A true Passover treat, this chocolate matzo crack recipe is super easy to put together with just 5 ingredients and about 10 minutes of hands-on time. Layers of matzo, a quick toffee and chocolate, all sprinkled with flaky sea salt, come together to form an addictive, crunchy, chocolatey sweet treat that’s perfect for Passover and all year long.
As a busy mom I need quick and easy desserts to keep my kiddos happy on the dessert front during Passover. I can't rely on cake mix baking like I do the rest of the year. Instead these fudgy Passover brownies, mandel bread and these chocolate chip cookies are in heavy rotation at my house.
Also known as matzo crunch, toffee matzo or matzo brittle the origins of all these variations likely trace back to Marcy Goldman’s recipe published sometime in the mid 1980s in The Montreal Gazette. And since then, it’s become one of the most popular and most loved Passover desserts around.
Ingredients
- Matzo: Matzo is an unleavened bread the thickness of a cracker that is a staple of Passover for the Jewish people. You can find it in the kosher section of many grocery stores year round, or you can stock up in the spring near Passover. I typically buy the Manischewitz brand, but any brand will work.
- Butter & Brown Sugar: These pantry ingredients cook together to make a quick and easy toffee that is the sweet layer in the matzo crack.
- Chocolate Chips: The recipe calls for semi-sweet chocolate chips, but feel free to substitute with darker chocolate chips (like 60% cacao) if you are looking for a treat that’s a little less sweet.
How to make Matzo Crack
Start by covering your baking sheet in tin foil or parchment paper. Then lay the matzo pieces out covering the entire baking sheet.
Now it’s time to make the toffee layer. Add the butter and brown sugar to a small saucepan set on the stove over medium heat.
Slowly the brown sugar and butter will melt together.
Once it starts to boil, whisk the mixture together while it boils for 3-4 minutes and becomes thicker. You want it to still be pourable, but not gritty.
Carefully pour the toffee over the matzos and spread into a thin layer to cover the entire surface of the matzo. An offset spatula will help you get into all the nooks and crannies.
While the toffee is still warm, sprinkle the entire pan with the chocolate chips and then pop into the oven for 3-5 minutes (or until the chocolate chips start to glisten).
Take the pan out of the oven and using your offset spatula spread the melted chocolate over the toffee and matzo layers. You are looking for a thin even chocolate coating over the entire dish.
Sprinkle liberally with sea salt and put into the fridge (or other cool spot like the garage in the winter) for about 2 hours or until hardened.
Now the fun part. Break the matzo crack with your hands in pieces and enjoy!
Fun Flavor Combinations
You don’t have to stop at just a chocolate toffee topping for your matzo! While the chocolate is still melty, feel free to add other toppings to the top, like you would do if you were making chocolate bark. Here are few winning flavor combinations:
- Chopped walnuts and pomegranate seeds
- Mini marshmallows for a s’mores inspired treat
- Coconut flakes and chopped almonds
- Freeze dried strawberries and pistachios
Matzo Crack makes a great gift
To package, I suggest breaking the matzo crack into somewhat even sized pieces and then stacking into a cellophane gift bag in a tall stack. Tie the gift bag with a ribbon and gift away.
This would be the perfect hostess gift if you are invited to a seder meal or Shabbat dinner during Passover. Pair it with a bag of these chocolate chip cookies for a real treat!
Or build a snack board around the matzo crack, with nuts and dried fruits, wrap the whole thing up in a big gift bag and take as a thank you when you stay with friends for extended time over the holiday.
Storing leftovers
Since this is a great make ahead dessert, storing the matzo crack before eating or after serving is key.
Start by layering the pieces of matzo crack in an airtight container. Separate each layers with a piece of wax paper or parchment paper.
Then store in the fridge for up to 10 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. It’s unlikely this delicious treat will last that long 😉.
More amazing Passover Recipes:
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📖 Recipe
Easy Chocolate Toffee Matzo Crack
Ingredients
- 4-5 pieces matzo
- 2 sticks unsalted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon Flaky Sea Salt I like Maldon Salt for finishing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil being sure the covering hangs over the edges.
- Lay matzo across the bottom of the lined pan creating just 1 layer. Break the matzo as needed to fill the entire bottom of the pan. Fill as many holes as possible.
- Heat butter and brown sugar in a sauce pan, on the stove set over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and let boil for 3-4 minutes, stirring the whole time. The toffee mixture should become thicker and stickier.
- Pour the toffee mixture carefully onto the laid out matzo and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Evenly sprinkle all chocolate chips across the top of the toffee layer.
- Pop into the over and let the chocolate melt for 3-5 minutes. Once the chocolate is soft, remove from oven and immediately use an offset spatula to spread the chocolate into a thin layer.
- Sprinkle with fancy sea salt to finish and put into the fridge or freezer to set for at least 2 hours.
- Once set, remove from freezer, break into pieces and enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition
FAQ’s
Yes, you can. In fact, I think that it tastes best straight out of the freezer. You get the best crunch when the toffee brittle layer is cold and the chocolate layer is crisp. And for me, keeping it in the freezer makes it less likely that the whole batch disappears in one day.
I like to use the traditional “plain” matzo when I’m making chocolate matzo crack, however, you could easily use egg matzo if you like. It’s a little bit softer than the traditional style, so it may not give you the same “crack”, but will taste just as good. You can also use gluten-free matzo without a change to the recipe.
If it's not Passover and you don’t have matzo on hand you can easily substitute saltines in this recipe. Lay them out on the sheet pan instead of the sheets of matzo and proceed with the recipe as written.
To keep this recipe kosher for Passover, you can substitute tam-tams or another kosher for Passover plain cracker.
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