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:
Christmas Crack — A highly addictive, salty-sweet, crunchy, EASY Christmas treat that’s IRRESISTIBLE!! Great for gifts and cookie exchanges because it stays fresh and everyone LOVES IT!!
White Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles — Fast, EASY, no-bake, and the BEST peanut butter truffles! Great MAKE-AHEAD homemade hostess gifts, for cookie exchanges, or set them out at Christmas parties.
White Chocolate-Dipped Oreo Cookie Balls — These are such a simple no-bake treat with only 4 ingredients, and everyone loves them!
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.
i have yet to cut it but so far so good the chocolate chips didn’t really melt to one smooth piece and when i tried using a spatula the toffee came up with it so i don’t think i’ll be smoothing it out but will come back shortly and tell you how it turned out
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am sure it will still taste delicious. Some brands of choc chips are more resistant to melting than others. That could be the issue or just pop it in the oven at like 300F for a minute or two and see if that helps.
I want to cut my graham cracker candy for smores – how did you cut yours? I don’t want to break it up because I want it to be uniform.
Asking for a friend ;)
With a super sharp knife BUT there are lots that will break, that is the nature of toffee. The broken ones just didn’t make the photos :)
Ok, so the cutting – I got a dollar ‘betty crocker’ pizza cutter from Dollar Tree and after about 7 minutes of cooling I used it to cut them – hey cut like a BOSS. Cutting them while still warm I think is the real trick.
Thanks for this recipe – I’ve been using another one but like this one way better.
Glad you like this recipe way better and that is a great $1 investment for sure :) Love it when gadgets work like that!
i accidentally bought salted butter instead of unsalted, is it okay to still use it?
If you like salty-sweet treats, yes. If not, swap it out.
OOPS. You could cut back on the SALT in the caramel mixture.
I suck at cooking I guess these days I needed it to be perfect. I made it and the first round I burnt the butter and brown sugar then second time it separated and so still tried to complete but five hours later it’s wont set up at all soft taste good but messy. I also did the cowboy bark well failed there too and I normally can cook.
Not really sure what to say other than sometimes baking is a learning experience and not everything works out perfectly until you get a little experience under your belt.
I usually fail with anything resembling candy. Other than my stove required a couple minutes longer for each baking aspect (2 yr old stove?), it came out great! Walmart brand chocolate chips and all! Thank you for such a winning recipe.
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad it was a winner you you!
I have made this every Christmas and always make it the same. However sometimes the caramel doesn’t soak into the crackers and is a separate layer on top of the cracker. (the cracker is dry)
Any suggestions?
Am I boiling it too long and too thick (4 min)?
If it’s too thick, and to viscous to absorb, yes I would say you’re boiling it too long. Cut back on that and you should be fine.
I made this for a church fund raising silent auction and it got rave reviews. Sorry I didn’t get to sample my wares. I’ll make a batch for me 😁
Yes next time I hope you can sample some of your own creation! Glad it got rave reviews!
I can’t wait to try this recipe. I have been asking around for a recipe and no one seemed to have one. It is additive.
Glad you found mine!
What is a “typical” serving size and how many people does this recipe serve?
It’s candy and it’s pretty rich. So a small piece is what I would consider a serving. Probably 40 servings but then again it really depends on if you’re serving it to people who are watching what the eat or people who don’t care and eat whatever they want.
I’m making This tonight for tomorrow’s church event and it’s gonna be entered in for sweet contest.. hopefully it will work out.. kind of last minute, but cheap to make
Great and good luck!
Wow Averie, thank you!!! I have a BBQ tomorrow , and I just finished cutting these toffee bars up! Fabulous! And so simple as well.. I know they’ll be a hit! 🤗
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad these will be a hit at the BBQ!
Made this for a work potluck. Huge hit – disappeared with a quickness!! Such a easy recipe too. Will definitely be making this again very soon. Thank you for a delightfully rich and simple recipe!
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad it was a huge hit at the potluck!
My cousin’s and I made this when mom and dad drove us back to visit them. This recipe will always have the memories attached to it. I made some yesterday and decided to make half of the sheet with saltines and the other with graham crackers. It works well. As for the parchment paper question. YES! Use it! It’s far better than peeling tiny bits of foil off. I didn’t have to grease it, and they peel off beautifully.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this is a family fave for you!
Tried my hands at this recipe this past weekend..DELISH!! The work gang loved it!!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great! Glad it was a big hit at work!
This looks delicious! How do you cut it? Could you pour it in a pan coated with parchment paper and lift it out?
With an extremely sharp knife or just break it.