Easy Peanut Butter Chocolate Graham Cracker Toffee
Toffee has never been easier or more delicious! You don’t even need a candy thermometer for this easy and dangerously delicious graham cracker toffee.
If you are still looking for THE holiday goodie that is going to knock your socks off and might even bring someone to tears with its deliciousness, behold this super easy peanut butter + chocolate graham cracker toffee.
If you are shaking your head at “graham cracker” and “toffee” in the same sentence, hear me out. Using saltine or graham crackers as a base for mock toffee is not a new concept. It takes literally minutes to make. No candy thermometer. No hovering over a pot on the stove hoping your sugar and butter behave appropriately.
And you should be warned that the resulting combination of salty sweet crunchy chewy is dangerously addictive. I have another graham cracker toffee recipe buried in the archives, but the other day I somehow became obsessed with peanut butter-fying already delicious graham cracker toffee.
I don’t know why and how these things happen, they just do. And I usually can’t sleep until I’ve figured out how to make such things as adding peanut butter to toffee work.
The end result of my glorious time experimenting was the most amazing and incredible easy peanut butter chocolate graham cracker toffee ever. You guys, this stuff is out of this world delicious – and different enough (without being weird) to totally set you apart in the holiday baking arena this year.
Let me show you just how simple it is to make this toffee!
Get out those graham crackers! Or saltines, you can use those, too. But I prefer using graham crackers both for texture and taste. Also, if you want to get creative, checkerboarding chocolate and regular graham crackers is kind of fun. You’ll need about 15-16 rectangular graham crackers. If you aren’t using a combination of cracker flavors, there’s no need to break the crackers into squares.
Whip up the quick stovetop caramel mixture (literally as easy as whisking together sugar and butter and letting it simmer for 5 minutes) and pour it over the top of the crackers. Don’t panic if the caramel mixture separates a little or if there’s pockets of foamy butter on top. It’ll all work out.
You’ll want to channel your inner speedy caramel spreading goddess here because you need that caramel in an even layer over the graham crackers ASAP. I use a small offset spatula {aff. link} for almost anything that needs spreading around here. And this toffee definitely has multiple spreading elements.
Once the caramel is in an even layer, pop that tray in the oven for about 10 minutes.
It might look a little scary coming out of the oven, but don’t worry, we are definitely going to pretty it up a little.
Without delay (you can rest later with a tray of this toffee to keep you company), dollop about a cup of peanut butter across the top of the warm toffee. Let it sit for a minute or two and then spread it into a creamy layer across the toffee.
I use everyday creamy Skippy-style peanut butter here, but you can experiment using crunchy, natural, or another type of nut butter.
Now it’s time for the chocolate! Best part. And yes, I’m ok playing favorites.
Sprinkle about two cups of chocolate chips over the peanut butter and pop the pan back in the warm oven for just a minute or two. Enough time to get the chocolate chips super melty and soft. And…you guessed it! Spread, spread, spread.
Now, as you spread the chocolate chips across the peanut butter, it might take on some swirl action because that peanut butter underneath is also warm and a little runny. That’s ok! This recipe definitely should be categorized in the Not Rocket Science folder. Just spread and call it good.
While the chocolate is still soft, sprinkle the top with toasted nuts (optional, but the crunch is delish).
You’ll want to let the toffee cool completely and then pop in the refrigerator for an hour or so to really set up before breaking into pieces.
Because we’ve gone that extra mile to add peanut butter to this amazing graham cracker toffee, it’s going to be a bit softer when you snap it into pieces, but there’s still a healthy amount of toffee crunch underneath all that peanut butter and chocolate.
Seriously, you guys, this stuff is so good. It’s certainly not gourmet or fancy. It’s a little rough around the edges with a slightly messy flair. But I’d just as rather have a stack of this easy peanut butter chocolate graham cracker toffee staring me in the face than almost anything else right now.
It totally proves that you don’t have to go to a lot of work over a fussy dessert or candy recipe to end up with something that could change the world. Ok, maybe not the world, but definitely your feelings about peanut butter and graham crackers and toffee. Hope you love it!
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Easy Peanut Butter Chocolate Graham Cracker Toffee
Ingredients
- 15-16 rectangular graham crackers, regular, chocolate or a combination
- 1 cup (227 g) salted butter
- ⅓ cup (71 g) packed light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup (71 g) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (255 g) creamy peanut butter (see note)
- 1 ½ to 2 cups (255 to 340 g) chocolate chips (see note)
- 1 cup (120 g) chopped, toasted nuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a half sheet pan (about 11X17-inches) with foil. Arrange a single layer of graham crackers in the pan without overlapping, breaking pieces to fit if needed.
- In a medium saucepan, add the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Cook over medium-low heat until the butter is melted. Whisking gently, increase the heat to medium and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook for 5-6 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the vanilla. Pour the mixture across the graham crackers, and working quickly, use an offset spatula or other rubber spatula to spread the caramel evenly over the graham crackers.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven (turn the oven off; you’ll use the warm oven in the next step). Dollop peanut butter in spoonfuls over the toffee. Let the peanut butter sit there until melty and spreadable (a couple minutes) and then spread into an even layer across the toffee.
- Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top. Return the pan to the warm oven for a few minutes to let the chocolate chips melt. Once melted, spread the chocolate chips over the peanut butter. It’s ok if the peanut butter and chocolate end up swirling together.
- Top with chopped nuts. Let the toffee cool completely and then refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Break into pieces to serve or package in bags or containers for gift giving. The toffee is best stored in a cool spot – not necessarily the refrigerator, but the peanut butter/chocolate layer stays more firm if kept cool.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
This is next level amazing and so addictive! I love it! I used toffee bits instead of nuts – so good!
These are addictively good. I made these yesterday when some friends were coming over. I didn’t think the chocolate chips totally melted and I did not have pretty layers. I topped them with toasted slivered almonds and they looked pretty good. My gosh, they are good. This morning, I froze 2 of them to see how they freeze and could not resist a little piece before breakfast. One thing I will mention. Even if you use just one type of graham cracker, I recommend breaking them in half. It makes it easier to lift off the sheet and break. I might even break them into quarters next time I make them…there will be a next time!
Absolutely scrumptious!! I make this from Thanksgiving through the New Year!!
Oh man, this is good! Wowza! I’m leaving a comment because I’ve made these several times with natural, crunchy, no salt peanut butter, and it comes out great. Thanks for the amazing recipe!
I’m trying to pretend these aren’t in the refrigerator until my husband can eat them all – they are pure addiction once you get started! My Skippy Natural peanut butter was a little runnier than I’d like and I perhaps didn’t have quite enough chocolate to cover it well, so it was kind of splotch – which affected the taste not at all.
I made these for SuperBowl 2019 and I literally made 4 trays of them—all were gone at the end of the party! ALL OF THEM! I love the toffee and peanut butter mix! And topped them with Heath as well. So easy to make and really addicting. I haven’t got on the cracker toffee bandwagon but this really changed my mind on that! I love they are really easy and I love that the ingredients are readily available. Really easy for kids to make as well!
I made this and topped it with heath chips. It was delicious if you want a nut free option. Everyone loved it at our church potluck. Thanks for the recipe!
Mel, you made me look so great at church today! This was scrumptious and everyone else thought so too! I have wanted to try a variation of this layered treat, but most involved saltines and canned milk, which just seemed lacking to me… until this! The toffee was perfect! Graham crackers? Loved ’em! Thanks again. 🙂
Note: I lined mine with a silpat and then used a bench cutter to break it into squares. Worked great!
Everyone loved it – so simple so good!
Hi Mel! This is so delicious!! My teenage son and I made it together yesterday. It is so addictive! However, when I would try to break it up into pieces, the peanut butter chocolate topping would separate from the bottom layer, and the graham crackers crumbled pretty easily. In your pictures it all looks pretty clean and together. Any thoughts as to what might have happened? Thanks!
I usually use the Club crackers to make a recipe similar to this, but I gave yours a try and it was a massive hit. My younger brother raved and raved, and then filled a plate to take home the extras. Thank you for another amazing recipe!
I’ve made something similar to this, minus the peanut butter and chocolate. I’m running to the store in the morning to make this. I can’t wait to taste this!
Thanks for the recipe, Mel! This is a keeper! I LOVE toffee, but I’m terrible at making it. This is such an easy, fail-proof recipe!
Oh Mel. Oh oh oh oh oh. I do not love toffee. Not even a little. But my kids request it every year. This year this popped up and I gave it a whirl. I’m in LOVE. Like- hiding the whole tray in my garage and telling my kids I’m not making toffee in love. You are my hero.
This is so addictive I usually could eat a couple bites of something and not want anymore but this on the other hand I could eat it all!!!! Instead of pecans I topped it with salted peanuts!
Great idea on peanuts!
Oh Mel, how my family and I love you! Thank you for so. many. GREAT. recipes!!! 🙂
Thank you so much, Katie!!
I made them today, and haven’t tried them yet, but they look amazing! Instead of nuts I toasted some mini marshmallows and popped those on top. Thanks for the recipe!
What a great idea!
I simmered the brown sugar a little long, it got dark brown, but it still tastes great! I love the addition of peanut butter- I’ve made this before without it. And I love the tutorial for toasting nuts in the microwave. Thank you! One question- can these be frozen?
That’s a good question, and I don’t know. Sorry! I haven’t tried it and am not sure how the graham cracker layer would fare in the freezer.
Do you stir the caramel mixture the whole time it is simmering?
I just stir occasionally and moderate the temp so it isn’t burning on the bottom.
My son and I made this last night. Turned out perfect. I let it chill overnight in the refrigerator and broke it up by hand. I did use the white chocolate chips also. Thanks, Mel. Merry Christmas!
So happy to hear this, Jennifer! Thanks for letting me know!
These remind me of your salted chocolate toffee pretzels! Those are my FAVORITE and I make them every year!
