Hi Grace! I’m sorry I didn’t respond in time. A full chill really helps the flavor and texture, but in a pinch you can chill the dough for 20–30 minutes. The cookies may spread a bit more and be slightly less chewy, but they’ll still taste great. If possible, I’d recommend at least 30 minutes and baking the dough straight from the fridge. I hope it went well for you!

You just sprinkle a little flaky sea salt on top of the melted chocolate before placing it in the freezer. It’s optional, but it helps balance the sweetness. 🙂

Hi Cam! Yes that can happen because it uses browned butter and a high flour/sugar content, it firms up a lot in the fridge. Let the dough sit at room temp 20–40 minutes until it softens enough to scoop. If it’s still too hard, you can give the bowl 5–10 second microwave bursts (just until workable, not warm). Once it softens slightly, scoop and bake as directed.

Hi Kiandra! I haven’t tried this, but yes you can use Ritz crackers instead of saltines, but they’ll make your Christmas Crack richer, sweeter, and slightly softer. It will still be delicious! Let me know how it turns out!

Thank you!