Ingredients
– 35 saltine crackers (about one sleeve, or you can substitute with graham crackers, Club crackers, or Ritz crackers for variety)
– 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter
– 1 cup (packed, approximately 220 g) brown sugar
– 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
– ½ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt (omit if using salted butter)
– 2 cups (about 340 g) chocolate chips (semi-sweet works best, but you can choose others for a twist)
– Optional toppings such as various nuts, crushed cookies, pretzels, toasted coconut, toffee bits, sprinkles, or crushed candy canes
Instructions
1-Preparing the base: Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lining a jelly roll pan with nonstick foil or foil coated with cooking spray. This sets the stage for a crispy base using 35 saltine crackers arranged in a single layer.
2-Making the caramel: Next, in a saucepan, melt 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter with 1 cup (packed, 220 g) brown sugar over medium-high heat. Stir frequently until it boils, then keep stirring as it boils for 3 minutes to achieve the perfect caramelization. Once done, remove from heat and mix in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and ½ teaspoon sea salt (if not using salted butter).
3-Applying caramel and baking: Pour the caramel mixture evenly over the crackers right away, then bake for 5 minutes until it’s bubbling.
4-Adding chocolate: Pull it from the oven, sprinkle 2 cups (340 g) chocolate chips on top, cover with foil, and let it sit for 5 minutes to melt the chocolate.
5-Finishing touches: Spread the chocolate smoothly and add your optional toppings like nuts or sprinkles while it’s still soft, then cool to room temperature or chill for at least 2 hours before breaking into pieces.