Chocolate Toffee Matzo Crack
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With layers of matzo, crunchy toffee, chocolate, and sea salt, matzo crack is an absolute must for Passover!
If you like Heath bars, you’ll love this homemade chocolate toffee candy. It’s made with matzo, a Jewish cracker-like flatbread, and called crack because it’s so hard to resist. (Get it? Crack-ers.) Originally created by cookbook author Marcy Goldman of Better Baking, matzo crack is the Jewish version on crack candy (or Christmas crack), which is made from saltines. Both recipes have a crispy, flaky cracker layer topped with buttery toffee, melted chocolate, nuts, and sea salt. And the best part is that it’s easy to make – no candy thermometers, special equipment, or tempering of chocolate required.
Matzo crack is a dessert staple during Passover at our house, along with chocolate chip meringues, coconut macaroons, and flourless chocolate cake.
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need To Make Chocolate Toffee Matzo Crack
Step-By-Step Instructions
Begin by arranging the matzos in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Make the toffee: Combine the butter and brown sugar in a saucepan.
Bring to a boil.
Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until foamy and thickened, about 3 minutes.
Pour the toffee over the matzos and spread into an even layer with an offset or rubber spatula. Be very careful – it’s very hot.
Bake in the oven until bubbling all over, 8 to 10 minutes.
While it’s still hot, scatter the chocolate chips over top and let sit for a few minutes to soften. Then, use a spatula to spread the chocolate into an even layer.
Sprinkle with chopped pecans and sea salt.
Refrigerate until firm, about 45 minutes, then transfer to a cutting board and cut into squares.
Eat and enjoy or give as gifts.
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Chocolate Toffee Matzo Crack
With layers of matzo, crunchy toffee, chocolate, and sea salt, matzo crack is an absolute must for Passover!
Ingredients
- 4-5 lightly salted matzos (preferably the Streit's brand - see note below)
- 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
- 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 1 (12-ounce) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips (I use Ghirardelli)
- 1 heaping cup chopped pecans (toasted if desired, for maximum flavor - see note below)
- ½ teaspoon sea salt flakes or kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil, making sure the foil goes up and over the edges, and top with a sheet of parchment paper.
- Cover the baking sheet with the matzos, cutting and piecing them together as necessary to fill the entire pan.
- Make the toffee: Combine butter and brown sugar in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk, until the mixture comes to a boil. (If it looks like it’s separating, just keep stirring; it will come together.) Once the mixture comes to a boil, continue cooking and stirring for another 3 minutes until foamy and thickened. (Be extra careful -- the toffee will be very hot!) Immediately pour the toffee over the matzos and, using a spatula, spread into an even layer.
- Put the pan into the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the toffee topping is crackled and bubbling all over. Remove the pan from the oven and place on wire cooling rack on the counter. Immediately scatter the chocolate chips evenly over top. Wait 3 to 5 minutes for the chips to soften, then use an offset spatula to spread the chocolate into an even layer. Sprinkle with the pecans and sea salt. Refrigerate until the chocolate is firm, about 45 minutes. Don't leave it in the fridge too much longer, otherwise it will be hard to cut.
- Lift the foil overhang to transfer the matzo crack onto a large cutting board. Using a large sharp knife, cut into 2-inch squares. Store in an airtight container in the fridge and serve cold.
- Note: I love Streit’s lightly salted matzos for this recipe but any brand will work. If you can only find regular salted matzos, cut back or omit the sea salt at the end. If you can't find matzos, substitute Saltine crackers and omit the salt. You'll need enough to cover the entire sheet pan.
- Note: It's a good idea to toast the nuts for maximum flavor but, truth be told, I never bother.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The toffee can be frozen for up to 3 months: Place the toffee in an airtight container. It can be eaten directly from the freezer or, if you’d like, remove the toffee from the container and let it come to room temperature.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (17 servings)
- Serving size: 2 squares
- Calories: 166
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Sugar: 14 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Sodium: 36 mg
- Cholesterol: 14 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
We’ve made this recipe multiple times since I last posted above. I absolutely love it and crack couldn’t be a better descriptor.
As far as modifications we’ve made:
– Used light brown sugar instead of dark because that’s all we seem to have on hand and it works just fine.
– Instead of semi-sweet chips, we’ve used dark chocolate chunks; again, it’s what we had on hand. The toffee provides enough sweetness to make it work.
– Substituted pistachios for the pecans; again, it’s what we had on hand. The pistachios were awesome, but then again we’re partial to pistachios.
– One time, we were out of foil so we used parchment paper. The end result tasted fine,but it is definitely wasn’t as great as using foil nor was it as pretty… maybe it had something to do with the paper not conducting heat as well?
When I make these I often make half with nuts and the other half with a more kid friendly topping like mini marshmellows since a lot of the kids don’t like nuts
I love this recipe! Such a delicious way to use up the matzoh until next year.
Quick, easy, and popular with co-workers…it doesn’t get any better!
I have done this with saltines in the past. The matzoh is superior! Thank you!
Since my first batch these have become a family favorite. They’re easy to make, store well, and perfect for just a bit of sweet when the sweet tooth hits.
We have made matzo “brittle” as we call it, for many years, but never added nuts before. What a difference!
I love these with matzo or saltines they are delicious!
April 6, 2012
Made this for the holiday tonight and it was the best dessert I’ve ever had. And easy enough for even me to make.
Thanks for sharing.
I made these from your recipe right after Christmas and I can definitely testify they are like crack (well, not from personal experience etc etc LOL) We loved them! ….and they were insanely easy to make. I froze half of the batch and we’ve just finished THAT off also. Highly recommended!