Easiest Graham Cracker Toffee — If you’re looking for a recipe that will disappear at holiday parties, cookie exchanges, neighborhood potlucks, or school bake sales, this graham cracker toffee is a guaranteed winner!! It’s EASY and everyone LOVES it!!
Table of Contents
Easy Toffee with Graham Crackers
I have a recipe for Chocolate Saltine Toffee (aka Christmas Crack) that’s been one of my most popular Christmas desserts for years. This recipe for graham cracker toffee bars is a spinoff on that but uses graham crackers instead of saltine crackers.
The “toffee” is sweet, buttery with caramel and nutty undertones, crunchy, and chewy all in one. The slight crunch of the graham crackers is a perfect base for the buttery, caramely, brown sugar-based toffee topping.
Although I didn’t brown the butter per se, it’s boiled with brown sugar for 5 minutes and takes on the rich, nutty flavor quality of browned butter, which is my weakness. It’s absolutely divine. Semi-sweet chocolate chips balance the sweetness of the toffee while toffee bits add crunch and extra flavor.
If you’re looking for a recipe that will disappear at holiday parties, cookie exchanges, neighborhood potlucks, or school bake sales, this is a guaranteed winner. Everyone I gave some to couldn’t stop eating it.
Graham Cracker Toffee Ingredients
To make “Christmas crack” with graham crackers, you’ll need:
- Honey graham crackers
- Unsalted butter
- Brown sugar
- Salt
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Toffee bits
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Graham Cracker Toffee
This graham cracker toffee crack is super easy to make, but the toffee must cool for at least 2 hours before it can be served so plan accordingly!
- Line the bottom of a 9×13-inch pan with aluminum foil, then spray with non-stick spray.
- Place the graham crackers on the bottom of the pan in an even layer.
- In a saucepan, melt the butter, brown sugar, and salt. Once the butter has melted, let the mixture boil for a further 5 minutes.
- Pour the mixture over the graham crackers, then bake for a few minutes.
- Once the graham cracker crack starts bubbling around the edges, pull it out of the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips on top.
- Return the pan to the oven to melt the chocolate chips, then remove from oven and spread the melted chocolate chips over the graham cracker toffee.
- Sprinkle the graham cracker crack with toffee bits, then let it rest on your counter to set.
Tip
When melting the brown sugar and butter, you must stir it consistently to prevent it from burning. Babysitting the butter for 5 minutes can be boring, but it’s very important that you do it.
Recipe FAQs
With a very sharp knife! Because you’re working with toffee, you’ll wind up with lots of little pieces that have broken off — those were the ones that didn’t make it to these photos. If you made the toffee properly, you should be able to easily break it into pieces with your hands as well.
I’ve had a few readers say their chocolate chips wouldn’t melt or didn’t spread well. If this happens to you, it might be the brand of chocolate chips you’re using. I use Trader Joe’s chocolate chips and they melt perfectly every time.
I use unsalted so I can control how salty the toffee is. However, if you only have salted butter on hand, that’s fine to use in this graham cracker dessert recipe. Your toffee bars will just be more salty-sweet (which some people actually prefer anyways!).
I prefer letting my graham cracker toffee bars set at room temperature and not in the fridge while they set up after being in the oven. When you refrigerate these toffee bars, you’ll see condensation on them after the chocolate has been refrigerated and then comes to room temperature. But this is merely a cosmetic issue. If you’re in a hurry, you can expedite the cooling process by refrigerating, noting that condensation will gather on the bars.
Storage Instructions
The graham cracker toffee will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, in the fridge for up to 1 months, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Use whichever storage method works best for you!
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Graham Cracker Toffee (aka Graham Cracker Crack)
Ingredients
- about 10 full-size honey graham crackers, or enough to cover pan (I used low-fat)
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup toffee bits
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9×13-inch pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
- Place graham crackers in pan in a single, flat layer so pan is completely covered with them. You will have to break some crackers to fill in the smaller spaces at the edges. It’s ok if there are slight gaps, doesn’t have to be perfect; set aside.
- To a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan with high sides, add the butter, brown sugar, salt, and heat over medium-high heat to melt. Stir constantly until butter has melted.
- After butter has melted, allow mixture to boil for about 4 1/2 to 5 minutes at a medium-fast boil (lots of bubbles). Stir constantly to prevent burning. As you approach the 4 minute mark, mixture should seem thickened with the consistency of medium-thick caramel sauce. I pulled mine off the heat at 4 1/2 minutes because it was thick enough.
- Evenly pour mixture over graham crackers.
- Bake for about 7 minutes, or until there’s bubbling around the edges.
- Remove pan from oven, evenly sprinkle with chocolate chips, return pan to oven, and bake for about 2 minutes, or until chocolate chips are glistening and have softened.
- Use a spatula to smooth the chocolate chips into an even, smooth layer of melted chocolate.
- Evenly sprinkle with toffee bits.
- Allow toffee to cool for about 2 to 3 hours, or until chocolate has set up and dessert is sliceable.*
Video
Notes
- *I made this on a very warm day and after 4 hours cooling at room temp, the chocolate was still on the melty side. I didn’t refrigerate it because of the condensation effect that happens after chocolate has been refrigerated and then comes to room temp and you can see fine water droplets on it, but this is merely a cosmetic issue. If you’re in a hurry you can expedite the cooling process by refrigerating, noting the condensation effect will occur.
