Salted Caramel Pecan Toffee Bars (Cracker Candy Recipe)
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Make easy Toffee Bars with just 7 ingredients! Perfectly sweet and crunchy, they make an excellent holiday gift or dessert. A quick homemade caramel sauce and pecans make graham cracker toffee bars a tasty treat! This is one of my favorite recipes!
Are you looking for an easy dessert recipe that makes the perfect yummy treat? I’ve been making this easy recipe for years – and I still love the flavor and taste.
These chocolate toffee bars are loaded with sweetness and crunch, making it one of the best fourth of July desserts or holiday desserts out there! Just change the sprinkles to change the look!
It’s desserts like this that give me the joy of cooking because I love how this easy treat is literally the perfect addition for any type of gathering or party.
The small pieces are great for grabbing and eating, and you can’t deny that buttery crust and chocolate layers.
Once you bake, these goodies turn into golden brown perfection – and I know that it’s my cue to let them cool and start snacking!
The recipe card gives you all the details needed to make these hot cookie bars. They’re social media shareable good!
Toffee Bars
I don’t know about you, but I usually have a holiday baking list a mile long! So, I’m all about any dessert that doesn’t take a lot of time OR a lot of fancy ingredients.
These salted caramel pecan toffee bars would be fabulous on any dessert platter, but they also make a fabulous edible gift!
Great for teachers, neighbors, bus drivers, postal workers, co-workers, or as a hostess gift. You can easily add these to cookie trays and top them with plastic wrap to be a yummy housewarming gift.
I love this toffee bars recipe because I usually have the ingredients on hand anyway.
Plus, the graham cracker pecan bars are ready in about 20 minutes from start to finish (not including cooling time).
While you are at it, try our saltine cracker candy or our Disney churro toffee copycat. They’re a holiday baking game-changer!
No matter if you want these to be your top dessert July appetizers, or something that you keep hidden until the holidays, just know that everyone will think that this recipe came straight from Grandma’s recipe box!
Tips for Making Graham Cracker Toffee Bars
- Decide between sweet or salty crackers.
This toffee bars recipe uses graham crackers instead of the traditional saltine crackers, because I love the sweet nuttiness they bring.
You can substitute saltines if it’s what you have on hand or prefer.
- Try a different topping.
Simply swap out the pecans for an equal amount of peanuts, cashews, or almonds. Or, mix in some holiday M&Ms or sprinkles!
You can drizzle melted dark chocolate or milk chocolate chips, or just sprinkle chocolate chips on top of these hot toffee bars!
I always buy chopped pecans, but you can simply chop larger pieces with a knife. Same goes if you decide to make your toffee bars with a different variety.
- Line your pan with aluminum foil.
The last thing you want to do is try and clean up baked-on caramel sauce!
Give it a light misting of cooking spray as well. It will make it easier to remove the caramel pecan bars without any cracking.
- Make them extra indulgent!
For the chocolate lovers, feel free to spread or drizzle melted chocolate over the top of your graham cracker toffee bars.
All you need to do is microwave your favorite chocolate chips in 30-second bursts. Stir between each until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
You can make these sweet and salty by sprinkling a little bit of sea salt on top as well. This complements the sugar flavors and makes new recipes like this really stand out.
I also think that this makes them taste like real toffee candy, too!
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- Jelly Roll Pan – The perfect size for the graham crackers to lay in one layer, and it’s such a versatile pan! You can use any other prepared pan, but this is my go-to.
- Offset Spatula – Spread the caramel sauce in an even layer with ease! Great for desserts of all kinds.
I would also have a large bowl or medium bowl, wire rack, non-stick cooking spray, hand mixer, and some parchment paper on hand for these hot toffee bars!
Toffee Bars Recipe FAQ
Nope! They’ll get plenty browned in the oven as the caramel pecan bars are baking.
The culprit is usually butter substitutes — either margarine or coconut oil. Other types of fat will prevent your toffee bars from hardening properly.
If you did use real butter, then you may not have boiled the caramel for long enough. Make sure it comes to a full boil and is completely smooth before stirring in the vanilla.
No, these should be cooled completely at room temperature in order for the toffee layer to set up properly.
The cold air from the fridge will make them too difficult to bite into.
Storing Leftover Caramel Pecan Bars
These are just fine on the counter for up to 5 days. Store them in an airtight container with a piece of parchment between each layer.
You can also freeze graham cracker pecan bars for longer storage — up to 3 months! Thaw on the counter before serving.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Other Simple Dessert Recipes
Salted Caramel Pecan Toffee Bars (Cracker Candy Recipe)
Ingredients
- 12 graham cracker sheets
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, 1.5 sticks
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- pinch of flaked sea salt, or kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 15×10 inch jelly roll pan with aluminum foil, sprayed lightly with cooking spray. Place graham cracker sheets in a single layer on prepared baking sheet.
