Description

Christmas Crack Cookies are irresistibly buttery, crunchy, and sweet treats featuring brown butter, crushed saltine crackers, toffee bits, and a rich chocolate topping adorned with festive sprinkles and toasted pecans. These large, chewy cookies offer a perfect balance of salty and sweet with a delightful caramel flavor from the brown butter and a crisp texture from the crackers.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (270g)
2 tablespoons powdered milk (12g)
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda

Butter and Sugars

14 tablespoons unsalted butter (196g) sliced into tablespoons and divided
½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
¾ cup light brown sugar (150g) packed
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Eggs

1 large egg room temperature
1 large egg yolk room temperature

Mix-ins and Toppings

10 Saltine crackers crushed
1 cup bits o brickle toffee bits plus more for topping
½ cup pecan pieces optional topping
12 ounces chocolate chips
Holiday sprinkles

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Instructions

Preheat Oven and Prepare Pans. Preheat your oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. For best results, use two baking sheets and rotate them between batches to maintain consistent cookie structure.
Prepare Butter. Remove butter from the refrigerator 15 minutes before use to reach room temperature. Then add 10 tablespoons of butter to a skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently for 2 to 3 minutes until brown bits form and the butter becomes foamy and nutty in aroma. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter until melted. Transfer the browned butter to a large heat-safe bowl or stand mixer bowl.
Mix Dry Ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, powdered milk, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
Add Sugars and Flavorings. To the browned butter, add granulated sugar, light brown sugar, light corn syrup, and vanilla extract. Mix thoroughly to combine.
Add Eggs. Add the large egg and egg yolk to the mixture and mix for 30 seconds. Let the batter rest for 3 minutes, then whisk for another 30 seconds. Repeat resting and whisking two more times until the batter appears smooth, thick, and shiny, similar to caramel sauce.
Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients. Using a rubber spatula or paddle attachment, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients for 1 minute. The dough will be soft and does not require chilling.
Fold in Crackers and Toffee. Gently fold in most of the crushed saltine crackers and toffee bits, reserving some for topping.
Scoop and Bake Cookies. Portion the dough using a ¼-cup cookie scoop and place scoops 3 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. Cookies should look slightly cracked with lightly browned edges. Remove from oven and cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Toast Pecans. While cookies cool, toast pecan pieces in a microwave-safe bowl by heating for 1 minute, stirring, then heating an additional 30 seconds to enhance their flavor.
Melt Chocolate. Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval until fully melted and smooth.
Assemble Cookies. Spoon and spread melted chocolate over the cooled cookies, covering most of the top surface. Sprinkle with toasted pecan pieces, extra toffee bits, and holiday sprinkles as desired.
Set Chocolate and Serve. Allow the chocolate topping to set before serving to enjoy the perfect texture and flavor combination.

Notes

Use a kitchen scale for precise measurements to ensure consistent cookie results.
Do not brown all of the butter; only 10 tablespoons should be browned, and the remaining 4 tablespoons melted but not browned to preserve recipe balance.
Slicing butter before melting aids in faster, even melting.
This recipe yields large cookies about 4 to 5 inches in diameter; to make smaller cookies, use a medium cookie scoop and decrease baking time to 9 minutes.
You may use chocolate chips instead of chopped chocolate, though chopped chocolate creates richer pockets of melted chocolate.
Nutritional values approximate and don't include chocolate melting wafers.
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Optionally add any chopped nuts for variation.
Cookie dough can be frozen for up to 3 months; flash-freeze dough balls on a baking sheet before transferring to freezer bags. Add 1–2 minutes to baking time when baking from frozen.
Salted butter can replace unsalted butter if omitting the added salt.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cookie
Calories: 250 kcal
Sugar: 18 g
Sodium: 150 mg
Fat: 14 g
Saturated Fat: 7 g
Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 28 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 3 g
Cholesterol: 40 mg