This Pecan Pie Bark recipe is perfect for you if you don't want your graham cracker toffee to be grainy! There's one ingredient in this easy cracker candy that's a game changer to make the pecan-topped toffee buttery smooth.
It's also made in a 13x9 baking pan instead of a large sheet pan and sprinkled with lots of rich, toasty pecans.
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Thank you to my friends at Whaley Pecan Company for sponsoring this post.
You may have heard pecan pie bark called by other names, graham cracker candy, pecan bark, cracker candy, graham cracker toffee and even Christmas crack.
They taste like a combination of pecan pie, English toffee and a crisp cookie!
I like to call it Pecan Pie Bark because it looks like a glossy pecan pie spread thin on crunchy graham crackers. Don't go sparingly on the pecans! The sweet, buttery toffee and the nutty, toasted flavor of those pecans are a perfect match!
Two of my favorite pecan pie recipes are Cast Iron Skillet Pecan Pie and Maple Pecan Tassies (Mini Pecan Pies.) Of course, they are made with shortcuts!
Shortcuts
- No candy thermometer needed for these graham cracker toffee bars. Just set a timer to cook the mixture in the saucepan and bake according to instructions in printable recipe.
- The graham crackers ARE the crust. You don't have to make a homemade crust.
- Sprinkling the pecans on the graham crackers instead of stirring them into the toffee mixture makes it so much easier to pour it over the graham crackers.
- Lining with aluminum foil saves clean up and makes it super easy to remove them from the pan.
I'm going to show you how to make graham cracker toffee bars that are NOT grainy!
Making pecan bark in 13x9 pan vs sheet pan
Not everyone has a large sheet pan. Unless you are making crack candy for Christmas gifts, you may want fewer bars than an 18x13 sheet pan.
Making pecan pie bark in a 13x9 pan, most common size pan, still makes almost a pound of pecan bark candy which is about 30 bars.
Ingredients
Scroll down to printable recipe for exact ingredient quantities.
What you will need to make the best pecan bark recipe:
- Pecan pieces or coarsely chopped pecans - I love to use Whaley Pecan Company pecan pieces from Troy, Alabama because I know they are always fresh.
- Graham crackers- You can break them in half or into quarters. It really doesn't matter because the toffee mixture completely covers them.
- Butter- I prefer salted butter because it enhances the flavor of the toffee and helps the pecans cut the sweetness of the candy.
- Brown sugar- Light or dark brown sugar will work but I prefer the light brown color it gives the toffee.
- Light corn syrup- When making candy, just a little corn syrup works magic to keep sugar from crystalizing, which causes cooked candy mixtures to crystalize. Don't like it or don't have it? Leave it out and it still makes yummy graham cracker toffee bark, just with a little grainy texture.
How to make pecan bark with graham crackers
Don't skip the step of lining the pan with aluminum foil. It lifts right out of the pan when cooled. Heavy duty foil works best.
Scroll down to the bottom for the printable recipe with detailed instructions.
- Line the 13x9 inch baking pan with aluminum foil. Lightly butter the foil.
- Break the sheets of graham crackers in half or into quarters. (It doesn't matter because the toffee mixture completely covers the crackers.)
- Sprinkle pecans over the graham crackers.
Pro tip: Use the butter wrappers to lightly butter the foil.
- Combine butter, brown sugar and corn syrup in a medium size saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often.
- When it comes to a full rolling boil, set a timer and let it boil 2 minutes, slowly stirring constantly, over medium to medium low heat, keeping that full boil going.
Pro tip: Cut butter into cubes so it will melt evenly and more quickly.
- Immediately pour toffee mixture over pecans and graham crackers.
- Bake the graham cracker pecan bark according to the printable recipe below until the center starts to bubble.
- Let the cracker candy cool completely before breaking into bars.
Tip: It's best to wait until it is completely cool to eat it because it will be a little chewy until cooled.
They are so hard to resist! You will want to make them again and again.
Why use corn syrup in this recipe?
When researching pecan pie bark recipes before coming up with this one, I didn't see any that included the iconic ingredient in candy making that prevents sugar from crystalizing, causing the toffee to be grainy. Corn syrup!
Corn syrup is sold in the baking section of grocery stores.
If you prefer not to use the small amount of corn syrup, the recipe still works! The toffee will just be a little grainy.
Substitutions & Variations
Trade "this" for "that" in this cracker candy recipe.
