Matzo Crack Is Peak Passover: But What Is It?

Matzo crack is a Passover revelation the entire family will devour. It's simple to make with endless recipe combinations via pantry ingredients you probably have on hand.

For the past several years, Christmas Crack has been making a charge as the holiday DIY snack du jour. But even more recently a spinoff series called "matzo crack"—made especially for Passover, yet equally addicting—has landed on the scene with a sweet and salty thud.

MATZO FASTArtisanal Matzo: It's Worth the InvestmentI can say from experience that as good as Passover food is, with all its tender brisket and warming matzo ball goodness, desserts have never earned a breakout role. Because no yeast or leavening can be used in Passover cooking and baking (for symbolic reasons), cakes, cookies, and breads are mostly disqualified.

Traditional charoset—a mix of chopped apples, walnuts, wine, and brown sugar—is tasty, sure, but feels more like something you'd spoon over Chobani than an indulgent dessert. And macaroons; well, macaroons are nice too, I suppose, but if coconut isn't your thing, you'll be left with yet another bowl of charoset. Point is, we're delighted to add this spunky newcomer to the Passover dessert lineup. But what exactly is this matzo crack, and how do you make it?

Matzo crack—sometimes more delicately referred to as "matzo brittle"—is a sweet, salty, crunchy, and crackly snack made with Passover-safe (unleavened) matzo crackers, shellacked with chocolate, toffee, and/or a caramel candy shell. From there you can stick on just about anything to give it a personal touch or satisfy your crews cravings. Popular toppings include peppermint bits, nuts, and seeds for crunch along with chocolate chips, sprinkles, coconut flakes, and marshmallows.

In addition to hitting those sweet and salty cravings in one swing, matzo crack is low-difficulty, inexpensive, perfect to make in large batches for groups, and undeniably snackable. You can find it in kosher delis and specialty stores this time of year but we suggest making your own. Other than some intermittent time for the toffee to bake and the chocolate to set, matzo crack won't demand too much of your time or energy. This fun dessert also lends itself to a lively and casual gathering too, since guests don't have to commit to an entire piece of cake but rather can reach or wander over to the crack plate and break off a piece at will. You can also wrap your extra crack in ribbon, or festive plastic bags and send your guests with a little matzo crack gift to go.

For kitchen supplies, all you need to get started are some baking sheets, spatula, parchment paper, a few small mixing bowls, and an oven! Have a look at some of these easy matzo crack recipes below.

Matzo Brittle (Crack)

This classic recipe calls for chopped almonds and pecans in addition to semisweet chocolate. A little flurry of good Maldon sea salt rounds out a harmony of flavors. Feel free to add to the recipe and make a batch the day before, too. The candy coating keeps the matzo from going stale. Get our Matzo Crack recipe.

Chocolate Toffee Matzo Crack

This recipe uses toffee, which gets more brittle than caramel and gives your crack an extra crackle. Have fun with the toppings, not just for flavor but for color, too. Get the Chocolate Toffee Matzo Crack recipe.

Chocolate Dipped Matzo Crack Sampler

Want to ACTUALLY please everyone this Passover? Make a few variations on the classic matzo crack. White chocolate and pistachio matzo crack, or dark chocolate peppermint—the possibilities are truly endless and having leftovers will be the best problem you've ever had. Get the Chocolate Dipped Matzo Crack recipe.

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