This recipe is rustic and quick, and done in 20 minutes!  But, once made, the bars have to sit in the refrigerator to harden up a bit 🙂 The finished product also freezes well, so OK to make ahead or store leftovers for any “chocolate emergency” that could occur at anytime.

A long time ago some friends gave me a recipe for Saltine Toffee Cookies which they had found on AllRecipes.com.  Truth be told, the recipe didn’t sound very good.  Saltine crackers, brown sugar, butter, and melted chocolate?  Just say no.  But they insisted I try it.  They insisted the recipe was good.  I trusted them, they make some great food, so I tried it. It WAS good. VERY good.  Then I came to find out this recipe is sort of an internet sensation and I might have been the last person on the planet to know about it 🙂

Years pass, and one fine weekend, I took a chocolate making class.  The instructor of the class talked about how her mother used to make a ganache and pour it over crumbled up graham crackers as a bedtime snack for her and her brothers—I know, I know, what a Mom! I never did that for my kids….and my mom never, ever made anything like that for me when I was a kid…but the gears were whirling.  Could I make chocolate covered graham crackers?  

Chocolate covered graham crackers with caramel?  What if I use the Saltine Toffee Cookie recipe but substitute graham crackers for the saltine crackers.  What if, what if?

So I did it.  We all think it’s one of the best quick treats I make. The last tin I made, hidden in the refrigerator behind the lettuce, lasted only three days.

Turns out, I am not the first person to think of this!  Lots of people on the internet have used graham crackers instead of saltines with this recipe. Anyway, here’s my recipe.  You can find lots of versions all over, but this is the one that works for me.  

Keep these Chocolate Covered Caramel Graham Crackers refrigerated when they are not being eaten. If the cookies sit out too long at room temperature the graham cracker starts to soften and loose it’s crunch. My original copy of this recipe—with saltines rather than graham crackers—specifies that the recipe makes 35 servings. ROFLMAO!!! That’s so funny 😀

Very Important Update! If you have an instant read thermometer, use it! (If you don’t, don’t worry. I have been making this for at least 20 years without one.) But, if you do have one, bring the caramel mixture to approx 260-270 degrees without stirring, then immediately pour over the arranged graham crackers.

Not So Important Update: I have seen reports of this recipe being made with different bases such as chocolate graham crackers, club crackers, Bischoff cookies….so feel free to experiment and improvise. I’m sticking to graham crackers though.

One other thing: If you want to search this recipe on line, try “Christmas Crack”

And the last thing: I double the chocolate! I wasn’t going to say anything, but my cookbook club called me out on it. I use one 4.4 oz milk chocolate Lindt bar plus one 3.5 oz Cadbury Milk bar. They said the chocolate was soooooo good :::glowing::::: AND the told me to tell you all not to use chocolate chips! Correct. Do not use chocolate chips. Chocolate chips are made not to melt! Love them where they belong, but melting is not their job!

Chocolate Covered Graham Crackers with Caramel

INGREDIENTS

• Approximately 2/3 a box of graham crackers—two packages out of a box of three.
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• (1 or 2) large sized (4 or 5 oz) chocolate bar, chopped—I like a Symphony Bar or a Cadbury Bar, or if you like dark chocolate, the Hershey’s Special Dark Bar is good. If your bank account is large use a 4.4 oz bar of Lindt or Ghirardelli chocolate, either milk, semi-sweet or bittersweet. Use whatever your favorite chocolate percentage is. Mine is milk, always milk!
• OPTIONAL: ¾ cup chopped nuts—if you like nuts; I have never added nuts—OR, if it’s December, crushed candy canes (I loooove this variation!) or any chopped Christmas candy or sprinkles. One of my daughters likes rainbow sprinkles on top. I do not.

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400°

1. Line a rimmed cookie sheet with graham crackers.  Place the graham crackers as close together as possible. You will need most of 2 waxed covered packages. Set tray aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine butter and sugar, stirring constantly, over medium heat, until sugar is melted.
3. Raise heat slightly, to bring mixture to a boil.  Boil vigorously for 3 minutes, without stirring—shaking the pan occasionally is okay. The original directions said to “stir constantly” but I have found this to make a grainy caramel layer, so I don’t.
4. UPDATE! If you have an Instant-read thermometer, bring the caramel mixture to 280 degrees.
5. Immediately pour caramel over graham crackers.  Use an offset spatula to quickly spread the caramel evenly over the crackers.
6. Place tray in hot oven and bake for 5 minutes.
7. Remove tray from oven and sprinkled chopped chocolate evenly over top.  Let chocolate just sit on top of caramel for 5 minutes.
8. Spread the now melted chocolate evenly over the caramel.  If desired, sprinkle with pistachios or any other chopped nut; crushed pretzels, Oreos, peanut butter cups, candy canes, M&Ms, etc.; rainbow sprinkles or Christmas jimmies, but in IMHO, they are better without any toppings.
9. Let tray sit until chocolate has hardened.  This make take a few hours.  To speed things up, put the tray in the refrigerator for about 15-20 minutes.
10. When chocolate is set, break bars into uneven pieces, OR chop into neat squares! It’s up to you. Sneak a piece or two.  Serve or cover and hide in refrigerator or freezer until needed 🙂

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen today!