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Why I Love This Recipe
Candy making is not talked about with as much gusto as cookie baking during the holidays. One fair reason could be that candy can sound like trouble. Usually you. need thermometers, the sugar could break with the butter and be ruined, and the chocolate may turn white. This is where my saltine toffee becomes the winner. This recipe is designed to be stress and worry-free. No thermometer is needed. The brown sugar and butter toffee is poured over saltine crackers for a perfect combination of sweet and salt. Once the chocolate is spread over the top, a holiday candy that is near fail-proof becomes a new favorite treat.
Saltine Toffee Ingredients
The best part about this toffee recipe is that you only need 6 ingredients to make it:
- Saltine crackers
- Chocolate chips
- Pecans
- Unsalted butter
- Light brown sugar
- Kosher salt
The full amount of each ingredient can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make Saltine Toffee
Step 1: Prepare the saltines – Butter a 10 x 14-inch pan. Lay the saltines over the butter on a single, even grid. Break saltines to cover any gaps along the edge of the pan.
Step 2: Create the caramel – In a large saucepan, add butter and brown sugar. Place on medium heat and let it melt. Once the butter has begun to simmer, stir the sugar to ensure it dissolves into the butter. Let it cook for 5 minutes, then take it off the heat. Slowly drench the saltines with the caramel. Fully coat the crackers in an even layer. Place into the preheated 375°F oven for 6-8 minutes or until the caramel is bubbling throughout. Once baked, realign the crackers into a grid using a knife or fork, if necessary.
Step 3: Finish the toffee – Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top of the warm caramel. Let it sit for 1-3 minutes or until the chocolate chips begin to melt. Spread them into an even layer using an offset spatula. Finely chop the pecans and sprinkle them on top of the chocolate. Garnish with kosher or flaky sea salt, if desired. Chill the toffee for 1-2 hours. Once it has hardened fully, break it apart before serving.
Recipe Tips
- Create an even layer of crackers on the bottom of the pan, fully covering the entire surface. This toffee is thin, so you want each layer to be even and precise for uniformity. Getting crackers everywhere also allows for the salty crispness to be included in every bite.
- To ensure the butter and sugar are cooking fully, stir the mixture. The butter should continue to simmer throughout.
- Add the chocolate chips soon after the pan has been removed from the oven. The heat allows them to melt and become spreadable. Add the chopped pecans soon after so they can set in the chocolate as it cools.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, this recipe is designed to be made without the need for a thermometer, from the cooking time on the stovetop to finishing in the oven.
This should be stored in an airtight container. If living in a humid climate, the airtight container should go into the refrigerator.
In a cool environment, the toffee will last 1-2 months.
A nice flaky salt, like Maldon, works well; kosher salt can also be used.
More Christmas Candies
Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?
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Saltine Toffee
Ingredients
- Saltine crackers to cover the pan
- 16 tbsp (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 ½ cups chopped toasted pecans (optional)
- kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 10 x 14-inch jelly roll pan and place the crackers in the bottom on a single layer. Set the pan aside.Saltine crackers
- In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, stir, and return the saucepan to medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 5 minutes to dissolve the sugar.16 tbsp (2 sticks) unsalted butter, 1 cup light brown sugar
- Once cooked, remove the caramel from the heat and pour over the prepared crackers evenly. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake until the toffee is bubbling all over, 6-8 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven. The crackers could be floating. Use a knife to place them correctly. Allow the toffee to cool for 1 minute. Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly on top. Allow the chocolate to melt for 1-2 minutes and spread it to cover the caramel layer evenly. Sprinkle with chopped pecans and kosher salt if using.2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 ½ cups chopped toasted pecans (optional), kosher salt
- Cool the toffee to room temperature, 1-2 hours. Once cooled, break into pieces and serve or store in an airtight container.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment below!
Hi Kaleb, I was thrilled to find a toffee recipe using corn syrup. I lost my recipes in a condo fire last November and I couldn’t remember my toffee recipe, but I did remember that I used corn syrup to stabilize it. Few recipes include it but yours did. Thank you for your wonderfully clear instructions. I am 86 and I couldn’t really remember everything about the recipe, but you included it here. Thank you so much.
Simple and easy, delicious!
I’ve made this so many times. When I went to New Zealand the last time I made it for people over there. They LOVED it. Very very good recipe. Very easy
I made this today! I didn’t have a jelly roll pan so wound up using a half sheet pan. I was worried since I also changed the toffee portions to have more to cover the larger cracker surface that it wouldn’t set up but it was amazingly perfect! Going into my yearly candy rotation! Thanks so much !
16 TBS =a Cup did you think that would scare people off? LoL 😅