Saltine Toffee

Simple saltines get a glow-up! Adding sugar, butter, a layer of chocolate and a generous sprinkling of candy completely transforms the crackers into the base for a crisp, crunchy confection. This recipe for saltine toffee bark is easy to make and easy to customize with different toppings. It also makes two pounds of candy without requiring a candy thermometer, so it’s a great option for those homemade holiday food gifts.

Ingredients for Saltine Toffee

• Saltines: The saltines act as the crunchy base for this simple treat. The salt on the crackers is a delicious foil to the sweetness of the other ingredients. Matzo is a great substitute for saltines and makes a candy bark perfect for Passover.
• Butter and sugar: Cooked together into a sweet sludge, the butter and sugar soak into the crackers to form the crunchy, toffee-like base as the crackers bake.
• Chocolate: Semisweet chocolate chips melt on top of the still-warm cracker candy bark, spreading easily into a thin layer of chocolate over the confection’s surface.
• English toffee bits: Look in the baking aisle alongside the chocolate chips to find the shards of crunchy, buttery candy that make toffee bark so tasty.

Directions

Step 1: Arrange the saltines

Line a 15x10x1-inch baking pan with heavy-duty foil. Arrange the saltines in a single layer on the foil, then set the pan aside.

Step 2: Cook the sugar mixture

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cook and stir for one to two minutes or until the sugar is dissolved. Pour the mixture evenly over the crackers.

Step 3: Bake the toffee, add the toppings

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until bubbly. Immediately sprinkle on the chocolate chips. Allow the chips to soften for a few minutes, then spread them over the top. Sprinkle on the toffee bits, and allow the candy to cool.

Step 4: Chill the toffee

Cover and refrigerate for one hour or until set. Break the candy into pieces, and store it in an airtight container.

Saltine Toffee Variations

• Toast it up: For deeper, more nuanced flavors (toasty and a tad bitter—these are good things!), substitute brown sugar for white, or brown your butter before adding the sugar.
• Sprinkle on some nuts: In addition to, or in place of, the toffee bits, sprinkle your saltine toffee with chopped walnuts, hazelnuts, peanuts or pecans. For the best flavor, toast them before chopping them.
• Make a crunchy version: In addition to, or in place of, the toffee bits, add freeze-dried fruit such as strawberries, blueberries, apples, mangoes or bananas. The airy crisp texture echoes that of the crackers themselves.
• Add candy: Sprinkle the melted chocolate layer with chunks of candy, mini marshmallows or crunchy cookie bits.

How to Store Saltine Toffee

Once it’s cooled and broken into shards, store your saltine cracker toffee in an airtight container or a sealed bag. This will help prevent it from absorbing moisture from the surrounding environment. Keep it in a cool, dry place away from direct heat or sunlight, ideally between 60° and 70°. Keeping it at warmer temperatures, including those of a warm kitchen, can cause the candy to become greasy.

Can you make saltine toffee ahead of time?

Absolutely, and it makes a wonderful gift to wrap in cellophane bags or add to a tin of cookies at the holidays.

How long does saltine cracker candy last?

Candy bark is quite stable and can be made several weeks before using it, but do be mindful of the freshness of the ingredients mixed into it. Crackers can go stale, nuts can go rancid if they’re kept for too long and dried fruit can lose moisture and become unpleasantly hard. Another thing to consider is that the fat in the chocolate will absorb aromas from other ingredients kept nearby, so it’s best not to store candy bark next to your spice cabinet, for example.

Saltine Toffee Tips

Can you use caramel baking chips or butterscotch chips in place of the toffee bits?

You absolutely can sprinkle the melted chocolate layer with caramel or butterscotch chips, but a better substitute for baking chips if you’re having trouble finding prepackaged toffee bits would be crushed butterscotch candies! The baking chips would still be tasty, but they won’t give the saltine cracker candy the same crunch.

Can you use candy melts in place of chocolate chips?

You can absolutely use candy melts to make candy bark. Follow the melting instructions on the package, then proceed with the recipe as written. The finished candy bark will have a different texture that is somewhat more waxy, but the recipe will work just as well, and it’s a great way to cut down on the cost of ingredients if you’re making candy bark in large batches for gifting.

Do you need to temper the chocolate to make saltine toffee?

It’s not critical to temper the chocolate to make chocolate bark candy, but if you’re an experienced candy maker and you’re up for more of a challenge, taking the time to temper your chocolate before pouring it on top of your saltine toffee will yield a candy bark with more shine and a pleasantly snappy texture when broken.