Saltine Cracker Toffee Recipe

4.95 from 20 votes

This Saltine Cracker Toffee, also known as “Redneck Toffee” or “Poor Man’s Toffee,” is a quick and easy pecan toffee made with semi-sweet chocolate morsels and (believe or not!) saltine crackers.

Saltine cracker toffee on a white serving plate.

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If you’re trying to maintain a diet or eating healthy, please be warned. This post is not going to help you with that. Just go on somewhere else and forget you ever came here. Seriously. Turn away now!

Still here? Good…me, too.

I’m not sure what it is about Saltine Cracker Toffee, but I can’t seem to get enough of it. The rich buttery flavor, the crunch of the roasted pecan topping, the hint of saltiness from the saltine crackers…it’s just perfect!

Toffee is a classic candy that has been around for centuries. It’s traditionally made with butter, sugar, and chocolate, but this recipe has an interesting twist to it – saltine crackers.

Sounds a bit strange, right? It would if you’ve never had it before, but let me tell you this is one of the best toffees I’ve ever had!

Saltine Cracker Toffee is a recipe that goes by many, many names. And unlike other candy recipes, it doesn’t require a double boiler, nor a candy thermometer, or loads of ingredients; in fact, there are only 5!

This has become a standard, often asked-for holiday treat around our house. I hope it’ll become one of your favorites, too. You can always worry about that diet some other time of the year.

❤️ Why We Love This Recipe

The perfect blend of brown sugar caramel, semi-sweet chocolate, and pecans.
It’s quick and easy to make, and you can do large batches without breaking the bank.
It’s a crowd-pleaser. If you’re looking for something to bring to a get-together that everyone will love, this is it!

🥘 Equipment You’ll Need

You’ll need a small saucepan, a 10×15 baking sheet, and a few utensils to make your toffee. And if you line the baking sheet with aluminum foil, you’ll end up with just one pan to wash!

🛒 Ingredient Notes

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Saltine Crackers – I always use Nabisco Premium brand crackers. You’ll need about one sleeve of crackers.
Butter – Salted or unsalted, your choice. In the south, we generally use salted for everything, even baking.
Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips – Purchase a quality brand with a high percentage of chocolate.
Pecans – I know pecans can be expensive in other parts of the country. Substitute a different nut if you like.

You’ll find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe at the bottom of this post.

🔪 How to Make Saltine Cracker Toffee

Toast the Pecans

Chop the pecans and place them in a small baking pan in a 350-degree oven. Cook for 5 minutes or until the nuts are toasted. Set the nuts aside while you make the toffee.

👉 PRO TIP: When toasting pecans, keep a sharp eye on them. They can go from raw to burnt very quickly. If you start to smell toasted nuts, take them out immediately. They’re already done when you smell that toasty nut smell.

Preheat the Oven

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare the Crackers

A layer of saltine crackers on a foil-lined baking sheet.

Place the crackers with the edges touching in a single layer in a small baking sheet.

👉 PRO TIP: Lining your baking sheet with aluminum foil makes clean-up later much easier!

Make the Toffee

Add the brown sugar and butter to a small saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until the butter is completely melted and the mixture comes to a rapid boil.

Pour the Toffee over the Crackers

Pour the boiling hot mixture over the crackers and spread it out evenly with a wooden spoon or brush making sure to cover all the way to the edges of the crackers.

Bake

Bake for 5 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and bubbling.

Add Chocolate Chips

Chocolate chips added to warm toffee layer.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and immediately sprinkle with the chocolate chips.
Turn the oven off and place the pan back in the hot oven for one minute to soften the chocolate.

Spread Melted Chocolate

Melted chocolate chips on top of cracker and toffee layers.

Remove the pan from the oven and spread the chocolate evenly over the crackers.

Add Toasted Pecans

Toasted pecans added to chocolate layer.

Sprinkle the top with the toasted pecans.

👉 PRO TIP: After adding the nuts, I gently press all over to make sure the nuts adhere to the chocolate layer.

Cool and Break into Pieces

Allow the mixture to cool completely until the chocolate has re-solidified. Break into pieces.

You can either put it in a nice tin to gift someone for Christmas or set it out in a bowl and watch it disappear!

🍚 How to Store

Store the toffee in an airtight container at room temperature as the saltines will soften if exposed to humidity and moisture. It should last about a week. I don’t recommend refrigerating the toffee because it can cause the crackers to become a bit soggy.

❓ Questions About Saltine Cracker Toffee

Can I use unsalted crackers in this recipe?

If you prefer to use unsalted crackers, you can. However, your finished toffee will be missing some of that sweet-salty contrast that makes this recipe special.

Can I use another type of cracker instead of saltines?

I’ve heard of some cooks who make graham cracker toffee, and that sounds delicious to me! For that recipe, you’d simply substitute graham crackers for the saltines. You might also experiment with other savory crackers such as Triscuit.

Can I use milk or white chocolate for my toffee?

This recipe is traditionally made with semi-sweet chocolate, but anything goes! You might test a small batch to make sure you like it if you do decide to change the chocolate. I’m thinking a white chocolate pistachio saltine toffee with a few dried cranberries sounds amazing!

Are there other toppings I can use besides pecans?

You can use anything that pairs well with caramel and chocolate. Cashews, almonds, peanuts, and even sunflower seeds would be delicious! Also, try crushed pretzel pieces or plain salted potato chips – the sky’s the limit!

📖 Recipe