Chocolate Toffee Matzo Crack
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
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.
How To Make Chocolate Toffee Matzo Crack
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.
You may also like
- Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies
- Coconut Macaroons
- Double Chocolate Pavlova with Mascarpone Cream & Raspberries
- Raspberry & Cream Parfaits
- Marbled Peppermint Bark
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
Powered by 
- 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.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Have you tried it with unsalted matzoh? I have boxes of that so wanted to use it but am wondering if the recipe needs the extra salt.
Hi Bonnie, it should be fine; you can just add a pinch more salt at the end.
My husband is Jewish, my kids are half Jewish, and after making and eating these I may just convert! These are delicious and will definitely be a new tradition to begin the Passover season. Thank you, Jenn!
What a great recipe! I must admit, I was a bit skeptical about using crackers as a crust, but I should have remembered whose recipe I was reading. The toffee is phenomenal! Easy to make, and delicious to eat.
I did wonder however, would it work if I were to substitute the crackers for the crust recipe listed on the Pecan Shortbread Squares? Either way, it’s still quite a tasty treat 🙂
Hi Aminah, So glad you enjoyed! That could work, although not sure the crust would be sturdy enough to support all of the filling.
They certainly are delicious. I took a few into work and everyone is addicted!
This tastes wonderful. Every recipe I’ve made from your website is delicious!.
I’ve also made this with white chocolate! I follow this recipe through the oven part, then freeze the matzo and toffee for 15 minutes. Then I melt white chocolate chips or, preferably Ghiradelli melting disks, and spread it on top of the frozen toffee. Then I refreeze it for another 15 minutes. The white chocolate toffee is amazing!
Oops…forgot to mention…if you use white chocolate chips, you will need to add a small amount (sorry I don’t measure but it’s between a teaspoon and a tablespoon, of vegetable oil to smooth it out.
I could only get the unsalted matzo which many recipes like this use. However, I want that sweet salty combo like your recipe calls for. I’m wondering if just the sea salt finish will cut it or if I should make sure one of the sticks of butter is salted. Thoughts?
Salted butter is a great idea. You may still need a little extra salt at the end but should come out just fine.
Thank you! I’ll try it!
Just made this with the unsalted matzo and used one stick salted butter and one unsalted. I added the 1/2 tsp salt as per your recipe at the end. More than half was eaten in my household before dinner was ready! I had to hide the rest so I could bring to a party tomorrow which was why I made the crack in the first place!
I’ve made this and love it. I’m wondering if it can be made in advance and frozen. Thanks.
Hi Joanna, Yes, no problem to make ahead and freeze.
Has anyone used phyllo dough instead of crackers?
I love this stuff! Now I know there is another way…. matzo! I like the bigger sheets matzo come in. I will definitly look forward to trying this method. Thanks!
Love this! It took a few tries to get the caramel candy right but it was great for an end of the year teachers treat.
Followed the recipe for the first time today, to bring to a Seder tonight. I’m always a bit nervous with a new recipe that mine won’t turn out like I hope. My family tried it and all I can say is thank goodness I prepared a double batch! Otherwise there wouldn’t be any left to bring tonight. It IS that good and that easy! The recipe, comments and photos were exact matches to my experience, which doesn’t always happen. I can’t wait to see everyone enjoy this treat tonight, thank you so much!
i couldnt wait to make this as soon as i got home from work today. they came out perfectly and are delicious. the fun part was following your directions exactly and seeing everything proceed just like the pictures. such a treat! thankyou!!!
I would definitely make a lot. I always make a lot because most Passover desserts suck. Not this one, it;s amazing… Thanks for posting.
This recipe was requested by my friend for her baby shower so I made it, exactly as written. It was consumed quickly and so easy to make. It will definitely be a repeat as much as my waistband will allow. 🙂
This one is going on my Passover menu this year. Based on my experience with your other recipes, I better make a dobke batch?
This is such a great idea! My mom really loves it, and it is so easy to make. Not just for holiday’s.
Love the taste, but when I cut mine, they splintered into jagged-edged shapes. Did I let them chill too long? Was my toffee/chocolate too thin? Thanks! LOVE your recipes…
Hi Sheila, Glad you enjoyed! It’s hard to say what might make them hard to cut…I can tell you that mine cut neatly but aren’t totally perfect (the prettiest ones always go in the picture). It could be the brand of matzo you used, or that they were too cold. But I wouldn’t worry about it too much — in fact, some people don’t cut them at all but rather just break them into pieces like candy bark. Hope that helps!
Recently made these using saltine crackers – so good!
Love Love Love… a staple for our Passover Seder!
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!
I made this for the first time last year and looking forward to repeating it again this year after Passover. It was definitely addictive.
Thanks for the tasty Passover recipe, it’s hard to find good desserts without flour in them.
I used almonds instead of pecans, more like almond roca candy.
Does the type of Matzo really make a difference??