- In a saucepan, bring brown sugar, butter and heavy whipping cream to a boil, over medium heat, stirring often. Once melted and smooth, add vanilla.
- Pour caramel sauce over the graham cracker sheets and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle with chopped pecans.
- Bake for 10 minutes, until lightly golden brown and bubbly.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle with salt. Carefully lift out the bars (using the aluminum foil) and cool on wire racks about 30 minutes, or until completely cooled.
- Break into squares.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published December 2017, updated and republished October 2024
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Pecans and Toffee are always a great combo. Love these bars. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
My mom used to make these but instead of sprinkling with salt she would make them on ritz or saltine crackers.
How do I make the caramel sauce please
Read the recipe, it’s at the bottom of the page.
Can i forego the whipping cream?
Hi, are these freezable?
I would like to know this too.
Hi April,
We usually cut these into bars and freeze them for up to 3 months, if there are any left or we are making them ahead. Hope this helps.
TSRI Team Member,
Holli
Yes, you can omit the whipping cream. I’ve made this many times for years. I’ve never known of whipping cream to be added until I found this site, but I do believe it would still be as amazing as it is without it!!
I know you asked this in 2021, but it might help another person to know the answer!
Why would you want to? The cream adds something wonderful. I use cream in a lot of desserts.
Very good and very easy. Always a great combination!
I think this was the Carmel Sauce recipe
In a saucepan, bring brown sugar, butter and heavy whipping cream to a boil, over medium heat, stirring often. Once melted and smooth, add vanilla.
This was tasty and very easy to make. I think I will be making these for the holidays this year!
Absolutely delicious! Never ladts long when I make it
HOW LONG CAN U STORE THIS? DOES IT NEED TO BE REFRIGERATED ? IF I PLAN TO MAKE AHEAD FOR GIFTS ? THANKS
Hi Elizabeth,
We usually cut these into bars and freeze them for up to 3 months, if there are any left or we are making them ahead. Or they will stay fresh up to 5 days in an air tight container or cookie jar. Hope this helps.
TSRI Team Member,
Holli
What is a jelly roll pan????
A jelly roll pan is a heavy gauge cooking sheet. I had to look it up too because I didn’t know either.
A cookie sheet with a lip all the way around. Otherwise known as a baking sheet or jelly roll pan. 😉
Do you think I could sub. Walnuts instead of pecans??
Do you think I could substitute Swerve Brown for the town sugar?
Hi Judith,
We have not tried this but because it measures the same it should work. Enjoy and let us know how it goes!
TSRI Team Member,
Holli
This was unbelievably delicious! So easy to make also. I didn’t have graham ccrackers so I used Ritz crackers. I made it for Thanksgiving and everybody loved it. It was eaten up right away. I made another batch while everyone was still there and it was gobbled up also. Already I have requests to make it for Christmas… Thanks for sharing this great recipe.
made this last year, everyone loved it.
Can you mix the nuts into the caramel sauce after cooking to glaze them right before pouring it onto the graham crackers?
How long do you boil the caramel sauce?
Can’t wait to make these !
Wondering has anyone made them using Chocolate Graham Crackers ? I think that might be interesting
Hi Jocelyn,
That sou0nds delicious! Enjoy and let us know how it goes!
TSRI Team Member,
Holli
I have used the chocolate graham’s and they were great.
Absolutely DELICIOUS EVERYONE LOVED THIS ONE AND WANTS MORE
Question, if in an airtight container, do they need to also be refrigerated?
These look so YUMMY!
Are they HARD Toffee or is it a sticky Toffee? Just wondering.
I have READ and LOOKED everywhere for the Carmel Sauce part of the recipe and can’t find it. HELP! I must be going blind. LOL 🙂
Hi Kathie,
Step 2 of the instructions explains this. Hope this helps.
TSRI Team Member,
Holli
So delicious! Also, very quick and easy to make! I made these to take to family for the holidays, and I am not sure they will make it out of my house! Lol!
How long will these last in a cellophane bag if made for gifts? Don’t want to freeze. I need to make in mid November, will they stay fresh if wrapped tight in a crisp cellophane bag for a month until Christmas?
Thank you
How much brown sugar do I use? I tend to over or under pack, so if someone could weigh it in grams that would be really helpful. I mainly bake by weight, that is soooooo much easier. Grams not ounces, there’s so much variation in an ounce.
Hi Lisa!
It should be packed, so as packed as you can get it. Hope this helps!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn
Has anyone ever made it with plant butter? Will it set up properly?
Thank you!