- Toffee will keep airtight at room temp for up to 2 weeks, or in the fridge for up to 1 months, or freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Easy Christmas Treats:
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Holiday Special K Bars — Super chewy, gooey, FAST, easy, no-bake cereal bars loaded with peanut butter, chocolate, and sprinkles!! Like scotcheroos but with Special K!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls — EASY, NO-BAKE chocolate peanut butter balls that are a holiday favorite!! They have it all: Salty, sweet, crunchy, with chocolate and peanut butter!
Rum Balls — A traditional rum balls recipe made with crushed ginger snaps cookies, toasted pecans, melted butter, and spiced rum!
Loaded Christmas Puppy Chow — This fast, easy, no-bake holiday treat is LOADED with all the good stuff! Chocolate, peanut butter, sugar, M&Ms, peanut butter cups, and pretzels for a salty-sweet, crunchy, and addictive snack! Makes great little gifts because it keeps well and everyone LOVES it!
The Easiest Foolproof Fudge Recipe — Look no further than this recipe for the EASIEST and most FOOLPROOF fudge that takes less than 3 minutes to make!! Customize it with your favorite add-ins like cranberries and walnuts! Great for gifts and cookie exchanges!!
Originally published September 2016 and reposted November 2019 with updated text.
Do you ever use a candy thermometer? My mother’s recipe of ‘Cracker Toffee’ aka ‘Christmas Crack’ was very specific about temp. I no longer have that recipe so I am looking for something comparable and want to try your graham cracker variation.
Never use one! Neither in the Xmax Crack or the Graham Cracker Toffee/Cracker version. Enjoy!
Hi Averie! I tried these and they were amazing! I wanna make them for my friends, but i was hoping to make the graham crackers a little less obvious (to keep the magic a secret ;) ). Will it work if i sort of crush the graham crackers to tinier pieces and then mix it with the toffee before adding the chocolate?
I would not because the pulverized crackers will not stand up to the topping layers and it will be a real mess. WHY DISGUISE? Who cares! They’re delicious as is and if your friend will realize that.
I followed this to a tee but my Nestle Tollhouse Chocolate Chips would not melt! I tried leaving them in longer and it just got worse. So my cchips are just sitting on top, which I guess is ok but not as pretty. Aldo, I didn’t have toffee bits so I used pecans instead.
I hate to say it but Nestle chips melt the least of all brands I’ve ever tried. If you have a Trader Joe’s in your area, theirs melt beautifully smooth. Or try other brands in the grocery store next time.
How many squares does this make?
It’s makes a 9×13 inch pan and depending on how you cut the pieces (small or large), the amount of pieces will vary.
I made this about a month ago, took it to our book club, and it was amazing. Today I made it again to take to our family Thanksgiving. Something went wrong. When I cut it, the chocolate layer separated from the graham cracker layer and they look terrible. Taste great though. I need to remake it. What to do differently? I cooked the caramel about 4 and a quarter minutes both times, in the oven about 6 and a half minutes both times, cooled on the counter. Thanks!
Baking science and why things happen sometimes and other times they don’t…I do not know. I would say the problem is in the chocolate not the toffee. Sounds like the toffee part was fine and it’s just an issue of the chocolate not sticking well to the toffee. I swear by Trader Joe’s chocolate chips for stuff like this because they are more forgiving I find than other brands. If you don’t have access to those, I would switch up your choc chip brand. Also something like a chopped chocolate, i.e. Trader Joe’s 72% pound plus bars, or a darker baking chocolate could work. LMK how the re-make goes.
this sounds amazing. thanks for your post i have one more suggestion to do for my kid’s birthday party next week.
hope you enjoy your day!
I could seriously eat an entire tray of these! YUMMMM! I’ve always wanted to make one of these saltine crack recipes and this might be the one I need to try first!
Thanks Jenn!
Whoa! I feel like I need this in my life!
I grew up eating this stuff at Christmas. It is SO good!
I had never had it until this recipe and OMG…I have been missing out!
I can easily eat the entire pan of this! It’s the BEST candy.
Seriously this is the BEST. I take it you’ve had it? Omg this stuff was.so.good.!!! This should have been post (or pre!) marathon food :)
I’ve made graham cracker toffee before and I LOOOOOOOOOVE IT. Yours look fantastic!
Christmas crack is delicious and this honestly sounds SO much better! IAnd they have GF graham crackers, but not saltines. Not that I’m going to make this because I’d eat it all in one day.
LOLing at the fat free graham crackers!! That’s like ordering a diet coke with a big mac and fries. (I’m teasing, I know its probably just what you had at home.)
hey girl this looks so good! I have made it with saltine crackers and it is so yummy!
You’ll love it with the graham crackers, too! I couldn’t pick a favorite!
Wow this sounds amazing! I’ve made your toffee crack before as a Christmas present to my dad and that was a huge hit. It was dangerously good!
Glad to hear you’ve tried the other version of this recipe and this one is as equally dangerous :)
Ooh. I’ve had something similar, made with matzo bread, but I love graham crackers and I think this would be a nice riff.
Yes the Saltine Toffee that I adapted this recipe from, I’ve seen that recipe call for matzo too. I think they’re all wonderful!
Graham cracker crack sounds delicious! One look at the photo tells me it’s addictive. These also seem like the perfect cross between a bar and candy…..with a little bias toward the candy aspect!!
It was so, so good Paula, and your description is spot-on, bias toward the candy aspect :)