This Saltine Toffee Candy is deliciously addictive! Saltine crackers are drenched in sweet toffee, then layered with smooth chocolate and topped with chopped almonds. Once cooled, the toffee candy is snapped into pieces, making it the ultimate food gift for the holiday season. It’s also a great addition to cookie exchanges! And best of all, no candy thermometer is required.
SALTINE TOFFEE CANDY
(Makes 35 to 40 pieces)
- 35 to 40 saltine crackers
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 ½ cups milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup finely chopped almonds, pecans or walnuts
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil; spray with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange crackers in a single layer over the prepared baking sheet. I used 40 crackers, but use fewer if you have a smaller baking sheet.
Place butter and sugar in a small saucepan; heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches a boil. Allow to boil, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes or until the toffee is golden brown. Remove from heat. Immediately pour toffee mixture evenly over the crackers.
Bake for 5 minutes or until the toffee mixture begins to bubble (crackers may start to float). Remove from the oven and, using the tip of a knife, line the crackers back up if needed. Sprinkle top with chocolate chips. Allow chocolate chips to sit for 1 to 2 minutes or until they start to soften and melt. Using an offset spatula, spread the melted chocolate over the toffee. Sprinkle evenly with nuts.
Allow to cool completely. To speed up the process, transfer the pan to the refrigerator and chill for one hour or until set. Once set, break the toffee candy into pieces by hand. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
The secret to these sugar cookies is the addition of cream cheese. Adding cream cheese to the cookie dough creates an ultra-tender cookie that pairs perfectly with the orange icing.
Soft and chewy, with crisp, buttery edges, these sugar cookies are a simple alternative to traditional cut-out sugar cookies. Bake up a batch for your next cookie exchange and watch them disappear! Or package two or three of these cookies in a cellophane bag tied with a ribbon, and violà! What a nice and easy gift. For a festive touch, add half a cup of finely chopped dried cranberries to the cookie dough before baking.
DROP-STYLE ORANGE SUGAR COOKIES
(Makes about 4 dozen cookies)
COOKIES
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¼ cup (2 ounces) brick-style cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar, plus ¼ cup for rolling dough
- 1 to 2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
ICING
- 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) brick-style cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons milk or freshly squeezed orange juice
- ½ to 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- White candy sprinkles (optional)
FOR COOKIES:
Place oven racks in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Beat butter, cream cheese, 1¼ cups granulated sugar and orange zest in a large mixer bowl until creamy. Scrape down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Gradually beat in flour mixture.
Place the remaining ¼ cup sugar in a shallow bowl. Scoop dough by level measuring tablespoon, and then roll into balls. Place in the bowl with sugar and roll to coat. Place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Using a flat-bottomed glass or the palm of your hand, flatten the cookies to ¼-inch thick.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back midway through baking to ensure even baking. Cool in the pan on the wire rack for a few minutes, and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
FOR ICING:
Whisk together cream cheese, milk and orange peel in a medium mixing bowl until smooth. Whisk in powdered sugar until smooth. With a spoon, drizzle over the cookies. If using sprinkles, carefully add sprinkles. Allow the glazed cookies to dry for at least 30 minutes.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. To freeze already baked cookies, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and then transfer them to a freezer zip-top bag for up to 3 months. To defrost, let the cookies sit at room temperature until thawed.
These Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are chewy on the inside, ever so slightly crisp on the outside, loaded with chocolate and finished with a white chocolate drizzle and crushed candy canes. Perfect for cookie exchanges, holiday gatherings or alongside a piping hot cup of cocoa on a cold winter’s night.
CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT CHRISTMAS COOKIES
(Makes about 2 ½ dozen cookies)
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
- ¾ cup dark, bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chunks or chips
- 1 cup white chocolate chips or bar, chopped or bright white candy melts
- ¼ cup crushed candy canes
Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
Beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in a large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in egg, followed by vanilla and peppermint extract. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chunks. Cover and chill dough for 30 minutes or until firm enough to handle.
Place oven racks in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Scoop dough by level measuring tablespoon, and then roll into balls. Place on the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly with the palm of your hand.
Bake for 8 to 9 minutes or until edges have set but centers are still a little soft, rotating baking pans from top to bottom and front to back toward the end of baking time. Cool cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Melt white chocolate according to package directions. Place a piece of parchment paper under the cooling rack to catch drips. Then drizzle melted white chocolate over cookies and immediately sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Allow the chocolate to harden completely.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Enjoy these delicious treats, and Happy Holidays!
Chris Garboski managed the HQ test kitchen at Nestle and produced more than a thousand recipes in her 25 years with the company. Her proudest accomplishment has been raising triplets.
