Chocolate Caramel Matzoh
on Apr 02, 2024, Updated Apr 19, 2024
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This matzoh covered in a toffee-like layer, then draped in melted chocolate and finished with a sprinkle of plain flaky salt, or chopped nuts is the best end to Passover dinner imaginable. You may also hear this called Buttercrunch Matzoh or Chocolate Matzoh Crack.
This is the best Passover dessert of all time. The original recipe is the brainchild of Marcy Goldman, who created many great recipes in her life, but even if this was the only recipe she gave to the world, she would still be up there with the greatest culinary contributors of all time. I make it every Passover, and if I didn’t, my family would probably disown me. Everyone looks forward to this Passover dessert year after year, also known as Matzoh Buttercrunch or Matzoh Crack.
This recipe was printed in her book The Treasury of Jewish Cooking and has certainly made the rounds, both on handwritten scraps of paper passed from cook to cook, and later all over the internet. But I had to make it, shoot it, and write about it because I would lose sleep thinking that there were people out in the world who might not know about it and that I could spread the Chocolate-Covered Caramel Matzoh gospel to even a few more people. I take these kinds of things very seriously.
But listen, I’m not quite done. Please check out something that came to me in a dream…Chocolate-Covered Caramel Matzoh S’Mores.
Chocolate Caramel Matzoh: This matzoh covered in a toffee-like layer, then draped in melted chocolate and finished with a sprinkle of plain flaky salt, or chopped nuts. It is the best Passover dessert imaginable, also known as Matzoh Buttercrunch and Matzoh Crack.
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Chocolate Caramel Matzoh Ingredients
- Matzoh – The perfect base for the salty, caramel-y, chocolate topping.
- Unsalted butter or margarine – Use margarine to keep the recipe kosher, butter if that’s not a concern.
- Light brown sugar – Melts down into the richest caramel.
- Salt – Brings out all the sweet flavor.
- Vanilla extract – Make sure it’s kosher for Passover, if necessary, or skip it.
- Chocolate chips – I prefer to use semisweet or dark chocolate for a contrast with the sweet caramel.
- Salted peanuts – As always, when considering the nut option, make sure to ask about any allergies — you won’t want to disappoint anyone (or worse). Finish the chocolate matzoh with some flaky sea salt if you are avoiding nuts.
How to Make Chocolate-Covered Caramel Matzo
- Lay out the matzo: While the oven is preheating, line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and parchment. Arrange the matzo in a single layer.
- Make the caramel: Melt the butter together with brown sugar and stir until boiling. After 3 minutes, stir in the salt and vanilla and pour it over the matzo to cover.
- Bake: Put the pan in the oven and lower to 350 degrees. Bake for just 15 minutes.
- Add chocolate: Sprinkle over the chocolate chips and rest for 5 minutes to melt. Spread the melted chips over the matzo and sprinkle the peanuts or extra salt over.
- Cool: Cool at room temperature or in the fridge. Once set, break it up into cookie-sized pieces and eat!
Tips for Chocolate-Covered Matzoh
- Before you even begin making the caramel (which, by the way, is simply melting butter and brown sugar together until it’s bubbling and light brown — easy peasy), make sure to prep your baking sheet (or sheets, if you want to multiply this recipe).
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, and make sure to cover the entire pan completely with the foil, including up and over the edges. That caramel is hard to clean after baking, and if you take the time to do this before starting, you will thank yourself profusely as you ball up the sticky foil and toss it.
- This is one moment where being super environmentally green is just not in the cards. Also, while the parchment paper isn’t 100% necessary, it also helps keep the caramel from spreading under the foil and makes the matzoh really easy to pull off of the pan.
- Don’t be tempted to try and spread out the melting chocolate chips too quickly. They have to soften from the heat of the caramel to be spreadable.
- I often put the chocolate matzoh in the fridge before breaking it for 30 or more minutes to firm up fully. Then break it up and store it in a cool place, or even in the fridge, until shortly before serving.
- If you are following the Jewish laws of Kosher for Passover, you will probably want to use margarine instead of butter if you are preparing a dairy-free meal. I confess that my love for butter is on a higher plane than my level of religious observance, and while I would not put out a cheese platter along with the chopped liver, I do use butter.
