A crunchy, slightly sticky dessert you can't get enough of. This chocolate toffee Matzo Crack recipe is Passover-friendly, gluten-free, and the perfect blend of crunchy, matzos, brown sugar glazed caramel, and melted chocolate. It pairs beautifully with the Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Matzo Crack Recipe At A Glance
- ⏱ Total Time: 20 minutes (10 min prep + 10 min bake)
- 🍫 Servings: 16
- 🇺🇸 Cuisine Type: American
- 🥗 Dietary Info: Gluten-free; Passover-friendly
- 🍬 Flavor Profile: Crisp matzo layered with buttery caramel toffee, melted chocolate, and a sprinkle of sea salt for the perfect sweet-salty bite
- 🥡 Storage Notes: Store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Can be frozen, though the texture may change slightly
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: An irresistible Passover treat that's quick to make, easy to customize with toppings, and always the first thing to disappear
What Is Matzo Crack?
Matzo Crack, sometimes called matzah crack, matzo toffee, or matzoh toffee, is a classic Passover dessert made with crisp matzo sheets layered with buttery caramel and melted chocolate. It's a staple on Jewish holiday tables and easy to customize with different toppings to create new flavors.
Because leavened bread isn't eaten during Passover, matzo is often used as the base for desserts. Traditional matzo is made with flour and water, but this recipe uses gluten-free matzo sheets to keep it gluten-free while still delivering that irresistible sweet-salty crunch. It's quick to make, perfect for a Passover Seder, and nearly impossible to stop eating.
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I like also like to hoard my Almond Macaroon Cookies, Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons, and Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake! But, the Krembo Cake and Flourless Chocolate Cake are always on my table!
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Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make this matzo toffee:
Ingredient Notes:
- Chocolate chips: Use a good-quality chocolate for the topping, since chocolate is one of the dominant flavors in this recipe. During Passover, be sure your chocolate chips are certified kosher for Passover, if that's important to you. Once sprinkled over the hot caramel matzo, the chocolate melts easily and spreads into a smooth, even layer.
- Gluten-free matzo: Traditional matzo is made with wheat flour and water, but this recipe uses gluten-free matzo sheets to keep the dessert fully gluten-free. Gluten-free matzo can vary slightly in thickness and texture, so it doesn't need to fit perfectly in the pan. Break the sheets as needed to cover the surface, knowing that the caramel and chocolate will hold everything together.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Variations
This chocolate caramel matzo cracker recipe comes together so simply. There are also a few ways you can vary it!
- Chocolate - you can use butterscotch, white chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, semisweet chocolate chips, or any other combination that you enjoy. Consider using two types and swirling the flavors together!
- Toasted nuts - anything from pecans, walnuts, to almonds tastes delicious. Pistachios pair perfectly with white chocolate. Toast the nuts first as it brings out a richer flavor.
- Dried fruit -adding dried fruit on top like cherries, cranberries, or blueberries gives a burst of sweet fresh taste but also adds a juicy texture to each bite.
- Sea salt - the simplest way to whip up these caramel matzo crackers is to use flaky sea salt on top. The combination of chocolate and salt is a delicious one.
How To Make Matzo Crack: Step-By-Step
Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember that full instructions with the exact ingredients are in the printable recipe card:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Line a cookie sheet completely with aluminum foil. Then line the sheet with parchment paper while pre-heating the oven.
Cover your cookie sheet with the matzo crackers making sure they're in a single layer. Take care to break apart some of the crackers to fit any extra spaces and that they cover the entire pan.
Step 2: In a small saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together over medium heat and bring it to a boil. Then turn down the heat to simmer for 3 minutes while whisking the entire time. It will start to thicken slightly.
Remove it from the heat and mix in the salt and vanilla extract quickly. Then, pour the caramel over the matzo sheets using an offset spatula to spread the caramel evenly. Work quickly as the caramel starts to set soon after it's poured.
Step 3: Bake the crackers for 15 minutes while watching closely towards the end so that they don't darken too much.
