I first published this recipe for chocolate covered matzo in 2011, in the early days of my blog. I’ve added a video and improved my photos but this recipe is as good and as simple as it ever was.
Chocolate Covered Matzo – a Modern Passover Miracle
Matzo, the centerpiece of the Passover holiday, is also referred to as the “bread of affliction”. And by the end of the Passover week, most people feel like eating matzo is, in fact, suffering. So when Marcy Goldman took this dry, tasteless cracker and adeptly added brown sugar caramel and chocolate, many would say it was nearly a miracle.
Turns out the matzo cracker is the perfect holder for toffee and chocolate and various other crunchy, salty, tangy, and sweet toppings. Chocolate covered matzo is so beloved, many refer to it as matzo crack. It also enjoys the monikers chocolate matzo bark, matzo caramel crunch, chocolate matzo crunch. No matter the name, it is simple to make and so enjoyable to eat.
Make it Ahead, Make it your Own
Chocolate covered matzo is a perfect dessert for a seder because you can make it ahead of time, leaving it in the refrigerator, or even the freezer. Make it your own by varying the type of chocolate you use — milk, semisweet, dark, even white would work. And play with the toppings. In this recipe, I used toasted nuts — my favorite choice is pecans — and then add a sprinkling of sea salt. Simple but sublime if you enjoy sweet and salty.
Eat Chocolate Covered Matzo Year Round
But don’t stop reading if you’re not Jewish – this is a great cookie/bar type of sweet to have around for lunches, impromptu gatherings, and to enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee any time of day. No need to wait for Passover or even to celebrate Passover to enjoy this crunchy confection.
For even more Passover recipe ideas – check out my complete Passover Guide
Chocolate-covered Matzo with Toasted Nuts and Sea Salt
This is a great cookie/bar type of sweet to have around for lunches, impromptu gatherings, and to enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee any time of day.
Ingredients
- 3-4 boards matzo
- 3/4 cup margarine or butter 1 1/2 sticks
- 1/2 cup brown sugar light or dark
- 1 1/2 cups semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup chopped nuts walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, or almonds (I also toasted them*)
- 1/4 tsp salt (you can use more or less salt, to your personal taste)
- non-stick cooking spray
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Line a cookie or baking sheet (approx 12 X 17 inches) with foil and spray it with non-stick cooking spray.
Now line the foil with the matzo slices, breaking them up as needed to fit the pan from edge to edge. Doesn’t have to be perfect.
Heat the butter and sugar in a small saucepan on medium to medium-high heat just until it boils. Be sure it is well mixed together, then pour it all over the matzo, using a spatula to spread it.
Bake for about 10 minutes (it will be bubbling), turn the oven off and remove the matzo.
Now sprinkle the chocolate chips all over the matzo and return the pan to the oven for two minutes. This will melt the chips enough so you can easily spread them all over.
Remove after two minutes and spread the chips with a spatula or some type of spreading implement.
If you are using nuts, sprinkle the nuts and sea salt all over.
Refrigerate for at least an hour or until it is firm. Then you can break it apart into pieces, put on a serving tray and let your guests enjoy. You can also keep it in the refrigerator for several days or even freeze it for later use.
Recipe Notes
(adapted from Stephanie Gallager’s recipe and originally developed by Marcy Goldman)
*You can toast nuts by placing on a baking sheet in a toaster oven or in a regular oven at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. Keep an eye on them - they go from deliciously toasty to burnt rather quickly.
If you prefer more even pieces of matzo, remove the matzo intact, place on a cutting board and cut into small squares or whatever shapes you want.
- Other topping choices - you can add toasted coconut, dried fruits, sprinkles, really whatever fits your family’s Passover dietary restrictions or satisfies your family’s sweet tooth. The richness of the chocolate, the sweet caramel flavor contrasting to the salt and crunch of the matzo is just a wonderful synergistic combination. And yes, many people have said - OMG! Yummy - after their first bite. It's true. But don't just take my word for it. Try it for yourself - it’s a big flavor payoff from relatively little work. Just my kind of recipe.
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Saturday Night Chocolate Craving: Mocha Brownies with Toasted Pecans and Sea Salt
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It’s Almost Passover but I’m Playing with Flour!
I’m Beth – a seasoned marketing professional, kitchen table storyteller, and enthusiastic food consumer. Hang out in my virtual kitchen and I promise to feed you recipes, stories, and lots of inspiration!
Well, we aren’t Jewish ourselves, but as you said, we would definitely enjoy this lol:) Now the problem is that we haven’t seen matzo anywhere here in Greece, so we must check if we can order it online (quite possible):)
Excellent work, off we go to read your next posts!:)
xoxo
Say the word and I will have some shipped to you right away!
Just made this. One word- addicting. That is all. Oh, and great tips.
Thank Dana. I am so glad you made it, are enjoying it, and it made the cut for your newly reconstructed modern spring seder!
What brand dark chocolate chips do you use?
When I can find Guittard, I buy them. If not, I’ll buy Ghiradelli.
It really doesn’t last long and I always wonder why I don’t make it more often. It’s easy to change it up and really so easy to make.
OMG Beth that looks incredible!!! I bet it doesn’t last long when you make this.
