edges, but do the best you can and work quickly. Place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake at 400℉ for 5 minutes.
Remove from the oven, immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips all over the top, and wait for 5 minutes. Once the time has passed, use a spatula to spread the chocolate evenly.
Evenly scatter the candy corn, candy cane pieces, and M&M candies over the chocolate layer.
Melt the white chocolate in the microwave: Place the white chocolate in a small heatproof bowl and heat for 20 seconds and stir, then heat for 10 second increments, stirring in between, until the white chocolate is completely melted. Let the melted chocolate cool for a minute, then place the prepared piping bag upright in a drinking glass and fill it with the melted white chocolate. Immediately begin piping the white chocolate in an overlapping circular pattern all over the surface of the chocolate and candy layer, creating lines that mimic spaghetti noodles.
Place the cookie sheet aside for about 30 minutes to let the white chocolate set, or place in the refrigerator for 5 minutes to completely cool.
Remove from the refrigerator and cut into 2-3 inch squares.