Pumpkin Spice Cracker Toffee
This Post May Contain Affiliate Links. Please Read Our Disclosure PolicyThis easy Pumpkin Spice Cracker Toffee is a fall twist on the classic saltine cracker toffee recipe. Crisp crackers are covered with buttery brown sugar toffee flavored with a hint of pumpkin spice, then finished with semisweet chocolate, toasted pecans, and flaky sea salt.
I’m not sure there’s ever a bad time for cracker toffee. It’s buttery, crunchy, chocolatey, a little salty, and dangerously easy to keep snacking on. If you’ve made it before, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
For this version, I wanted to give that classic recipe a little fall makeover —nothing too wild or complicated. I added some pumpkin pie spice to the buttery brown sugar toffee and finished everything with toasted pecans and flaky sea salt. The result feels decidedly fall without messing with everything that makes cracker toffee so good in the first place.
And I think that’s important to mention because this is not an in-your-face pumpkin spice situation. There’s no pumpkin here, and the spice doesn’t overwhelm everything else. It’s just enough cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and other warm spices to give the toffee a cozy seasonal flavor.
This recipe works for just about anything. Make a batch for a fall party, put it out for movie night, add it to a dessert board, or package up a few pieces to give to friends or neighbors. (Honestly, I’m just as happy keeping a container in the kitchen and sneaking a piece every time I walk by.)
Let me show you how easy it is to make.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s the classic cracker toffee we all know and love with just a hint of fall flavor. The pumpkin pie spice adds warmth without overpowering the buttery toffee, chocolate, and toasted pecans.
- There’s a little bit of everything in each bite. You get crunch from the crackers and pecans, rich caramel flavor from the brown sugar toffee, plenty of chocolate, and a little salty finish that keeps everything from becoming too sweet.
- It’s wonderfully easy to make. No candy thermometer or complicated candy-making technique is involved. Everything comes together on one baking sheet with just a few minutes of cooking and baking.
Ingredients
The ingredient list is pretty simple, which is another reason I love this recipe. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Saltine crackers – These create the crisp, salty base for the toffee. You’ll need enough to cover the bottom of your baking sheet completely.
- Unsalted butter – Butter is the base of this homemade toffee, and butter gives it a rich, classic flavor.
- Light brown sugar – Brown sugar melts with the butter to create the caramel-like toffee layer. I like light brown sugar here because it gives you plenty of flavor without becoming too heavy.
- Pumpkin pie spice – This is where our little fall twist comes in. It adds cinnamon and warm spices without taking over the recipe.
- Fine sea salt – A little salt in the toffee balances the sweetness and brings out all those buttery brown sugar flavors.
- Vanilla extract – Vanilla adds warmth and rounds out the toffee’s flavor.
- Semisweet chocolate chips – Semisweet chocolate is my favorite here because it balances the sweetness of the toffee. The chips melt right on top, so there’s no need to dirty another pan.
- Pecans – Toasting the pecans brings out their flavor and gives the finished toffee even more crunch. They’re especially delicious with the pumpkin spice and chocolate.
- Flaky sea salt – A little sprinkle over the finished chocolate makes a big difference. It balances the sweetness and gives each piece that salty, sweet finish I love.
- Kosher Salt – Salt brings out the flavor of the herbs and helps balance the tangy and creamy ingredients in the dressing.
- Black Pepper – A little black pepper adds gentle warmth without overpowering the fresh flavors.
How To Make
Okay, let’s make some toffee. The process moves fairly quickly once you start cooking the butter and sugar, so I recommend having everything measured and ready to go before you begin.
I’ve also included the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions in the printable recipe card below.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed 10×15-inch baking sheet with aluminum foil, then lightly coat the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
- Arrange the saltine crackers in a single layer over the bottom of the pan. Break a few crackers as needed to fill in any gaps.
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- Add the butter and brown sugar to a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the butter is melted and the mixture comes to a boil.
- Once boiling, stop stirring and allow the mixture to gently boil for 3 minutes.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and carefully stir in the pumpkin pie spice, salt, and vanilla.
- Immediately pour the hot toffee mixture evenly over the crackers. Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to gently spread it all the way to the edges.
- Bake for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the toffee is bubbling across the surface.
- Remove the pan from the oven and immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the hot toffee. Let them sit for 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened.
- Spread the melted chocolate into an even layer, then sprinkle with the toasted pecans and flaky sea salt.
- Allow the toffee to cool completely, then refrigerate for about 30 minutes, or until firm.
- Break into irregular pieces and serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to use saltine crackers?
Saltines are my favorite because they’re thin, crisp, and salty, which works beautifully with the sweet toffee. You could experiment with another thin, crisp cracker, but keep in mind that changing the cracker can also change the overall sweetness and texture of the finished toffee.
Can I use a different kind of chocolate?
Absolutely. Milk chocolate will give you a sweeter finished toffee, while dark chocolate makes it a little richer and less sweet. You could even try white chocolate if you really love that combination with pumpkin spice. I personally like semisweet because it lands nicely in the middle and lets the toffee shine.
How should I store Pumpkin Spice Cracker Toffee?
Once the toffee is completely cool and firm, store it in an airtight container. I like placing parchment or wax paper between the layers so the pieces don’t stick together. You can keep it in a cool spot at room temperature for several days, or refrigerate it if your kitchen is warm or you prefer the chocolate extra firm.
More Fall Treats You’ll Love
If this Pumpkin Spice Cracker Toffee sounds good, here are a few more cozy recipes to add to your fall snacking and baking list:
- Cinnamon Toast Pretzel Snack Mix
- Sweet and Salty Fall Snack Mix
- Butter Pecan Cupcakes
- Really Good Pumpkin Bread
- Salted White Chocolate Toffee
And that’s it! Classic cracker toffee with just enough pumpkin spice to make it feel right at home on a chilly fall day. I hope you’ll give this Pumpkin Spice Cracker Toffee a try. If you do, I’d love to hear what you think. Please stop back and leave a comment and a 5-star rating below? I’d appreciate it!
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Pumpkin Spice Cracker Toffee
Ingredients
- 40 to 45 saltine crackers
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup chopped pecans toasted
- 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt or to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed 10×15-inch baking sheet with aluminum foil, then lightly coat the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
- Arrange the saltine crackers in a single layer over the bottom of the pan. Break a few crackers as needed to fill in any gaps.
- Add the butter and brown sugar to a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the butter is melted and the mixture comes to a boil.
- Once boiling, stop stirring and allow the mixture to gently boil for 3 minutes.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and carefully stir in the pumpkin pie spice, salt, and vanilla.
- Immediately pour the hot toffee mixture evenly over the crackers. Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to gently spread it all the way to the edges.
- Bake for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the toffee is bubbling across the surface.
- Remove the pan from the oven and immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the hot toffee. Let them sit for 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened.
- Spread the melted chocolate into an even layer, then sprinkle with the toasted pecans and flaky sea salt.
- Allow the toffee to cool completely, then refrigerate for about 30 minutes, or until firm.
- Break into irregular pieces and serve.