- Chocolate Pecan Pie Bark - Simply sprinkle 1 cup semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips over the hot pecan pie bark immediately after removing the pan from the oven. When the chocolate chips are soft, spread the chocolate all over the top to the edges of the pan. Cool completely before breaking into pieces.
- Cinnamon graham crackers- Cinnamon and pecans go together like pumpkins and fall. Trade out regular graham crackers for cinnamon-sugar-coated graham crackers for a taste of autumn.
- Pecan halves - If you want the pecans to stand out even more and gild the lily, arrange 2 cups of pecan halves on the graham crackers instead of pecan pieces.
How to make Pecan Pie Bark in a Sheet Pan
Just in case you DO want to make LOTS of graham cracker toffee bars, here's how to bake it in a sheet pan with the adjusted amounts and times.
13 to 14 full graham crackers sheets
2 cups pecan pieces or coarsely chopped pecans
1 cup salted butter (2 sticks)
1 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup (optional)
Line a rimmed, half sheet pan (about 18x13) with aluminum foil for easy clean up.
Follow remaining directions for the printable 13x9 inch pan. It may only need to bake 10 to 11 minutes before bubbly in center.
Food gifts for Christmas, Valentines Day, Fathers Day
These toffee graham cracker bars with pecans are one of the best homemade food gifts if you are looking for Christmas food gift ideas that are quick and easy.
Actually, they are fantastic to make as food gifts for any occasion all year! Don't forget Mothers Day and teachers gifts!
Helpful Information
The short answer is the toffee mixture might not have cooked long enough. Be sure to set a timer and cook it exactly the amount of time in the saucepan. For pecan pie park, also be sure to bake the mixture until the center starts to bubble. Lastly, the amount of humidity in the air affects toffee and brittle and can make them sticky.
Storage Tips
- To Store. Store pecan pie bark at room temperature, covered with aluminum foil or in an air tight container. If moisture gets to them, they could become sticky. This is why I don't recommend to store in the fridge.
- To Freeze. You can freeze these toffee bars for up to 6 months but the key is to make sure they stay sealed air-tight. If moisture gets in, when they thaw, they will become sticky.
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If you make this recipe I'd love to see it! Tag me on social media with #gritsandgouda or @gritsandgouda. Leave a comment below the printable recipe if you have questions or tell me how you liked the recipe. Don't forget to rate it 5 stars if you love it!
Want more easy candy recipes?
Pecan Pie Bark (Graham Cracker Toffee)
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Ingredients
- 1 package graham crackers sheets (or 8 full sheets)
- 1 ½ cups pecan pieces or coarsely chopped pecans
- ¾ cup salted butter (1 ½ sticks)
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
- Line a 13x9-inch baking pan or baking dish with aluminum foil. Lightly grease the foil with butter or use the butter wrappers.
- Break each graham cracker sheet in half or into quarters. Some may have to be broken to fit around the edges. The crackers will be covered up with toffee mixture, anyway!
- Sprinkle the pecans evenly over the arranged crackers.
- In a large saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar and corn syrup. The corn syrup is optional but I have found that it makes a huge difference to prevent sugary, grainy texture in the toffee mixture.
- Cook the butter mixture over medium to medium-low heat, stirring often, until the butter melts. When mixture comes to a full rolling boil, boil for 2 minutes over medium to medium-low heat, stirring very slowly in a figure eight pattern, keeping that full boil.
- Immediately pour mixture over the pecans and graham crackers. Use a spoon to spread the mixture evenly over the graham crackers, if needed. The toffee mixture will continue to spread as it bakes in the oven.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the center of the mixture begins to bubble. Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Break into about 2 inch pieces.
Notes
13 to 14 full graham crackers sheets
2 cups pecan pieces or coarsely chopped pecans
1 cup salted butter (2 sticks)
1 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup (optional) Line a rimmed, half sheet pan (about 18x13) with aluminum foil for easy clean up.
Follow directions for 13x9 inch pan. It may only need to bake 10 to 11 minutes before bubbly in center.
Nutrition
Nutrition analysis on GritsAndGouda.com recipes are mostly calculated on an online nutrition calculator. I am not a dietitian and nutritional information is an estimate and can vary based on products used.
Ronda Kinneberg
This recipe sounds so good. I just took mine out of the oven. I used half graham crackers and half chocolate graham crackers. We'll see which we like best.
Kathleen
Oh!! Chocolate graham crackers! That is a great idea!
