Saltine Cracker Candy

I first found and fell in love with this recipe back in 1996.  There was an event at one of the preschools in the area entitled "A Taste of St. Johns".  Every year, the preschool parents assembled a cookbook.  One day a year, they would make every single recipe in the cookbook.  On the day of the event, you went to St. Johns, and in exchange for your ticket, you received a copy of that year's cookbook, a pen, a paper plate, a fork, and admission to the tasting event.  Every single dish in the cookbook was out on tables, in warming dishes, and on plates throughout the hall.  Slowly but surely, you'd wind your way in order through the tables, taking a bite here and there of the dishes throughout the hall.  The more motivated people would make detailed notes in their cookbooks, detailing how the dish tasted.

I just went for the food.

However, in 1996, I ran across this fantastic recipe for saltine cracker candy.  It was delicious.  It was addictive.  It was so memorable.

This was the first and only time I ever actually opened up the cookbook in the hall and made notes.  My note was simple:  LOVE THIS.

The recipe was super easy, requiring minimal ingredients and time.  Over the years since then, this has become my go-to dish when I need to take a desert in a hurry.  Last night was the art show at the high school, and the art parents were asked to provide snacks.  3 hours before the scheduled start time, I began this recipe.  I did have to stick it in the refrigerator to set the chocolate, and I was breaking up the candy 20 minutes before we left the house, but breaking up the candy was quick and easy.

You can find this recipe anywhere online.  This is my version.  

Saltine Cracker Candy:

Saltine Crackers
1 small bag semi-sweet chocolate chips.  
(Or 1 big bag, if you are like me and end up eating half of the chips before they actually make it onto the finished product.)
1 stick of butter
1 cup of brown sugar  (light or dark, doesn't matter, use what you have on hand.)
1 cup pecans, chopped  (optional)

Pre-Heat oven to 350*
Line a 13 x 9 cookie sheet with aluminum foil.  Spray with cooking spray.

Lay saltines out on the cookie sheet.  Snug them up, side by side, to get as many crackers on as possible.

In a saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar together, stirring constantly.

When the mixture reaches a boil, continue to stir for 3 minutes.

Immediately remove from heat and pour over the cracker mixture.  Use a rubber spatula to spread evenly out to the edges.

Bake tray in the oven for 5 minutes.  (Keep an eye on this part... the butter can burn easily.)

Remove pan from oven, let sit for about a minute (maybe 2). 

Spread the chocolate chips evenly across the surface of the saltines.  As they begin to melt, use a rubber spatula to evenly spread out the chocolate.

While the chocolate is still warm and melty, evenly spread the chopped nuts over top.

Put the entire kit and kaboodle in the refrigerator for 30 minutes so that everything will set.

To serve:
Pull the foil away from the cracker mass.
Use your hands to break the crackers into smaller pieces.
Serve. 

Variation:
I make this with gluten free crackers.  Just as good as the wheat filled version.

Daughter is allergic to dairy, so I make her batch with soy/dairy free chocolate chips and vegan butter.  The cook times are the same, but the "butter" did look a little different than full dairy butter looks.  According to her, everything tastes amazing!