The Big Cookie Project: Week 28

This weekend my mom got to come in to town and visit and I was trying to think of a trademark cookie that my mom fixes that we could do together. She doesn't do a lot of cookies, but she does do these delicious candies called Heath Saltines that we have also dubbed "Christmas Candy". The reason we call it that is because she only makes it one time a year around Christmas, and it goes so fast she can't keep it stocked in the house. By no means is it near Christmas yet, but I'm all in the cheery spirit with cooler weather and with every store carrying lights and decorations. Here is the recipe:

HEATH SALTINES

Ingredients:

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 sleeve saltines

12 oz. bag of chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Line pan and sides with foil, grease with butter and make a single layer of saltine crackers on the bottom.

2. Cook butter and brown sugar over medium heat until it becomes caramelized (when it coats the spoon and doesn't run off)

3. Pour over crackers and bake at 350 degrees F for 5-7 minutes. If some crackers "float" in the butter, just push them down.

4. Pour 12 oz. bag of chocolate chips and stick back in the turned-off oven, about 6 minutes, or leave them in until they melt. Spread chocolate layer and refrigerate.

5. When completely cool, break in to pieces

This picture above is after baking the crackers and putting on the chocolate chips. I then put the pan back in to the oven until the chocolate chips are melted.This is the finished product. Instead of refrigerating, I freeze the candy. It seems to be a bit crunchier after freezing, which is how our family eats it.

I've been eating WAY too many of these. Every time I pass the freezer, I break off a piece and eat it quickly before the chocolate starts to melt. I think the best part of this candy is that since the bottom layer is toffee-like, I pick up one piece and three have been stuck together. Maybe that's why it's going so fast, I'm not eating just one tiny piece, but whole chunks at a time.

We had a fun time making it and eating some pieces while watching a movie. That was the best part, doing it together and ushering in the holiday season with a little treat!