Cracker Candy is a no thermometer needed, easy candy recipe that will remind you of homemade toffee and is often called crack candy because it’s so darn addicting! The other awesome thing about this recipe is that you’ll need 4 simple ingredients, like saltine crackers, and just a few minutes to make it!
This cracker candy recipe has been a staple in my house for years! There are a million reasons to love this recipe!
- I always have the simple ingredients in the fridge and the pantry.
- Soda crackers are dirt cheap which makes this a pretty inexpensive recipe to make and that’s a big deal!
- This stuff takes about 20 minutes of hands-on time. Um, that’s a big deal too!
- Every time I share it with friends or family, they go crazy for it. It’s seriously so addicting I dare you to limit yourself to one piece! It’s impossible!
Carson, my oldest child, used to hang out with his friend Wayne all the time. They went on a million fishing trips and other wild excursions together.
The one thing Carson could count on is that going with Wayne would always be an adventure. One time they went fishing with Wayne’s grandpa and planned to camp in his sheep camp over the weekend. It was a great idea until it came unhitched from the pickup and rolled into the Salmon river! Always adventure!
I’m pretty sure Wayne actually enjoyed Carson’s friendship, but I KNOW he enjoyed the Saltine Cracker Candy I sent on every single trip just as much!
What is cracker candy?
I’m not sure why they call it crack candy? I always thought it was because you crack the candy into pieces. But, at the same time, I wonder if it’s called crack because it’s so stinking addicting.
Basically it’s has a caramel/toffee layer that’s poured over saltine crackers and then baked for a few minutes. Add chocolate chips to the top and it becomes a saltine cracker bark!
How to make Cracker Candy?
Homemade candy recipes can be tricky, but this is an easy one! There really isn’t much to it, but you do have to make sure you follow the instructions exactly so it will turn out as toffee and not gooey.
- Be sure to line a jelly roll pan with aluminum foil and SPRAY it with nonstick baking spray or coat it with butter.
- Preheat the oven and line the jelly roll pan with saltine crackers BEFORE you start making the caramel mixture.
- Bring the brown sugar/butter mixture to a gentle rolling boil. It’s more like a simmer.
- The mixture needs to gently boil for 3 minutes. This needs to be exact so use a timer. DON’T stir the mixture during the 3 minutes. It looks like it’s going to burn and needs to be stirred. Hold strong and leave it alone!
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. That’s the trick to keeping it from burning.
- Use high-quality chocolate chips so they’ll melt.
How to make other kinds of Cracker Candy?
It’s easy to switch up this same cracker candy recipe to make it into different recipes. Use your imagination, but here are a few ideas to get you started!
- Use Ritz crackers or graham crackers
- Top with sliced almonds, chopped pecans or walnuts.
- Sprinkle tops with sea salt, decorative sprinkles, or other candies.
- Use a combination of chocolate chips with peanut butter chips
- Leave off chocolate chips if you want cracker candy without chocolate
Other Easy Cracker Candy Recipes
- Mint Crack
- Peppermint Bark Toffee
- Easy Christmas Crack
- S’mores Toffee
- Saltine Cracker Candy with Peanut Butter
- Graham Cracker Candy
- Peanut Butter Energy Bites
You guys, I don’t always have time to make full-blown, get my bake on, kind of desserts. But I’m not going to let that stop me from eating dessert!
Go check out my other easy dessert recipes with few ingredients, no bake dessert recipes, or dessert bar recipes. I’m sure you’ll find something to love!
Cracker Candy
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup butter no substitutes
- 36 saltine crackers
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup Walnuts optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Line a half sheet baking sheet (18" x 13") with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
- Line baking sheet with soda crackers, salt side up with edges touching. Set aside.
- Over medium heat, while constantly stirring, bring butter and sugar to a gentle, yet constant, boil. Don't turn the heat too high or the mixture might separate. I like to use a whisk for stirring.
- Once the caramel mixture comes to a gentle, yet boil that doesn't stop when stirred, remove the whisk or spoon. Boil for exactly 3 minutes without stirring. The heat needs to as low as possible and still hot enough for the caramel mixture to boil. If you turn the heat too high it might burn.
- Remove caramel from heat and drizzle over crackers in prepared pan. Spread with the back of the spoon to cover crackers as much as possible. Don't worry if there are spots without any caramel covering them. It will work itself out in the oven.
- Bake for 5 minutes.
- After removing from the oven, sprinkle with chocolate chips. Let them sit for about 5 minutes. The heat from the candy will melt the chocolate chips as they sit.
- Spread chocolate chips with the back of a spoon. If desired sprinkle with chopped nuts.
- Cool completely. Break or cut into pieces.
Colleen McGurry says
Thanks for the recipe!
Amy Engberson says
You’re welcome! I’m glad you love this candy as much as we do!
Emily says
This is my go to when I need a quick treat for my family. It’s so easy to sketch up and make work for any occasion!
Amy Engberson says
Me too! It’s inexpensive to make, plus it’s quick and easy! And it’s the most addicting treat ever! Glad you love them too!
Betsy Scott says
Works perfect, but have you tried ‘salted side ‘ down? I think it’s great to get the salt on your tongue first, then the sweet flavors come through right after.
Amy Engberson says
Now that is a great idea! I’m trying that next time for sure!
Laura says
My caramel was grainy! Ideas?