I am soooo excited to eat all these yummy treats…we don’t eat any Christmas goodies until Christmas!! (We are Catholic and in the liturgical calendar Christmas lasts from December 25 until mid/late January…so while everyone else is done with Christmas we are just starting!!)
Yes, those toffee pretzels are something else, huh?? Merry Christmas, Ashley! Enjoy all that treat eating come December 25! 🙂
I had my treat plates all planned out and then decided last minute that I needed something non-cookie to add. I came to your site, like I always do, and saw this recipe! I happened to have all of the ingredients except for the nuts. I only had leftover pecans that had been blended into a powder for a crust for another one of your recipes. I dusted that on top and it was amaaaaazing. This tastes just like Almond Roca. I spent HOURS baking and frosting everything else but this only took 30 min and completely stole the show. Bonus: It’s easy! So glad you posted it! I may just make this and this alone from now on!
That dusting of pecans across the top almost has me running to the kitchen to make a batch and do the same thing. YUM!
I made this as a trial for Thursday night. I am a teacher and we are having a potluck. I need something quick and easy as the holidays in the classroom have sucked the life out of me! When this showed up in my email, I just had a great sigh of relief! It’s perfect. Teachers will love it come Friday. Thanks so much!
Yay, Renee! I’m so glad the trial run worked out well! I don’t blame you for being exhausted this time of year! I just made my kids’ teachers a gourmet caramel apple but wish I could give them a day of vacation instead. 🙂
I just made this and can not wait till it is cool to taste! I used Nestle chocolate chips and they did not spread out but I’m hoping it will still taste good!
Hope you love the finished product, Jessica!
Mel, I am not sure what I did wrong but the toffee never got super hard and it was all very gooey still this morning. It still tastes great!
Darn, Jessica – sounds like maybe it needed to simmer a little longer?
I’ve got to know which graham cracker to you like better? The regular or the chocolate??
Honestly, I love both! I really do. If I made them with all one kind, I’d probably use regular graham crackers.
Well. I was done with my holiday baking. But thanks to this recipe, I’m not! Can’t wait to try it.
Thank you Mel for a great recipe. I have been trying to not bake excessively but just couldn’t resist the combination of peanut butter, chocolate and toffee. I even went to the store just to buy the ingredients. For many years, I wanted to eliminate store bought bread from our diet but although I could make white bread or 50% whole wheat bread, I could never master 100% whole grain bread until I found your recipe for whole wheat bread. I didn’t want our every day bread to be anything but whole wheat. After finding your whole wheat bread recipe, I was able to give up store bought bread and have followed your blog ever since. I am always excited to read your new posts. I also have 5 children and so the things you say often reflect my life too.
Thank you so much for this comment, Brenda! I hope you love this toffee if you make it today. And I’m thrilled to know that you’ve been loving that whole wheat bread recipe. You are amazing!
Hi there! Vanilla goes in after the 5-6 minute cooking?
And my caramel didn’t look like that!!!! Nooooo!!!!
Hey Boedee, I added the vanilla into the recipe instructions. Sorry about that! What does your caramel look like?
It looked like sloppy mess! Ugh!!! It didn’t soak into the graham crackers at all like yours did – and then when put the PB and chocolate chips, it’s even more soupy. I’m crying inside-
It didn’t caramelize and bubble down into the crackers while baking? What was the consistency after the caramel simmered on the stove? Try refrigerating – hopefully it will all set up as it chills!
Made it this morning! Just FYI your instructions are missing when to add the vanilla 🙂
Oops, sorry about that! Will fix now!
Oooh!! Thank you!! This looks yummy! I’ve been sick with a cold so haven’t been able to do any baking… This recipe is perfect!! Merry Christmas!!
Oh the worst time of year to be sick – get better soon!
I needed this recipe. Between church, young children, and life in general, my plate feels too full this year. Sharing a treat with neighbors is very important to me so having something simple, tasty and not another cookie is a perfect option. Making it today and I’ll report back!
Let me know how it works out, Katrina! I hear you on this time of year being crazy, crazy! Good luck with it all!
Oh Mel, I will be making this today! Thanks so much! My family and I were sitting around the dinner table last week eating one of your delicious slow cooker soups, and my eight-year-old son asked, “So is Mel a real person?” Haha! That’s how often we speak of your delicious recipes, gift guides, etc. You’re a celebrity in our home. 🙂 We love your blog so much! Thanks for all you do and Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Haha, that is hilarious (and very sweet). Thank you for such a fun comment! Merry Christmas! PS hope you love this toffee!
Graham cracker toffee was a staple growing up (we called them toffee cookies). I have never even thought of using chocolate graham crackers!! Let alone adding peanut butter. I’m going to try half a batch with peanut butter and half without but all with chocolate graham crackers! Thanks for the brilliant idea!
Let me know how it goes! Love the idea of going all in with chocolate graham crackers.
Yummy! Looks very similar to a recipe I have but I use saltines to give a little salt flavor and melt white chocolate and swirl it with the melted chocolate ( use half and half- not twice as many chips!) I also score it after a few minutes of cooling so its easier to break
Great idea on scoring the toffee!