This saltine cracker toffee recipe is my grandma’s recipe with just 3 simple ingredients in 15 minutes. An addicting treat that’s easy to make, even if you’re new to making candy!
Some refer to saltine toffee as Christmas crack and we’ve even turned it into graham cracker toffee.
Table of Contents
Grandma’s Easy Saltine Toffee
Toffee is one of my favorite types of candy. Although my homemade toffee recipe is pretty simple to make – this saltine toffee is even more simple!
My grandma is one of my biggest influences in the kitchen, so I thought I would share one of her favorite treats. There are three things you could always find at her house: Tang, homemade caramels and saltine cracker toffee.
Saltine Cracker Candy Ingredients
You can’t go wrong with these three ingredient saltine cracker toffee treats! This is a single layer dessert that is made easily and eaten in minutes.
- Saltine crackers: The base of the toffee is made with a layer of saltine crackers. The salty flavor from the crackers tastes amazing with the sweet caramel.
- Butter: This adds a rich flavor to the caramel toffee mixture and helps balance out the sweetness from the brown sugar.
- Brown sugar: Make sure to use light brown sugar and pack it tightly into your measuring cup.
- Optional toppings: Chocolate chips, chopped nuts, sprinkles or other festive toppings.
How to Make Saltine Cracker Toffee
When you need a quick and easy holiday dessert, make this your go-to saltine cracker toffee candy recipe; it’s super simple!
- Line pan with crackers. Cover a 9×13″ jelly roll pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Then fully line the baking sheet with saltine crackers ensuring there are no spaces between crackers.
- Cook caramel mixture. Cook butter in a saucepan over low heat until slightly melted. Then add in brown sugar and stir until butter is completely melted. Turn heat to medium and bring mixture to a boil for about 3 minutes, or until it thickens and has turned an amber caramel color. Stir constantly.
- Pour caramel over crackers. Remove pan from heat after 3 minutes and pour the caramel over the saltines. Then spread it out evenly with a knife.
- Bake the toffee. Bake at 350°F in oven until lightly golden, about 7 to 8 minutes. Don’t over bake! Remove from oven and if using add chocolate chips, allow to melt then spread melted chocolate using a butter knife.
Toppings and Variations
There are plenty of ways to make this cracker toffee your own!
- Type of crackers: Swap the saltines with graham crackers, use pretzel thins or Ritz crackers.
- Chocolate: If using chocolate for a topping try milk chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, white chocolate or even butterscotch chips.
- Topping options: Sliced almonds or chopped pecans are my favorite! Others include M&M’s, sprinkles, crushed pretzels, crushed candy canes or peppermints or toffee bites.
Are you looking for more dessert recipes to add to your cookie tray?! Try these festive gingerbread man cookies, Mexican wedding cookies, and Grinch cookies!
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Saltine Cracker Toffee Recipe
Video
Equipment
- Cookie Sheet
Ingredients
- 50 saltine crackers
- 2 sticks butter (cubed)
- 1 cup light brown sugar (packed)
Optional toppings
- chocolate chips , I use about 2 cups
- sliced almonds , about 1/2 cup
- chopped pecans , about 1/2 cup
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 9×13" jelly roll pan with aluminum foil. Spray foil with cooking spray and then line pan with 50 saltine crackers.
- Melt butter and sugar. Place 1 cup butter in a medium-sized pot over low medium/low heat. Stir until butter is slightly melted, then add 1 cup sugar. Once butter is melted, bring to a boil over medium-heat for 3 minutes, or until it thickens and sugar has dissolved. Stir constantly. You want the butter and sugar to be combined and turn an amber caramel color.
- Pour and bake. After 3 minutes, remove pan from heat and pour evenly over the saltine crackers. Spread mixture with a knife. Place pan in oven and bake for 7-8 minutes or until lightly golden brown. The mixture will spread evenly over the crackers as it bakes.
