Saltine Cracker Toffee
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Sweet, crunchy, buttery and chocolaty, this saltine cracker toffee has the perfect combination of flavors! This toffee is pretty easy to make, and it’s the kind of treat that you and your family will have great memories of enjoying pieces from cookie trays shared at the holidays.
Why We Love Saltine Cracker Toffee
- Easy To Make – This toffee is super simple to make and makes a large batch! No candy thermometer is needed, and you only need simple ingredients for this easy treat.
- Delicious Buttery Flavor – The sweet, buttery toffee topped with gooey chocolate, these flavors all work with the salty flavor of the crackers in the best possible way.
- Great For Gifts – Make this delicious toffee for little sweet gifts for the holiday season wrapped up in a bow! You can also add it to cookie trays and other dessert platters. This sweet treat is a holiday tradition for many families for a good reason!
Some people call this toffee Christmas crack because it’s sweet, cracks in your mouth when you bite it, and is hard to stop eating at just one piece! This treat is the ultimate holiday indulgence, and I know your family and friends will look forward to this recipe when you make it.
Ingredients For Saltine Cracker Toffee
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions below in the recipe card.
- saltine crackers – salted, we want to fill the pan
- brown sugar
- butter salted. I used salted butter, if you have unsalted butter add 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the mixture.
- vanilla extract
- chocolate chips – I used semi-sweet, but you can use dark chocolate or white chocolate as well.
- toppings (optional) sprinkles, chopped pecans or walnuts, chocolate candies (like M&Ms), peanut butter chips, etc.
How To Make Saltine Cracker Toffee
- Preheat the oven to 400°. Line a 10×15 rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray generously with spray cooking oil or line with parchment paper.
- Lay crackers salted side down in a single layer on the baking sheet.
- Place a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add brown sugar and butter and bring to a rolling boil, where the entire top of the mixture is boiling across the top. Time and boil at a rolling boil for 3 minutes while stirring continuously until the mixture is lighter in color and bubbling. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla immediately into the brown sugar mixture.
- Pour toffee over crackers, spreading as needed to cover crackers in an even layer. Bake toffee crackers for 5 minutes then remove from the oven and turn the heat on the oven off.
- Sprinkle chocolate chips over the toffee layer and return to the warm but not on oven for 1 minute. Remove from the oven and spread melted chips over the toffee.
- Immediately sprinkle chopped nuts, sprinkles or any additional toppings you choose over the toffee.
- Let the toffee cool for 30 minutes on the counter, then chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours or until completely cool and set.
- Using the crackers as a guide, cut with a sharp knife into 35 pieces. You can also break it up into random-sized pieces like it is a saltine toffee bark. Then serve and enjoy!
Saltine Toffee Variation Ideas
- Swap The Toppings – I’ve used a combination of pecans and sprinkles, but you can substitute your favorite chopped nuts or even bits of toffee like Heath bar toffee bits. You can also drizzle white chocolate or colorful candy melts over top of the toffee to create swirls. Colorful small candies like M&Ms or crushed-up candy canes are also are also fun on this sweet and salty treat.
- Use Different Chocolate – Dark chocolate chips go really well with this toffee, and white chocolate also works well too. Milk chocolate chips can be used also and is delicious but is not my favorite compared to semi-sweet chocolate or dark chocolate when paired with the toffee mixture. You can even try adding peanut butter chips or butterscotch chips mixed with the chocolate chips for a twist.
- Try Using Other Crackers – Graham crackers swap easily in for saltines in this recipe, and give it a slightly different flavor. Thin flat pretzels or buttery Ritz crackers also make a great toffee.
Saltine Cracker Toffee FAQ
Likely if the toffee is too chewy it means that it needed to boil just a little bit longer. Keep it at a rolling boil across the entire surface of the toffee liquid. This is a recipe you need to babysit while it boils because it moves fast.
Yes this saltine toffee recipe does freeze well! Place it in a freezer-safe container or freezer zip-top bags. Expect that the toffee will taste best if eaten within 2-3 months after freezing.
Why Are My Chocolate Chips Grainy?
Some readers have been reaching out saying they are having trouble with the chocolate chips seizing or not melting. I am especially hearing this with Tollhouse brand chocolate chips.
One way to avoid this is to melt the chocolate chips on half power in the microwave with a 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil or another cooking oil. Stir the chocolate chips every 30 seconds, then place them back in the microwave for another 30 seconds at half power over and over again until a chocolate sauce forms, usually about 2-3 minutes. Then you can pour the chocolate sauce over the toffee when you would have added the chocolate chips.
Be careful not to get any water or liquid in this chocolate sauce, including a wet spoon to mix or the chocolate can seize.
How Long Will Saltine Cracker Toffee Last?
Store this saltine cracker toffee in a covered airtight container and it will easily last for a week.