Amy Engberson says
Without seeing exactly what’s going on it’s hard to say. The biggest thing is to make sure you stir the butter/sugar mixture as it comes to a boil over medium heat. I like using a whisk to stir it together so the butter and sugar don’t seperate. Bring it to a full rolling boil, that’s a boil that doesn’t stop even when you are stirring it. For some reason if it’s brought to a boil too fast, or isn’t stirred the whole time it gets either grainy or separates. Once you get the hang of it they are really simple to make! Next time will be awesome!
Cindy Coffman says
you didnt cook the sugar long enough is why it was grainy
Amy Engberson says
Yes. It needs to cook low and slow. That’s the key to having this recipe turn out perfectly!
Marg says
Your recipe calls for 1-2 sleeves of soda crackers. Will the sauce cover 2 sleeves or should I double the recipe if I use two sleeves?
Thanks
Amy Engberson says
Hi Marg! I use a jelly roll pan, the half sheet size. I usually end up using about 1 1/2 sleeves of crackers. I just line them up until they are touching sides and I have just the right amount of sacue to cover them!
julie says
Id like to receive email updates on new posts.
Amy Engberson says
I know what to do with a pound of ground beef, but when it comes to creating an emailed newsletter, I’m lost! I need to get going on that! For right now I think you can go to my RSS feed and you will get automatic updates when I post. Let me know if it doesn’t work and I can help!
Mariana says
Hi, I’ ve made these, they are just delicious, but the butter separated from the brown sugar and I had to pour away all the remaining fat from the butter. What could have happened? What did I do wrong? Do you have any clue? Or it is the way this recipe is meant to be? I really want to make them again and so I appreciate your kind help! Thank you from Argentina!
Amy Engberson says
Hi Mariana! I’ve actaully had that happen before and I have decided that it can happen for a few reasons. Cooking the mixture too hot and too fast can result in having the butter and the brown sugar separate a bit. The other trick is to stir it with a whisk the whole time it is cooking. Hopefully that helps! This stuff is worth the stirring!
Karen says
Have you ever frozen these?
Amy Engberson says
That’s funny you asked. I was wondering this myself the other day. I didn’t try it but don’t see any reason it wouldn’t work. Let me know how it goes if you try it!
Nealla says
Blog states to bring butter/sugar mixture to boil over medium heat, but recipe states to use medium-low heat……is one better than the other?
Amy Engberson says
I like just under medium heat. If I bring the mixture to a boil too fast it separates. I’m sure either temperature is low enough that it would work just fine. I will fix that!
GRADMA SQ says
This is a old family receipt Been making it for a long time Try some heath bar chips instead of choc MUM also with nuts on top There is a receipt to use peanut butter also good
Thanks for shearing this wonderful candy delight with everyone
Amy Engberson says
This is my #1 go to recipe when I need a treat and I’m in a huge hurry! They are always a hit! The addition of peanut butter sounds amazing! I will have to try that!
Lauren says
Just made these for the first time with my 4 year old son and we had a blast making them! Now we are having a hard time waiting for them to cool off so we can eat them! Thank you for sharing this recipe, I’m sure it will become a staple in our household as well! Happy Holidays!
Amy Engberson says
I love how easy it s for kids to be involved in making this candy! Hope you and your son loved it. Merry Christmas!
Shari says
I love these treats. I have been making them for years, and they are so easy and delicious. I might have missed it in the recipe, but I find that these are a lot easier to get off the foil if you spread a bit of butter on the foil, before laying the crackers out. Thanks for the recipe!
Amy Engberson says
This recipe is a staple in my life! They are so quick to throw together and they always turn out! I always spray the foil with cooking spray and it works great! Although I should use butter since I own a dairy farm! Great suggestion!!
Deb@ Kneaded Creations says
This soda cracker candy reminds me so much of some candy that my mom used to make! I have to keep this recipe! I pinned. Nice to see you at the Weekend Retreat Link Party. Just popping by to say hi and see what you’re up to. I would love it if you would drop over for a visit at http://www.kneadedcreations.com Deb @ Kneaded Creations
Amy Engberson says
Things that remind us if our moms are good things! Glad you stopped by!
Elaine Duckett says
All of these ingredients can be kept in the pantry and ready in a moment to make someone’s day a little special.
Mom
Naptime Seamstress says
Hi, Amy,
I just read your article in Progressive Dairyman and thoroughly enjoyed it. (I looked up your blog, so I could tell you right away!). We have the same thing with meals – we all eat together – not on any schedule, though. Our breakfast is anywhere between 8:30 and 10 or so; dinner somewhere around 2:30 or 3:30 (or 4, if the farmer’s running behind – in which case he eats and runs); and supper is after the barn work is done (or later! during the summer). There was definitely a learning curve for me when I married a farmer.
Your recipes here look delicious! Have a great weekend!
Amy Engberson says
I’m glad you looked me up! I quickly learned that life on the farm means a life of cows. The cows set every schedule in our lives. Although, I wouldn’t trade the experiences my boys are getting for any normal schedule! Hopefully you find some recipes here that are perfect for those eat and run meals! Happy farming!!
Cheltzey Newman says
I have been thinking… I don’t know how I didn’t gain 100 pounds spending so much time chumming around with you folks lol… I recall eating about a whole gallon-sized zip-lock bag of this stuff once lol… Not too mention all of the milk that I would go through when I was over at your house lol… How did you guys not go broke with me around? 😉 P.S. I made this for Andrew when we first got married… but I totally faked it and yours was WAY better lol! Miss you guys and glad Cars is safe!!! 😀
Amy Engberson says
We miss you and wish you were still hanging out with us! Good memories. And thanks for eating all of the soda cracker candy. If you wouldn’t have eaten it…I would have! You were a lifesaver in more ways than one!