Salted Caramel Mini Crackers
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These salted caramel cracker bites are one of those snacks that disappear faster than you expect.
Buttery, sweet, a little salty, and perfectly crisp, they’re made with mini saltine crackers, brown sugar, and butter, caramelized together in the oven until golden.
Pair these with other oven-baked snacks like holiday Chex mix, caramel popcorn, or cinnamon sugar pretzels for a homemade snack that’s both sweet and salty.
Ingredients
- 1 box (11 oz) mini saltine crackers
- 2 sticks (1 cup) butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Coarse salt
How to Make Caramelized Crackers
Prep the oven and pan: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray it with nonstick cooking spray.
Melt the butter and sugar: In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, stirring constantly. Add brown sugar and continue stirring until the mixture begins to boil. Let it boil for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sugar fully dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and cinnamon.
Coat the crackers: Add mini saltines to a large mixing bowl. Pour the hot caramel mixture over the crackers and toss until everything is evenly coated.
Bake: Spread the coated crackers evenly onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, stirring halfway through to help them bake evenly and get crispy.
Cool and add salt: Once baked, spread the crackers onto a large sheet of wax paper. While still warm, sprinkle with coarse salt. The salt crystals will melt slightly into the surface, adding that perfect salted caramel flavor to every bite.
Separate and cool completely: For clean, photo-ready pieces, separate the crackers into a single layer while they cool. This step keeps them from sticking together.
Tips from the Kitchen
- Use real mini saltines: They bake up crisp and soak in the caramel beautifully. Oyster crackers or cheese-its can work too, but saltines give a better snap.
- About the salt: A coarse-grind salt, like the kind that comes in Costco’s disposable salt grinders, gives the best flavor without visible chunks.
- Batch size: According to the box, there are about 21 servings of 17 crackers each, but plan for these to go fast. They’re surprisingly addictive.
- Mix it up: Add a handful to popcorn snack mix, or other holiday snack mixes for a buttery sweet twist.
Storage
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. For longer storage, refrigerate and let them come to room temperature before serving.
More Saltine Snack Ideas
If you like these salted caramel cracker bites, try these other cracker snack hits here from Salty Side Dish:
- Saltine Toffee Candy is a buttery, chocolate-topped version that’s perfect for holiday gifting.
- Rolo Ritz Crackers are quick, two-ingredient cookies made with buttery crackers and gooey caramel chocolates.
- Brown Sugar Bacon Crackers are salty, sweet, smoky, and crisp bites made with Club crackers, bacon, and brown sugar.
Salted Caramel Cracker Bites (Mini Saltine Snack)
Ingredients
- 11 oz mini saltine crackers
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Coarse salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray the paper with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Add mini saltine crackers to a large mixing bowl.
- In a saucepan, add butter and melt over medium heat until melted, stirring frequently. Add brown sugar and continue to cook and stir until boiling. Let boil (while still stirring) for 2 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and cinnamon.
- Pour mixture on top of crackers and mix well to evenly distribute.
- Spread crackers onto prepared baking sheet, spreading evenly as best as you can. Bake for 10 minutes, flipping and tossing the crackers halfway through baking.
- When finished baking, remove from oven and spread onto a large sheet of wax paper. Try to keep crackers in a single layer and top with coarse salt. Let stand to cool completely.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer: The nutritional data provided here is auto-calculated and intended for your convenience only. As it’s generated via automation, its accuracy may be compromised. For precise nutritional insight, please compute the values utilizing the actual ingredients in your recipe through your chosen nutrition calculator or application.
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