Make Ahead Buttercrunch Matzoh
This can be made up to 4 days ahead of time. If the kitchen is warm, store it in the fridge. If refrigerated, remove from the fridge about 15 minutes before serving to come to room temperature. It also can be frozen.
Other Passover Recipes
More Jewish Recipes
- Jewish Brisket for the Holidays
- Favorite Crispy Potato Pancakes (Latkes)
- Beef Brisket with Wild Mushrooms
- Noodle Kugel
- Nut-Free Charoset
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Chocolate Covered Caramel Matzoh
Ingredients
- 5 sheets of matzoh
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (or margarine if you need a non-dairy version, block margarine, not whipped)
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract (make sure it’s kosher for Passover, if necessary, or skip it)
- 1 ½ cups semisweet or dark chocolate chips
- 1 cup coarsely chopped salted peanuts (optional; or additional kosher salt)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line a rimmed (rimmed!!!) baking sheet with aluminum foil, making sure the entire pan, and up and over the edges, is completely covered in foil. Place a piece of parchment on the bottom of the pan. Place the matzoh on the baking sheet, breaking any squares as needed so that they all fit in a single layer.
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter with the brown sugar over medium heat. Stir frequently until the mixture starts to boil, and then continue stirring constantly for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the salt and the vanilla. Evenly pour it over the matzoh and, working with an offset spatula or a spatula, spread the caramel over the matzoh in an even layer.
- Place the caramel-covered matzoh in the oven and lower the heat immediately to 350 F. Bake the matzoh for about 15 minutes until it’s bubbly and starting to get a slightly deeper brown, but not too brown — if it does start to get too dark, turn the heat to 325 F. You don’t want to smell any hints of burning.
- Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the top. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then use a clean offset spatula or regular spatula to spread the melted chocolate in a thin layer over the caramel. Sprinkle with the peanuts, if desired, or a bit of kosher salt.
- Let cool completely, and then break into small pieces. If your kitchen is warm, and most kitchens are, put it in the fridge before breaking it for 30 or more minutes to firm up fully. Then break it up and store it in a cool place, or even back in the fridge, until shortly before serving. If refrigerated, remove from the fridge 15 to 20 minutes before serving and allow to come to room temperature.
Notes
- Before you even begin making the caramel (which, by the way, is simply melting butter and brown sugar together until it’s bubbling and light brown — easy peasy), make sure to prep your baking sheet (or sheets, if you want to multiply this recipe).
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, and make sure to cover the entire pan completely with the foil, including up and over the edges. That caramel is hard to clean after baking, and if you take the time to do this before starting, you will thank yourself profusely as you ball up the sticky foil and toss it.
- This is one moment where being super environmentally green is just not in the cards. Also, while the parchment paper isn’t 100% necessary, it also helps keep the caramel from spreading under the foil and makes the matzoh really easy to pull off of the pan.
- Don’t be tempted to try and spread out the melting chocolate chips too quickly. They have to soften from the heat of the caramel to be spreadable.
- I often put the chocolate matzoh in the fridge before breaking it for 30 or more minutes to firm up fully. Then break it up, and store it in a cool place, or even in the fridge, until shortly before serving.
- If you are following the Jewish laws of Kosher for Passover you will probably want to use margarine instead of butter if you are preparing a dairy free meal. I confess that my love for butter is on a higher plane than my level of religious observance, and while I would not put out a cheese platter along with the chopped liver, I do use butter.
Recipe and directions and helpful tips work great…delicious and looks beautiful! Thank you
How long will this stay good in the fridge? I’m trying to prep for Passover. Thank you!
4 days!
Do you think I can 1/2 the amount of caramel?
you can, and it will still be good, but less indulgent and candy like.
Even though this is called Chocolate Caramel, I “screwed up” and made it into toffee. It was a major hit!!! I’ll be making this every year. Thanks for the recipe!!!
katie, this is really dangerous to have in the house. absolutely divine. thank you! happy passover. jude
VERY IMPORTANT!
From my experience Passover margarine has a high water content. Melt and refrigerate until firm so the water can separate. The first time I made it with margarine, the boiling caramel splattered, badly.
I make this every year (dairy and parve) you can use KP almond extract if you don’t have vanilla.