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Saltine Toffee Squares

Traditional saltine toffee squares recipe, buttery saltine crackers baked into a crackly dessert, topped with chocolate and toasted pecans.

4.75 from 4 vote(s)56 comments
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Okay, raise your hand if you ate these as a kid at Christmas time. Whoever thought of using salted soup crackers as the base of a square is brilliant. Salty, sweet, and chocolate? Yes, please!

Why I Think You’ll Love This Recipe!

  • Sweet, salty, buttery and easy to make – what’s not to love about this easy dessert recipe?
  • You can easily customize the topping on these. I have made ones with sprinkles for Christmas on them, such as the vintage Christmas Crack recipe. (named that way because of the crackers, and you “crack” it to make it)

Classic Christmas Treat

My mom loved to make these saltine toffee squares every Christmas, and now I know why; they are so easy and fast to make, it’s crazy!

We like to top ours with toasted pecans instead of sprinkles. While the sprinkles do look festive, the rich, toasted, nutty flavour of the pecans just can’t be beat.

close up of saltine toffee squares

How To Make Saltine Toffee

This is a quick recap; please see the recipe card for details.

  • Place all your crackers side by side in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
  • Melt the butter and brown sugar in a saucepan until they boil, then boil for 3 minutes.
  • Remove the pot from the heat, stir in the vanilla, and pour it all over the crackers, spreading it evenly.
  • Bake in an oven for about 5 minutes at 400°F.
  • Remove, sprinkle with your chocolate chips, cool, then cover with the toasted pecans.
  • Chill for 20 minutes until set, and then crack into pieces

How to Store Saltine Toffee Squares

To freeze these treats, crack the bars into large pieces once they are entirely cool, and then lay them in a single layer on a baking sheet in the freezer.

Once frozen, almost completely solid (this could be pretty fast, depending on how fast the chocolate freezes), layer the pieces between parchment paper in a closed container and freeze for up to 3 months.

This lets you sneak a piece of these whenever you want—you don’t need to defrost it! So you might as well make a giant batch in the lead-up to Christmas!

a large stack of saltine toffee squares

Types of Chocolate Chips To Use

The traditional chocolate for these treats is semi-sweet chocolate chips. Semi-sweet chocolate chips are a cross between milk and dark chocolate, making them perfect for adding a chocolate taste without adding too much sugar to the recipe.

White chocolate chips would also work and be very Christmas-themed, but the flavor would change.

Dark chocolate would be excellent, and add a little bitterness to foil the sweetness in this dessert!

Milk chocolate is for serious sweet tooth people. If you use milk chocolate, make sure the topping is perhaps broken pretzels or salted toasted nuts to break up the sweetness.

a stack of saltine toffee squares on a red cake stand

Have you ever eaten these? If not, try them. I certainly would encourage you to gift them this year; they are so fast and easy. Any recipe that lessens the stress at Christmas is a winner in my books!

Happy Baking, everyone!

Love,

Karlynn

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Saltine Toffee Squares

Traditional saltine toffee squares recipe, buttery saltine crackers baked into a crackly dessert, topped with chocolate and toasted pecans.
4.75 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 6 minutes
Total Time: 16 minutes
Servings: 24 pieces
Calories: 225kcal

Ingredients 

  • 40 saltine crackers
  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
  • 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
  • Line a rimmed cookie sheet (also known as a jelly roll pan) with parchment paper. 
  • Align crackers side by side in a single layer along baking sheet then set aside.
  • In a medium saucepan combine the butter and brown sugar and bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Once it reaches a boil stop stirring and allow to boil 3 minutes. 
  • Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla then immediately and carefully pour mixture over crackers in an even layer. You will need to spread it out evenly using the back of spoon. 
  • Place in the oven and bake 5 to 6 minutes until bubbly.
  • Remove from the oven and sprinkle the top evenly with the chocolate chips. 
  • Let rest 5 minutes then using the back of a spoon spread the melted chocolate into a smooth layer. Sprinkle the pecans over the top evenly. 
  • Move to the freezer (or outside if you live where I live!) and allow to chill 20 minutes or until chocolate has set. 
  • Remove from freezer and break or cut into pieces. Store in an airtight container.

Notes

Nutritional values may vary.
Servings depend on how big or small you crack the pieces into.

Nutrition

Calories: 225kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 56mg | Potassium: 107mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 245IU | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1.3mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @TheKitchenMagpie or tag #thekitchenmagpie!

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Karlynn Johnston

I’m a busy mom of two, wife & cookbook author who loves creating fast, fresh meals for my little family on the Canadian prairies. Karlynn Facts: I'm allergic to broccoli. I've never met a cocktail that I didn't like. I would rather burn down my house than clean it. Most of all, I love helping YOU get dinner ready because there's nothing more important than connecting with our loved ones around the dinner table!

Learn more about me

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Reader Interactions

Comments & Recipe Tips Share a tip or comment!

  1. Crystal says

    Made these today. The chocolate took a long time to melt. Evidently I’m the only one with this problem? I’m experimenting with melting my chocolate in the Carmel before pouring it over the crackers. We shall see4 stars

  2. Shannon Ebbesen says

    I cannot be left alone with these. Ever.

    5 stars

  3. Elisa Boyce says

    Totally was looking for this recipe!! Thanks KM!!

    • The Kitchen Magpie says

      Oh that sweet and salty gets me every time!!

    • Leanne Williams says

      I made them with pretzels last year and *drooooool*

  4. DoulaMel says

    Would this be better with graham crackers or is saltine the way to go?

  5. Kristen Kolster says

    Yea!!! you changed the name to Xmas crack!!!

  6. Bryan Sewell says

    Yup! Lee-Ann Lee-Ann Sewell Chin only we used crushed candycane

  7. The Kitchen Magpie says

    No, you really don’t! Save yourself time and it’s just a couple of minutes! It won’t affect the quality at all and makes your life easier!

  8. Seana Langille says

    I just made some the other day you have to get your caramel to soft ball stage.

  9. The Kitchen Magpie says

    Oh don’t do that! It says 3 not 30! It’s literally done ASAP and then you cool it (which isn’t work or prep)!

  10. Seana Langille says

    Takes more then minutes. … considering you boil the caramel for half an hour. Then it takes a few hours to harden.

  11. Kathleen Klohn says

    I also use milk chocolate chocolate chips

4.75 from 4 votes

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