Remove the tray from the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips over top. Let it all sit for 5 minutes to let the chocolate melt before spreading it in an even layer over the caramel with a spatula.
Step 4: Sprinkle on top of the chocolate any topping you wish and let the sheet cool on the counter until it hardens.
Break the crackers into pieces and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Matzo sheets are hard to break apart to fit the sheet pan, you may need to use a serrated knife to cut the pieces when you're layering them.
- Use a silicone spatula or offset spatula to spread the caramel and chocolate layers, it works the best and you need to move quickly.
- You can speed up the cooling of the caramel bark by placing the sheet pan in the freezer. Once it's cooled, break everything into pieces to store.
Confidence Tip
Make sure to double-line the baking pan. This not only helps everything cook but it also helps to remove the crackers.
Do you love chocolate? Try the Chocolate Chow Mein Noodle Cookies or the Peanut Butter Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats!
Frequently Asked Questions
This is another name for the recipe and came about because it's just so good. The combination of chocolate, caramel, and crunch makes it extremely hard to resist having more than a few pieces.
They're similar in that both are light and airy. However, matzo crackers have no salt on top and are unleavened bread made specifically for Passover. You can use saltines or even graham crackers for this matzo bark recipe, but you cannot use them on Passover unless you are using a version that is Kosher for Passover.
Other Passover Desserts For You to Try:
Let me know your thoughts on this Matzo Crack Recipe by leaving a star rating below or by sharing it on Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, or Pinterest!
Thank you!
Gwen
Matzo Crack Recipe (GF)
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 Gluten-free matzo sheets
- 1 cup unsalted butter cut into large chunks
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed tightly
- sea salt preferably flaky salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 12 oz chocolate chips semisweet
- toppings of your choice
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350℉.
- Prepare your pan by lining a 9x13 rimmed cookie sheet completely with foil. Then line it again with parchment paper.
- Place your matzo sheets into the pan, breaking up the pieces so that the entire cookie sheet is covered in a single layer. Break up any pieces you need to fit. It doesn't need to be perfect.
- Make the toffee/caramel by melting the butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat and whisking until it begins to boil. Turn down the heat and continue to simmer and whisk for three minutes until the mixture thickens.
- Remove from the heat and add a couple of pinches of sea salt and the vanilla extract. Whisk together.
- Quickly pour over the matzo and using an offset spatula, spread over the entire pan. It will begin to set as soon as it is poured.
- Bake for 15 minutes watching it carefully so it doesn't burn. The caramel will bubble. If the matzo darkens too quickly reduce the oven temperature.
- Take the matzo out of the oven.
- Top the matzo with the chocolate chips. Allow the chocolate to sit for up to 5 minutes so it begins to melt.
- Using an offset spatula, spread the chocolate over the caramel.
- Top with the toppings of your choice.
- Cool on the counter. Break into pieces and serve.
GRETA says
This chocolate matzo toffee came out really delicious. So crunchy and loved the caramel layer. Super good, I can't recommend it enough. Thanks x
Meghan says
The combination of matzo and chocolate is absolutely delicious! It's just the right amount of sweet to satisfy my craving, but with a crunchy salty element. YUM.
Megan says
This is so good! The combination of matzo, butter and sugar, and decadent melted chocolate gives the right balance of sweetness. Such a wonderful treat for the kids! This is a new favorite.
Felsha says
The caramel had a great texture, gooey but not overly so and the chocolate layer balanced the sweetness perfectly. It was enjoyed by both my kids and myself, making it a simple yet delightful Passover treat. So yum!
Joy says
This recipe quickly became our family’s favorite. It’s easy to make and so delicious. It is so addictive and we just can’t stop eating it when it’s made.
Camille says
This Passover dessert was a delightful surprise for me. It has a combination of crunchy, chewy and smooth textures made it quite enjoyable. I decided to add toasted almonds for an extra depth of flavor and it turned out delicious. My new fav dessert!