These sound amazing!
Super easy but end result is way yum – takes cardboard and turns it into gold! Thanks for stopping by!
Oh yum! This looks so good and something I’d easily polish off!
Ah yes – it doesn’t last long in our house – I just keep taking another small piece …. Thanks for stopping by to say hi and for sharing!
I have childhood memories of my Grandfather eating plain matzo crackers straight from the box. I wish I would have know about this recipe back then!
I know right?! It’s like eating cardboard unless something delicious goes on top – charoses and horseradish, slabs of butter, but my favorite is definitely chocolate, butter, nuts, and salt! Thanks for stopping by and sharing.
Oh my gosh! These are incredible! 😀
That is an awesome recipe! Thanks for posting, my kids love it!
I’m just checking your blog out, stopping by from SITS & WOW… have you ever got my mouth watering! 🙂
Yum! I pretty much like anything with chocolate on it, but this looks very tasty!
Visiting from SITS 🙂
Yummy, chocolatey, and easy – a triple threat!
I really love this recipe. Thanks for the post and reminder!
Sandra
Easy and fabulous. In one batch, made 3 different versions to apease everyone’s taste. Nuts and salts for the sophisticates, nuts for the more timid and just chocolate for the kids. Huge hit… particularly the salted option. Thanks for sharing a great recipe that will be enjoyed for years to come.
Of course you made 3 different versions – you baking and cooking wonder you! Glad it was a big hit.
This recipe looks scrumptious! I found chocolate covered matzo in the grocery store a few years ago and haven’t seen it since. Thanks for sharing the recipe for such a tasty treat.
No need to buy it! Just make it. From looking at your blog, I can tell this would be a snap for you to create!
Another spectacularly sinful creation to tempt me as I struggle to stay aboard the wagon! Yum! Saturdays are my cheat day. Til then…
You can make it! And these are a great cheat – not only delicious but you can make the pieces as small as you want (or large) depending on how much you want to cheat 🙂
Love those matzo’s but not sure if we have those here in NZ, can I use saltine as a replacement?
I think saltines would work but they might be a little funky to work with in such small pieces. Also, I would minimize salt on top if using a salty cracker. Possibly you can buy matzo online??? If so, order many boxes, they will keep for a few months unopened and stored at a moderate temperature.
Beth, these look great. I have been lucky enough to participate in a Seder and really appreciate the symbolic role food plays throughout the ritual.
It’s such a fun meal to be a guest for, especially if you’re a foodie who loves food stories! Glad you enjoyed the seder.
Looks great!!! Have a wonderful holiday.
Irene
Bamitbach
You too Irene! I’m sure you will be eating all kinds of wonderful dishes.
I love love savory and sweet combinations, what a wonderful idea to add toasted nuts (another favorite) and sea salt – this is OMGYummmy! Happy Passover Beth!
Same to you Orly! You know, one of those caramels and piece of chocolate-covered matzo wouldn’t be a bad combo…
Hey girl this method is brilliant. First time I’ve seen anyone doing it this way. Chocolate covered matza is the ultimate Passover dessert!!
So easy but so good – first batch was devoured at my son’s school and second batch is ready to go for first night seder at my sister-in-law’s house. Hope you have a wonderful Pesach!
This looks delicious! Almost like a light English toffee. I’m going to try it. Where the heck do you buy the Matzoh crackers?! I suppose they’re at any grocery store but I’ve never looked for them before. :o)
At this time of year, you can find matzo in any store. If you see the Yehuda brand, they have the best but any brand will do. There will be an endcap with Passover stuff or go to the ethnic aisle where they have the small display of Jewish food. They’d be great for a soccer treat after the game…
I might have to try this as a sweet for this year’s Easter dinner (cross cultures? sure, why not!). I was invited to a Seder many years ago and fondly remember the charoset portion of the evening. And the searching for the… Ami Kofem? (phonetic spelling and I’m sure I’m misremembering the name)
Though, suddenly, being reminded of charoset symbolizing mortar makes me think about Hansel and Gretel eating the witch’s cottage!
Do it! Love crossing cultures – we do it all the time in this house by nature and by choice. Great memory, by the way, you are so close. It is afikomen. The kids all look for a hidden piece of matzo and the host and hostess give the kids prizes for finding it.
LOL about Hansel and Gretel and the witch’s cottage. So we actually make a Hillel sandwich out of it (another story there as well) by putting charoset between two pieces of matzo and adding horseradish. Might sound odd but it is oh so tasty and a bit messy. Not nearly as sweet as the witch’s cottage was but equally as delicious.
Not even crossing cultures =) Many Christians (including my family) celebrate Passover every year. This is by far- my FAVORITE thing to look forward to at our Passover, I LOVE this stuff! =)
The closest transliteration is Afikomen. It is that piece of matzoh that is hidden at some point during the Seder and must be found (usually by the children) and returned to be eaten the Seder guests as the last item of the meal. The word comes from the Ancient Greek word that means “dessert.”
I didn’t know the history of the word — thanks Harry!
That looks great! Love the idea of using sea salt.
Yes – the combo of the nuts, salt, and chocolate – heaven on a matzo cracker!