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.
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
Ingredients
- 4 to 5 lightly salted matzos, preferably the Streit's brand - see note below
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
- 1 (12-oz) 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 (175°C). 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-in (5-cm) squares. Store in an airtight container in the fridge and serve cold.
Notes
- 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.
- It's a good idea to toast the nuts for maximum flavor but, truth be told, I never bother.
- Freezing 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
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.
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This was so much fun to make!! My first time and it came out perfectly- my new favorite!!
Followed the recipe (almost) to the “T” (I used Demerara sugar instead of brown sugar), but cooked it, boiled it, spread on the Matza and baked it for 8 minutes till it boiled and crackled spread the chocolate chips and waited… and it was a failure: the caramel did not melt – it was still grainy and buttery, the chocolate did not melt (I even left is in a warm oven) but rather looked like dust (is that because of the chocolate chips?). It was just a mess. Good that I made only two trays so less to throw out.
Not sure what I did wrong, and I will try again… maybe next year…
Hi Becky, I’m sorry you had a problem with this! I feel pretty confident that the problem was the demerara sugar. It has larger grains than standard brown sugar, and it sounds like it didn’t have time to fully cook in the time allotted. If you try it again next year, I’d stick with regular brown sugar.
The recipe is not the problem. I’ve been using it for a decade, including selling thousands of shekels worth every year at my catering company.
Solid ratio of ingredients, foolproof recipe
We make this recipe every Passover and it always turns out great! We also add coconut for some extra deliciousness.
(written by my son)
Everyone always asks for the recipe.
(written by my son. I told him to write this though)
Please thank your son for his great review 😊
Made it four years in a row. The first time my oven temperature was off and the toffee never hardened – more like a sticky mess at room temperature. I froze the “failure”, chopped it and kept in the freezer as ice-cream sprinkles/topping.
This time I added a scant 1/2 teaspoon of instant coffee to the toffee (took a while to completely dissolve) and it came out great! As far as making sure that the toffee hardens, instead of timing, I went by the size of bubbles. Initially they are really large, when they become smaller and looking the photo, they are ready. It took me more between 12 to 14 minutes to get to that point. Oven temperatures do vary therefore, at least for me, it is safer to use the time as a guideline and go by the look.
Good, easy and very tasty!
I am glad to see you gave credit to Marcy Goldman because most people don’t. Her books are amazing.
So easy to make and everyone loves them!