- Add chocolate chips. Remove pan from oven. If you're adding chocolate sprinkle the chocolate chips over top and allow to sit for 5 minutes (or place back in the oven for 1 minute). Then spread with a spatula and sprinkle with nuts if desired. Allow to cool.
- Cool. Allow the toffee to cool and then break pieces off of foil or use a sharp knife to cut.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Recipe FAQs
This supremely addicting treat is pretty magical! Saltine crackers (you can substitute Ritz crackers) are covered with a buttery brown sugar mixture then baked until it turns into caramel with a toffee texture. It’s the best combination of sweet and salty especially when topped with optional chocolate and nuts. It’s often referred to as Christmas crack as it is so indulgent!
Set your stove top to medium heat and stir together the three ingredients. Slowly watch it blend and melt together. Once it starts to boil, your mixture is ready to pour.
No you do not need a thermometer, just boil for 3 minutes and this easy recipe goes from stove to oven seamlessly. That being said, if you like a hard toffee that snaps, boil for 3-5 minutes until a thermometer reaches 270°-280°F degrees. But really it is not necessary!
One of my favorite things about this saltine crack is that it will keep for up to 2 weeks! Just make sure to store it in an airtight container so that it stays fresh. It makes the perfect treat to gift during the holidays!
Yes, you can! Simply place in a covered container and freeze up to 3 months. Let it sit at room temperature about 20 minutes before serving or enjoy cold. It may change texture slightly but will be delicious.
Categorized as: 5 Ingredients Or Less, American, Candy + Fudge, Christmas, Desserts, Nut-Free, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Especially good with Keebler Club Crackers( they have a buttery flavor) sprinkled with slivered almonds. Always a hit around our house.
Does the caramel mixture melt and coat the crackers beneath the top layer?
Hi Natalie! It sinks beneath the top layer so they are coated on both sides! :)
these are fantastic! I always put chocolate chips on top and melt, let cool and break into pieces. My family absolutely loves these!!!
i ❤️ all the recipes you’ve chosen to share, thank you!
Thanks Dori! Xoxo!
Simply sumptuous
This is delicious and smells incredible. They are cooling on my counter now and I’ve already pulled out two to taste! Yum!!
So glad you enjoyed these! They are a family favorite in our house!
I make thIs with Butterscotch chips. Soooo yummy!
Great idea! So glad you liked it!
Most awesome, just made it, tried before chocolate even set, yummy!
Glad you liked it Lisa! One of my favorite holiday treats!
I have seen several things I want to try. I have a b
Yum! My mom makes this with graham crackers!
Yum! Graham crackers would be amazing too!
don’t it make the crackers soggy ?
Surprisingly it doesn’t! It is the texture of a softer toffee when it is done. :)
Do you think I could send this for a family gift via the mail?
I’ve never tried sending it in the mail, but I think it would send just fine! :)
I was just wondering if I can use Ritz instead of saltines?
Hi Marlene! I’ve never tried this recipe with Ritz, but I think it would come out completely different. You could definitely give it a try though! :)
Have made twice this week! Sprinkle with pecans before “syrup” and bake. YES! Addictive. Yum, yum, eat ‘um up!
This stuff really is addicting! So glad you liked it! :)
Cant wait to try the recipe. But was very touched by the elderly hands making it You are lucky to still have your grandmother!
Hope you enjoy this recipe Judy. I love these pictures as well…they remind me of when I was little and my grandma would teach me all of her treat recipes! :)
looks good! you forgot to say how much sugar to add though.
Hi! This recipe uses 1 cup of brown sugar. :)
Thank you so much for posting this! I made it have been looking for my grandmothers recipie for years on this since she passed away 5 years ago and this was not in her box. I never knew it was so easy. My mother busted down in tears after having some.
What does it mean by “soft” brown sugar?
Hi Sherry! You just use regular light brown sugar, but it works the best with fresh or soft brown sugar. :)