If you are giving this toffee as a gift or just need it to last a little longer place the container of toffee in the refrigerator to keep it fresher. If your house is on the warm side or you live in a warmer climate it’s best to store the toffee in the fridge.
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Saltine Cracker Toffee
Ingredients
- 35 pieces saltine crackers salted, you need about 35-40 crackers for one batch to fill the pan
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup butter salted
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups chocolate chips semi-sweet
- toppings (optional) sprinkles, chocolate candies (like M&Ms), peanut butter chips, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°. Line a 10×15 rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray generously with spray cooking oil or line with parchment paper.
- Lay crackers salted side down in a single layer on the baking sheet.35 pieces saltine crackers
- Place a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add brown sugar and butter and bring to a rolling boil, where the entire top of the mixture is boiling across the top. Time and boil at a rolling boil for 3 minutes while stirring continuously until the mixture is lighter in color and bubbling. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla immediately into the brown sugar mixture.1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup butter, 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour toffee over crackers, spreading as needed to cover crackers in an even layer. Bake toffee crackers for 5 minutes then remove from the oven and turn the heat on the oven off.
- Sprinkle chocolate chips over the toffee layer and return to the warm but not on oven for 1 minute. Remove from the oven and spread melted chips over the toffee.2 cups chocolate chips
- Immediately sprinkle chopped nuts, sprinkles or any additional toppings you choose over the top of the chocolate.toppings (optional)
- Let the toffee cool for 30 minutes on the counter, then chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours or until completely cool and set.
- Using the crackers as a guide, cut with a sharp knife into 35 pieces. You can also break it up into random-sized pieces like it is a saltine toffee bark. Then serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This?
I would love to see it! Share your thoughts with me in the comments below!
An easy and delicious addition to my Christmas cookie boxes!
My chocolate chips never melt just laying on top of the baked crackers. It doesn’t matter which brand, flavor. I turn on the oven to heat it up, I try different utensils utensils. I’m not wasting anymore time with that. Microwave or double boiling from now on.
I have made this for years. I like sliced almonds and crushed candy cane’s on mine. It’s a great Christmas gift for all of my neighbors.
I’ve been looking for a good recipe for a while. This one sounds great! Could I put toasted pecan on the toffee before it goes in the oven?
Hi Judy, You can use toasted pecans, but I would suggest adding them at the end after you spread the chocolate chips. If you add it to the chocolate chip layer, you may have trouble spreading the chocolate evenly. Hope you enjoy!
I’m adding coconut pecans and pretzels !!!
I don’t know what I did wrong but I had a rough time with this simple recipe. (May be that I’m severely sleep deprived right now because I’m an excellent cook). The first time I made the sauce I let the butter completely melt then added the sugar and that resulted in the sauce separating and not making a Caramel. I remade it by putting butter and sugar in at the same time and the caramel came out perfect. Baked and then put the chocolate on top and after a minute back in the turned off oven I tried to spread the chocolate and they wouldn’t spread and had a gritty texture as if they were burnt which just didn’t make sense. Ended up tossing it, devastated at all the ingredients lost and ultimately having nothing to show for it. 🙁
Hi Meg, I’m sorry to hear you had so much trouble with this recipe. It sounds like you resolved the caramel issue by following the directions correctly the second time. As for the chocolate, yes it sounds like you did burn the chocolate. The directions state clearly to turn the oven off after baking the crackers, then sprinkle the chocolate and to put the pan back in the oven which is still warm but not on. This melts the chocolate using less heat then an oven with a full heating element on. To melt chocolate otherwise into a full layer, it often is heated using a double boiler or at 50% power using the microwave, either way not using direct heat. By turning off the oven and then heating the chocolate we are creating a similar process.
Making toffee normally without this method is usually a complex process that involves candy thermometers to get the caramel to the right temperature and using a double boiler to melt the chocolate, equipment most beginner cooks struggle with. I do feel this recipe is an easy alternative to enjoy homemade toffee without the extra equipment using items most people have. This is also a pretty classic recipe that the ladies at our church would sometimes make at the holidays growing up.
Unfortunately it sounds like the sleep deprivation got the best of you and you missed a few steps that were important. Cooking is often chemistry, and while not everything needs to be exactly precise to taste delicious, it sounds like you missed a few steps accidently that made the difference. I do hope you try the recipe again, and I hope you have more success in your future cooking and baking. -Kristy
Great recipe and super easy
So easy and festive!
Very easy rear directions and yummy.
Best Christmas tradition ever and so easy to make! I like mine with white chocolate and pecans.
Ohh white chocolate and pecans sounds like an amazing combo! YUM! I will have to try that one.
I’ve used heath bits sprinkled on top
One of best recipes for Christmas candy I have ever made. It’s a must to adorn your Christmas festivities🎄🥂🍾🎅🏼
Yummy
Who knew it was this easy !
Easy and delicious!