Shirley Hardy
I am going to make this recipe today. Have you tried this with saltine crackers before? Just curious
Kathleen
It should absolutely work with saltine crackers. I've made a similar mixture with those crackers and it turns out similarly. My recipe has the trick for preventing the toffee from crystalizing and becoming grainy, no matter which cracker you start with. Just fill the same size pan with saltines and you should be good to go.
Nancy
What is the shelf life once made and sealed in an airtight container on the kitchen counter?
Kathleen
It should be fresh for a good week in an airtight container!
Margie Sims
Followed your recipe and it was delicious!!!! Thanks!!
Kathleen
They make great gifts, too, if they last that long! Thank you for sharing that you love them. It's a family favorite at my house, too!
Mary
These are a hit! Hard to stop at one! But, very greasy. I wonder if they needed less butter?
Kathleen
I haven't had any batches that turned out greasy. I think the key is to be sure you stir in slowly and let it boil for 2 minutes so the butter mixture doesn't separate. If it separates, it might be "greasy" rather than a smooth toffee mixture. I hope you will try it again!
Charlotte
This is the easiest and tastiest recipe I make during the holidays. My family loves it and they have a hard time not eating it all in one day.
Kathleen
You are so right! It’s so hard to resist!
Lauren Hattem
I originally got this recipe from my daughter when she made it for a picnic snack. I love pecan pie and this was a wonderful substitute. It was amazing with the NY cheesecake I made. I liked it enough to make them for Thanksgiving, so I looked up a recipe. The recipe I found was nearly the same but said after baking to freeze them for an hour. I did and they tasted almost as good but the call for less pecans made a difference as well. Anyway I was happy today to find your recipe after my daughter said she never had to freeze her bark! She laughed at me. It saved so much time. I’m waiting right now for them to cool enough so I can break off a piece to enjoy. Great recipe. Very appreciative
Kathleen
Easy Pecan Pie Bark for the win! Yes, if I can save an hour on a recipe, it's a hit in my opinion. Thank you for sharing your story with me!
Laura Miller
This came out great and tastes wonderful. The stirring in a figure eight keeps it smooth, but doesn't cause the sugar granules. The only problem I had was with the nuts on the graham crackers first. The next time I make it, I will stir them into the toffee then pour it or pour it and sprinkle them on top.
Kathleen
That's a handy tip! Thanks for sharing and I'm so glad you liked the recipe!
Vickie
Son in law is diabetic ..can I use Splenda brown sugar in the recipe?
Kathleen
I have not tried it with Splenda brown sugar. I would love to know if you try it and how it turns out. If it works and you let me know, I can add that tip to the recipe!
Lisa Sims
Hi friend, I'm going to give this a try. I only have Spring Tree Maple Syrup. Would this work instead of corn syrup?
Thanks and Merry Christmas
Lisa Sims
Kathleen
The corn syrup is actually optional so you don’t have to have it to make it. If you’re substituting the maple syrup for the brown sugar, not that I am not sure about and I’m not sure about the amount to substitute.
Sloan Moore
Mine were chewy and didn’t crisp up
Kathleen
Oh goodness. I'm sorry to hear that. I haven't had that happen but let me try to troubleshoot for you. I think the key is making sure to boil the full 2 minutes. Maybe I should word that in the recipe "fully rolling boil". That might help clarify that and not just "cook 2 minutes". I do hope you will try it again. They are soooo good and I love that the toffee mixture isn't grainy.
Kadena
What an easy and fun recipe. I had to go to a Christmas party and my cheesecake was ruined. I made this recipe in 25 minutes. I love the addition of the corn syrup, it made my batch smooth and candy like. We even cooled it in the car on the way to the party. I will be making this again soon. I have made other recipes but this one just has a lovely texture. Thank you.
Kathleen
This absolutely made my day! I loved that you let it cool on the way to the party! Now, that's what I call a rescue recipe! Thank you for sharing your story with me! I'll be sharing your story, too!
Paula Kennedy
Can I use dark karo?
Kathleen
Yes! Really the only difference is the color and a slightly different flavor from the addition of molasses.
Leilani kimbrell
My butter separated from the sugar
What did I do wrong ?
Kathleen
I'm not sure as this hasn't happened to me before but here are a few guesses to troubleshoot the issue. Make sure you are using real butter, not margarine. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook it no less or no more than according to directions. Don't skip the corn syrup and don't substitute with honey or maple syrup. It not only prevents the mixture from being grainy, it makes the mixture smooth.
Rebecca S.
Hi there!
Mine separated as well at the beginning. You need to just continue stirring rapidly. Even when you think you should be done stirring. It will eventually come together! Hope this helps!! 🙏🏽