Hi Tai, I love Streit’s but the type doesn’t make a big difference here.
My grandson is in his first year at West Point. This is what he asks me to make more than anything. He calls me as soon as he gets it. The cadets love it at West Point.
These are amazing and highly addicting! I’ve never met anyone who didn’t love these. Plus, some of the ingredients may be substituted. I used saltine crackers instead of matzos and use any kind of nut that I have in the house. You don’t have to be a good baker either. They are super easy to make!
I’ve made this in various different forms (using graham crackers, Keebler crackers) but had never used matzos. I liked this variation. I’ve also added finely chopped dried cherries with the chocolate chips, have substituted butterscotch chips for the chocolate–it’s a very versatile recipe, and no matter what I do to it, my family loves it.
I made this for my co-workers and they are addicted! So it’s true, it is like crack!
Awesome!
These are the best. in fact I made a bunch of this and packaged in glass Christmas tree cookie jars for Christmas presents for the office. Everyone loves them. for the kids I swapped mini-marsmallows for the nuts and that went over well!
My mother-in-law makes this! It really is crack. Sweet, salty, crunchy. Hits all the bases!
This recipe made me look SO good last Christmas. It was so easy to make but looks & tastes like a professional made it. I will be making it again for Easter!!
I have promised my husband that I’ll make this treat during Passover this year… I’m pretty sure that the most excited he’s ever gotten about the holiday.
This recipe is incredible! It is the BEST part of Passover…is it “legal” to hide it as the afikomen? Best to make a double recipe: no one could get enough of it.
i originally found this recipe in the better homes and gardens magazine a few years ago, and I decided to make it for Hanukkah. Everyone loved it! I make mine with pistachios though. It gives it a nice color and the saltiness of nut is great. I lost the recipe this year though, so thanks a million for posting it. You’re a life saver!
I just made my own version which I have been making for years-it is similar to this, but yours has more chocolate and I have to say it looks quite good! Spray a cookie sheet with Pam and you will have no problems. I am lazy so I use salted butter and then don’t sprinkle salt on top. You can also stir nuts into the caramel before you bake it in the oven.
Hi! Thanks for your response. I did use 100% recycled aluminum that I purchased at the health food store, in a brown box. It is very thin compared to regular aluminum foil. I guess that made a difference in it sticking to the matzah. Next time I will put parchment on top of the foil.
Thank you!
Hi Lindsey,
Thanks so much for your comment. I’m so sorry you had a problem with the foil sticking to the candy. To be honest, I’m not sure why it happened. I’ve made this dessert so many times and never had that problem. The only thing I can think of is maybe the foil…Which brand do you use? Is it heavy duty? Anyhow, if you make it again, there’s a solution: just cover the foil with a sheet of parchment paper. I’m actually going to add that to the recipe – if you had a problem, others might too. Thanks so much for letting me know…I appreciate it! Hope you were able to peel it all off and enjoy the candy. Best, Jennifer
Hi Jennifer,
Thanks for your great recipes, they always work out so well and taste delicious. I have a question about your doughnut muffin recipe. You call for 2 tsp of grated nutmeg in the batter. Do you mean fresh grated nutmeg or nutmeg from the spice jar?
Thanks for sharing so much of yourself along with your recipes. All the best to you and your family.
Thank you so much, Sheila. That is so nice to read! You can use either freshly grated nutmeg or ground nutmeg from a jar. Fresh is better but definitely not necessary, especially if your ground nutmeg is reasonably fresh.
Hi! I made this tonight with my kids. It came out great except that the aluminum foil ended up glued to the bottom of the matzah and it is very difficult to remove. I guess I should have sprayed Pam before I put the matzah down? Any advice?
I use Reynolds non stick aluminum foil. Yesterday I used Reynolds foil on one side- parchment paper on other side wrap. Never saw this before and gave it a try. Worked great too!
I use throw away aluminum pans that are sprayed with Pam. That way nothing sticks to the matzo and I don’t have to clean my cookie sheet.
i am afraid to make that…it looks too good
Ooh…!! I love this stuff. I make a version at Christmas with saltines and people go bananas for this stuff. Sort of dying for some right now, actually.
Hope you’ve been doing great! xo
This stuff is crack and it’s beyond delicious. What am I doing wrong? I’ve made it 4 times and the parchment paper sticks/melts to the matza. I’ve tried spraying the parchment with non stick but that doesn’t seem to work either. I follow the recipe to a T. Help! I’ve had to throw 4 batches away and can only salvage bits of it.
Hi Auntie, Are you sure you’re using parchment paper and not wax paper? If so, what brand of parchment paper are you using?
I use foil, and most importantly, spray it with Bakers Joy. Always works. Finding parchment paper can be tricky, and I spray it as well when I use it for other desserts.
I made a similar recipe a few weeks ago and ate the whole pan in like 3 days. Crack is a VERY appropriate name for this treat 🙂 Can’t wait to make it again with your recipe!