Description

Christmas Crack Cookies are large, buttery cookies with a delightful combination of browned butter, toffee bits, crushed saltine crackers, and a rich melted chocolate topping sprinkled with pecans and holiday sprinkles. These cookies offer a perfect balance of sweet, salty, crunchy, and soft textures, making them a festive treat for the holiday season.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

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

Wet Ingredients and Mix-ins

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
1 large egg room temperature
1 large egg yolk room temperature
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 Baking Sheets. Preheat your oven to 375°F and line your baking sheets with parchment paper. It is recommended to use two baking sheets and rotate them during baking for even results.
Prepare Butter. Take the butter out of the refrigerator approximately 15 minutes before use to bring it to room temperature and slice it into tablespoons for even melting.
Mix Dry Ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, powdered milk, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
Browning the Butter. In a skillet over medium heat, melt 10 tablespoons of butter. Continue stirring frequently for 2 to 3 minutes until brown bits form on the bottom, the top becomes foamy, and the butter develops a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter until melted. Transfer all the browned butter into a large heat-safe bowl or a stand mixer bowl with a whisk attachment.
Add Sugars, Corn Syrup, and Vanilla. Mix the granulated sugar, light brown sugar, light corn syrup, and vanilla extract into the browned butter until combined.
Add Eggs and Whisk. Add the whole egg and additional egg yolk and whisk for 30 seconds. Let the mixture rest for 3 minutes, then whisk again for 30 seconds. Repeat this resting and whisking two more times until the batter is smooth, thick, and shiny, resembling caramel sauce.
Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients. Using a rubber spatula or paddle attachment, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients for 1 minute. The dough will be soft, which is normal, and does not require chilling.
Fold in Toffee Bits and Saltine Crackers. Gently fold in most of the toffee bits and crushed saltine crackers evenly through the dough.
Portion and Bake Cookies. Using a large (¼ cup-sized) cookie scoop, drop dough balls 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through. The cookies should be slightly cracked and just a little browned at the edges. Allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Toast Pecans. While cookies are cooling, place pecan pieces in a small bowl and microwave for 1 minute. Stir, then microwave for an additional 30 seconds to lightly toast.
Melt Chocolate Chips. Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring between each until smooth and fully melted.
Top Cookies. Spoon the melted chocolate onto the cooled cookies and spread to cover most of the top. Sprinkle with toasted pecans, extra toffee bits, and holiday sprinkles as desired.
Set Chocolate and Serve. Allow the chocolate topping to set before serving. Enjoy these festive Christmas Crack Cookies!

Notes

Use a kitchen scale for accurate measurement of ingredients for best results.
Do not brown all the butter; only 10 tablespoons should be browned and the remaining 4 tablespoons just melted to maintain recipe balance.
Slicing butter before melting ensures faster and even melting.
This recipe makes large cookies approximately 4 to 5 inches in diameter. For smaller cookies, use a medium cookie scoop and reduce bake time to 9 minutes.
Chopped chocolate is recommended instead of regular chocolate chips for better texture, but chocolate chips can be used as a substitute.
Nutritional estimates exclude the chocolate melting wafers used for topping.
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
You can add any chopped nuts of your choice for additional flavor and texture.
The cookie dough freezes well: flash-freeze scooped dough on a baking sheet for 1 hour, then transfer to a sealed bag and freeze up to 3 months. Add 1-2 minutes to baking time when baking from frozen.
Salted butter may be used if desired; omit added salt if using salted butter.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cookie
Calories: 250 kcal
Sugar: 18 g
Sodium: 120 mg
Fat: 14 g
Saturated Fat: 8 g
Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 28 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 3 g
Cholesterol: 45 mg