This nutty, crunchy Pecan Pie Bark is going to be your next obsession. The sweet graham crackers provide the perfect base for a buttery toffee coating that is loaded with chopped pecans.
I always make plates of treats for neighbors and friends during the holidays and this pecan pie bark is perfect for gift-giving because it’s so easy to double or triple a batch to make gobs of goodies to share. Plus, it takes less than 20 minutes to make a batch of this delicious pecan pie bark. The hardest part is waiting for it to cool.
Pecan pie is one of my all-time favorite desserts, and I’ve shared other pecan pie-inspired recipes like Pecan Pie Brownies, Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars, and Pecan Pie Bars. Making a pecan pie-esque toffee is the natural next step, of course.
If you have ever tried “Christmas crack” (aka Saltine Cracker Toffee), then you will recognize the method here. The main difference is that we are using honey grahams for a sweeter, slightly thicker base that pairs perfectly with the natural sweetness of the chopped pecans.
What You’ll Need
This is just an overview of the ingredients for pecan pie bark with step-by-step photos of how to make it. You can find a printable recipe card with all the measurements and instructions below.
- Pecans – I found that using a full 2 ½ cups of pretty finely chopped pecans worked best so that there are nuts in every bite.
- Brown Sugar – You can use light or dark brown sugar for this recipe, but I wouldn’t sub in granulated sugar. The extra flavor of brown sugar helps give those classic pecan pie notes.
- Graham Crackers – Use your favorite honey grahams.
- Salted Butter – I always use salted butter in my recipes.
- Salt – Helps balance out the sweetness of the other ingredients.
- Vanilla Extract – Adds dimension and complexity to the flavors.
- Ground Cinnamon – A perfect complement to the nutty flavor of the pecans.
How to Make Pecan Pie Bark
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly butter it by rubbing with a stick of cold butter. This helps the bark easily come off the pan and saves tons of cleanup later. Also, go ahead and preheat your oven to 350 degrees F so it’s hot when you are ready to stick the bark in the oven.
- Arrange the sheets of graham crackers side-by-side on the baking sheet so that it is completely covered. You will likely need to break up some of the graham crackers into smaller pieces for the edges.
- In a medium saucepan, heat the butter, brown sugar, and chopped pecans over medium heat until the butter has melted and the mixture comes to a gentle boil.
- Continue to cook for 2 minutes in order to completely melt all of the sugar and help everything completely combine before proceeding.
- Pour the cooked pecan mixture over the graham crackers, trying to cover them as evenly as possible.
PRO TIP: Don’t fret if some of the graham cracker is still showing though. You can nudge the mixture around a bit with a spoon to cover the crackers better, but the toffee will also spread out and fill in gaps while the bark bakes in the oven.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until bubbly. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before breaking into large pieces.
Recipe FAQ’s
Sometimes this kind of toffee can crystallize or turn sugary if not boiled long enough before adding to the graham crackers and baking. Make sure it comes to a full and complete boil and set a timer for 2 minutes before moving on.
If you find that this sets softer than you would like, chances are you just need to bake it a little longer next time. Some folks’ ovens run cooler than others and if the temperature isn’t high enough, 10 minutes might not bake it quite as long as you need for it to get crunchy. Also, keep in mind that it tends to firm up as it cools, and even if the top is slightly softer than you might expect, the graham crackers underneath get slightly toasted and usually add a pretty good crunch.
Absolutely! Just use your favorite gluten-free graham crackers. The rest of the recipe is already naturally gluten-free.
Yes, you can use saltine crackers or even Biscoff cookies or digestive biscuits (if you are in the UK) if you like. Anything crunchy and about the thickness of a graham cracker will work just fine.
Recipe Tips
- Chop the pecans how you like them. I personally like to chop them pretty well so there are pieces of pecan covering every little bit of graham cracker, but you could even use pecan halves without any chopping and the bark would taste just as delicious.
- Prep before you start. When making any kind of candy where you are cooking sugar on the stove, I recommend doing all your prep work in advance like chopped nuts, buttering the pan, and arranging the graham crackers.
- Love chocolate? Go ahead and drizzle the finished bark with some melted dark chocolate for more of a chocolate pecan pie twist.
More Homemade Candy Recipes
- Grandma Nash’s English Toffee
- Homemade Peanut Brittle Candy
- Old-Fashioned Divinity Candy
- Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Bark
Pecan Pie Bark
Ingredients
- 15-17 graham crackers
- 2 1/2 cups chopped pecans
- 1 1/2 cups (300g) light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups salted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Rub the foil with a stick of butter or lightly spray with cooking spray.
- Arrange the sheets of graham crackers on the baking sheet to completely cover the foil. Set aside.15-17 graham crackers
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the pecans, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the butter is melted and and the mixture comes to a gentle boil. Once boiling, cook for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat.2 ½ cups chopped pecans, 1 ½ cups (300g) light brown sugar, 1 ½ cups salted butter, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Stir in the vanilla, then pour the pecan toffee mixture evenly over the graham crackers. It's okay if it doesn't completely cover all of the graham crackers.1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Bake for 10 minutes until bubbly. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before breaking the pecan pie bark into squares to serve.
Notes
- Storage: Store the pecan pie bark in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- For nutrition purposes, one serving is one square or ½ of a graham cracker sheet.
