These 4-Ingredient Graham Cracker Toffee Bars with pecans are the perfect dessert to share with friends -- and they only require about 5 minutes of prep!
You will be amazed by how good 4 simple ingredients can taste! These Graham Cracker Toffee Bars with pecans are the perfect dessert to share with friends — and they only require about 5 minutes of prep!
I received this Graham Cracker Toffee Crack recipe as a part of my bridal shower stash, when all of the guests arrived with their favorite recipes handwritten on index cards. This treat had a special note included, which just said “VERY GOOD.”
I would have to agree, but I would also add: “VERY EASY.” The Graham Cracker Toffee Bark is a must-try, and I assure you that the bars will become a regular in your dessert rotation. Serve them with some vanilla ice cream, or package them up for an easy homemade holiday gift!
How to make Graham Cracker Toffee Bars:
Made without chocolate, these easy toffee bars are a lot like “Graham Cracker Pecan Brittle.” The caramel and nut combination forms a buttery, firm layer on top of the toasted graham crackers for the ultimate indulgent treat!
You’ll need: graham crackers, butter, brown sugar, and chopped pecans. So simple!
First, line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray (this makes clean up easy). Arrange the graham crackers in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and set aside.
Next, melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Then add the brown sugar and pecans.
Boil the sauce for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until a thick, creamy caramel forms.
Pour the buttery caramel sauce over the graham crackers.
Spread the sauce evenly (using a spatula). This doesn’t have to be perfect, because the caramel will continue to spread slightly as the bars bake in the oven.
Pop the tray into a 350-degree F oven for 10 minutes. The sauce will bubble up while they bake, but don’t worry — it will firm up as the bars cool.
How to Store Graham Cracker Toffee:
Make this easy Graham Cracker Toffee Crack ahead of time and store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Just try to keep your hands out of the box until it’s time to enjoy!
These bars make a great afternoon treat with a cup of tea, or a delicious homemade holiday gift to share with friends, family, and teachers.
Looking for even more easy dessert recipes? Try these favorites:
4-Ingredient Graham Cracker Toffee Bars
These 4-Ingredient Graham Cracker Toffee Bars with pecans are the perfect dessert to share with friends -- and they only require about 5 minutes of prep!
Ingredients
- 14 whole graham cracker sheets
- 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
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Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Place graham crackers on prepared baking sheet; set aside.
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In a small saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Add brown sugar and pecans. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
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Spread mixture evenly over graham crackers.
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Bake for 10 minutes. Cut crackers into squares while they are still warm. Allow to completely cool before removing from baking sheet.
Recipe Notes
These bars keep well in an air-tight container for about 5 days.
For a simple variation, try using chopped almonds or peanuts instead of the pecans.
I recommend using the salted butter to give the dessert a great salty-and-sweet flavor combination.
This recipe was originally published in September, 2013. It was updated in November, 2018.
I made a bunch tweaks based on what I had on hand, and personal preferences, but I thought these turned out great! First, I used toasted slivered almonds instead of pecans. I also used about twice the graham crackers and nuts, so a ratio of about half the caramel of the original recipe. I also added a pinch of salt to the caramel. These were great for us, they may have been too sweet for our liking as written. Thanks for sharing, I would never have thought to make something like this!
That sounds great, Heather! Thank you for sharing those changes! 🙂
Took me exactly 60 minutes!
Brown cane sugar with butter failed to create caramel. Chopped walnuts ,almonds and added some sunflower seeds. In the end the mass didn’t spread enough and didn’t stick enough. Total failure.
Love these! Super easy to make. I use granulated sugar, but brown sugar works too! I have stored these in my freezer for a perfect spur-of-the-moment dessert or snack. No need to even thaw! Deeee-lish!
Thanks, Patty! I love the idea of just keeping a bunch in the freezer for any time a craving strikes! Now I want to prepare some more! 🙂
Even simpler & just as good as a recipe I’ve previously used. I used unsalted butter because it’s what I had, and honey roasted peanuts, ditto. Substituted about 2 tablespoons of peanuts with some salt & vinegar almonds. Came out great, didn’t last 24 hours —more than one person called them “addicting”.
Aside: had one person who couldn’t eat nuts & it was simple to whip up a small tray of oven s’mores.
Great tips! Thanks, Martha!
Too easy!! I sprinkled with dark chocolate chips when they came out of the oven waited 2 minutes and spread out melted chips, Dash of coarse sea salt let cool and they were absolutely awesome!! Thank you for sharing ????
Thanks, Patti! I bet the chocolate was a perfect addition!
I was introduced to these at a recent holiday party and used this recipe today. I followed the recipe exactly as written, except I used two full packs of graham crackers (more than the recipe stated). They came out great! Even so, next time, if I am expecting a larger crowed, I think I will use a third pack of the crackers and spread the mixture thinner because the toffee layer was very thick in this recipe. The cookies I tried originally had just a small, thin layer of the toffee and were great that way also.
Thanks, Imaginera! I’m glad that you’ve made the recipe your own! 🙂
Help please. I have made these numerous times in the past but big failure tonight. Why would the butter and sugar mixture turn to curdle/oily looking mess? TWICE?? Unsalted butter? Natural sugar? The first time I thought maybe I heated it too quickly, but low-medium heat did not work either.
Hi, Deb! I hadn’t experienced this myself, so I did a little bit of research and found this helpful article: https://www.thespruceeats.com/why-did-my-butter-separate-when-making-toffee-or-caramel-520448
It sounds like the separation can be caused by a quick temperature shift — so maybe you’re heating it too quickly, or you’re starting with really cold butter? Here’s a quote: “If you have good stovetop burners, we recommend turning them to medium-low to allow the butter and sugar to melt gently in the beginning stages. If the heat is too high, but butter might melt too quickly and can separate from the sugar.” And one other tip…
“Additionally, separation is more likely to occur when using thinner (cheaper) saucepans, as they don’t conduct heat efficiently and lead to “hot spots” that can cause uneven heat and allowing the butter to separate. Finally, humidity can cause the butter to separate, so if your kitchen is very warm and humid, it’s not a good time to be making candy.”
I hope that helps!
If I’m cooking the butter on low heat to I turn up the heat to boil for 2 mins after I add the sugar and pecans?
Hi, Autumn! Yes, you’ll melt the butter over low heat, and then stir in the sugar and pecans. Once you have everything combined, increase the heat and boil the mixture for 2 minutes. Enjoy!
These look delicious! I’d like to attempt to make them diary-free by substituting the salted butter with Earth Balance vegan butter. Do you think that will work?
Hi, Monique! I’m not familiar with Earth Balance, so I have no idea if it will work or not. Sorry that I can’t be more helpful in that regard.