Saltine Toffee

iykyk, and if you don’t know saltine cracker toffee, keep reading.

Surprise! Occasionally, I do create desserts, but only those that don’t require baking (remember, this girl can’t bake). This saltine toffee is THE dessert to make if you have limited skills in the kitchen but need to create a delicious and wildly addicting treat. This salty and sweet saltine cracker dessert is easy to make, quick to assemble, and impresses any crowd. If you aren’t a fan of the snappy, crunchy version of this dessert, then this is the recipe for you. The recipe comes with two sets of instructions: one for a sticky caramel version that won’t stick to your teeth, and the other for a super crispy toffee.

My mom, the one who always told us to get out of the kitchen, knew only a handful of desserts. These included saltine toffee, ricotta cake (although I only vaguely remember it), and how to cut a Sara Lee pound cake. This saltine toffee, or as she would call it saltine crack came out once a year during the holidays. It was once of those desserts that went fast, and whatever wasn’t eaten was wrapped up in aluminum foil, and tucked away in the fridge for someone to pleasantly find the next day.

WHAT IS TOFFEE?

Toffee is a confection/candy made by caramelizing sugar and butter. The end result is a hard, snappy candy with a buttery flavor. If you have zero experience making candy, don’t fret; the main version of this recipe doesn’t require you to use a candy thermometer. In fact, it doesn’t reach the point of becoming hard either. Think soft, almost like caramel, and a little tacky in texture. I can imagine true confectioners shaking their heads at this recipe, but hey, this is how I ate it growing up, and, if you ask me, the softer version is better. However, if you want the true toffee, make sure you come armed with a candy thermometer.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED FOR SALTINE TOFFEE

SALTINE CRACKER TOFFEE

• Saltine Crackers – This recipe calls for 1 full size sleeve of saltines or approx. 40 crackers. If you have some extra space on the pan you can +- 2-3 crackers but anymore and they wont be fully covered by the brown sugar mixture. Do not use un-salted saltines (not sure why they even make those).
• Brown Sugar – Dark is preferred, but light brown sugar is a great substitute.
• Butter
• Chocolate Chips – Semi sweet or even dark chocolate are great options. I would stay away from milk or white chocolate, since the brown sugar toffee is already very sweet.

ADDITIONAL TOPPING IDEAS

• Finishing Salt – My #1 topping, sea salt flakes. If you want to get real fancy, use Maldon. Between the large flakes and the overall flavor it is a superior finishing salt.
• Nuts – Pecans, walnuts, almonds, and cashews are fantastic nut toppings. Bonus points if you toast them a little prior.
• Pretzels – The ultimate combo, salty, sweet, with more salty. Pretzels might be one of my top choices here. Choose a thinner pretzel such as the iconic loops or sticks.
• Sprinkles – Make it fun, make it festive.
• Candy or Cookies – M&M’s or crushed Oreos, or hell top it with some of that leftover halloween candy you still haven’t eaten.

TOOLS NEEDED

• Large Sheet Tray – A Nordic Ware Bakers Half Sheet is actually the perfect size for this dessert, however any large cookie sheet or sheet pan with a raised lip works.
• Aluminum Foil or Parchment Paper -Aluminum foil or parchment paper are great liners for this recipe. I find that parchment paper makes it a little easier to remove from the pan, but you shouldn’t have too much trouble with foil.
• Candy Thermometer – ONLY if you want hard toffee.

HOW TO MAKE SALTINE TOFFEE

Assemble – Preheat the oven to 400 Line a sheet tray with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Cover the sheet pan with the saltines, salt side up, ensuring they do not overlap.

Combine the Brown Sugar and Butter – In a small sauce pan over low heat add the 2 sticks of butter and brown sugar. Use a rubber spatula to mix as both the brown sugar and butter melt. Once melted, you’ll notice that the butter and sugar are separated; don’t worry, they will come together. Bring to a rolling boil for 1-2 minutes and then remove from the heat.

Note: If you want the toffee to become real hard snappy toffee, boil for 3-5 minutes until the temperature reaches 270-280- degrees.

Layer + Melt – Pour the brown sugar butter over the saltines and carefully spread it to apply an even coating across all the crackers. An offset spatula comes in handy for this step, but a knife works as well. Place the saltines back in the oven and cook for 5 minutes until the entire tray is bubbly. Remove from the oven and top with chocolate chips. Place the tray back in the oven for 1 minute to melt the chocolate. Spread the chocolate into an even layer.

Top + Finish – Work quickly to add desired toppings, making sure to press them down into the chocolate. Place the crackers in the refrigerator for an hour to cool the chocolate and set the crackers. Once cooled and hard, either cut them with a knife or break them into desired pieces.

STORING/REHEATING

Saltine cracker toffee can be stored in an airtight container or ziplock bag at room temperature for up to a week. Keep in mind if your house runs a little warm the chocolate might melt and the toffee will be softer than normal, making the crackers a little soggy and honestly little messy.