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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.
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!
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.
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
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.
Jim leise says
Great recipe
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 see
Stacey Lovelock says
these are the best
Shannon Ebbesen says
I cannot be left alone with these. Ever.
Lori Gladden says
Making this tomorrow!! Ty!!
Karen Czerniel says
Does this freeze by any chance?
The Kitchen Magpie says
Yes, very well!
Elisa Boyce says
Totally was looking for this recipe!! Thanks KM!!
The Kitchen Magpie says
Awesome, happy baking!
Leanne Williams says
These are the besssssssst
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*
Mary P Hoffman says
Love that sweet-salty combo!
DoulaMel says
Would this be better with graham crackers or is saltine the way to go?
Kristen Kolster says
Yea!!! you changed the name to Xmas crack!!!
Mary Cain says
Sooo Good made it with peanut butter chips
Bryan Sewell says
Yup! Lee-Ann Lee-Ann Sewell Chin only we used crushed candycane
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!
Seana Langille says
I just made some the other day you have to get your caramel to soft ball stage.
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)!
Seana Langille says
Takes more then minutes. … considering you boil the caramel for half an hour. Then it takes a few hours to harden.
Keyko Davidson says
Moderwhat? Hee hee hee
The Kitchen Magpie says
I totally just snorted!
The Kitchen Magpie says
Right? So evil!!!
The Kitchen Magpie says
I’m evil!
Kathleen Klohn says
I also use milk chocolate chocolate chips