Ritz Toffee Twist

Name: Ritz Toffee Twist
Prep time: 7 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 2 h 27 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 1 sleeve Ritz crackers about 30 pieces; 1 cup unsalted butter cut into cubes; 1 cup muscovado sugar packed firmly; 1¼ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped bittersweet chocolate

By Emma

Certified Culinary Professional

Published on 29 January 2026 • Recipe tested & approved

Ritz crackers layered with a butter and dark muscovado sugar caramel melted slowly to avoid graininess. Oven crisping set that crackly caramel. Topped with semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted just enough before spreading into a glossy sheet. Chill well to allow firm snaps or clean slices. A salty crunch, sweet caramel, and bittersweet chocolate contrast. Alternative: graham crackers swap fine; cane sugar too but darker sugar adds depth. Watch the caramel boil carefully - no stirring to keep shiny texture. Chocolate melts fast in residual heat, quick move spreads evenly. Refrigerate fully, patience pays off for texture set. Common fail: burnt sugar, too long cooking or stirring ruins the snap. Experience teaches timing, visually watch bubbling caramel and glossy chocolate sheen. Simple technique layered flavors.

Prep: 7 min

Cook: 20 min

Total: 2h 27min

Servings: 8 servings

#dessert #caramel #baking #toffee #chocolate #snack #Ritz crackers

Forget waiting around, caramel’s tricky but rewarding. I learned patience watching the bubbling butter and sugar marry into amber liquid. Stirring? Nope. If you do, grainy toffee disaster. Crackly, glossy caramel over salty Ritz - such contrast. Baking just enough sets and bulks, not burning edges like last time. Chocolate chips on top melt into that sheen but melt too long? Bitter burn, instant fail. I always keep my eye on the oven window, no guessing. Chill it fully, or slicing becomes a sticky nightmare. Tried graham crackers - richer but less crisp. Used dark muscovado sugar instead of brown for deeper molasses punch. This crackly toffee? Snackable art with salty crunch and bittersweet meld. Try this method, get hands sticky, taste that buttery toffee bliss.

Ingredients

1 sleeve Ritz crackers about 30 pieces
1 cup unsalted butter cut into cubes
1 cup muscovado sugar packed firmly
1¼ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped bittersweet chocolate

About the ingredients

Ritz crackers because thin, evenly sized, and salty. Break crackers to fill gaps for uniform caramel spread. Butter unsalted most controlled flavor; salted butter fine but watch added salt. Muscovado sugar preferred over brown sugar for molasses depth; substitute dark brown or demerara if unavailable but flavor shifts slightly. Chocolate chips semi-sweet or bittersweet; chips melt quickly for quick spreading, chopped chocolate delays melt but richer flavor. Alternative crackers: graham crackers, digestive biscuits to add hearty flavor but lose some crisp snap. Use parchment, not foil; caramel sticks to foil badly. Keep offsets spatula ready for quick spreading, essential tool. Chill times vary by fridge, aim for firm caramel and chocolate layers before slicing.

Method

Prepare and Line Pan

Heat oven to 420F. Get a sturdy baking tray; line with parchment paper thoroughly. Sticky caramel terror if skipped.
Arrange Ritz crackers in neat, snug single layer bottom of pan. Don’t stress small gaps, break crackers for fill-ins. Even coverage crucial; no floating caramel spots.

Make and Pour Caramel

In a heavy-bottom saucepan, melt butter over medium heat fully. Add muscovado sugar immediately. Bring to gentle boil, don’t stir now. Stirring introduces grainy texture, wait for steady bubbles with deep amber color, 2-5 minutes, visual not clock.
Pour hot caramel evenly over crackers quickly. Move fast; caramel stops flowing as it cools. Use offset spatula to drag caramel into corners and between. Sticky, thick, shiny ribbons tell you it’s right.

Bake Caramel Layer

Slide tray into oven for about 4-6 minutes. Caramel should bubble up and firm slightly - a glossy crackly coat forms on surface. Not browned or burnt edges, amber only.
Take out, place on heat proof surface. Don’t touch hot caramel now or it cracks messily later.

Add Chocolate and Melt

Sprinkle chocolate chips in even layer over caramel. Return to oven 2-4 minutes or until chips just soften and start melting but shape intact. Peek often, chocolate can scorch quickly.
Remove pan, immediately spread chocolate with offset spatula broadly but gently, swirling until mixed glossy layer forms. Chill impatience ruins glossy finish; spread fast and clean.

Cooling and Setting

Let pan cool at room temp briefly then refrigerate uncovered at least 1.5-2 hours. During this, caramel hardens enough to break into shards or slice clean.
Brittle texture, balancing sticky caramel and melting chocolate. Too warm? Chocolate softens, mess. Too short chill? Cutting nightmare: chewy and gummy.

Serving and Storage

Cut with sharp knife into squares or crack by hand for rough edges. Store airtight fridge keeps crispness days.
Swap suggestions: Graham crackers for deeper malt flavor; demerara or dark brown sugar works if muscovado missing but flavor changes.
Butter can be salted - decreases sprinkle salt after setting. Experiment with nuts or sea salt flakes for crunch and contrast. Just don’t rush caramel step, crucial texture is here.

Cooking tips

Heat butter fully to melted, then add sugar and bring to low boil without stirring. Stirring causes crystallization, grainy caramel. Watch bubbles closely, deep amber signals done—not burnt. Pour immediately, spread caramel thickly and even with offset spatula, sticky but yields best coverage. Bake briefly to set caramel, glossy surface and tiny crackles appear. Remove carefully, sprinkle chocolate chips promptly, put back in just until softened but not melted through. Spread chocolate quickly, or chocolate will cool lumpy or burn. Cooling step critical: allow to chill at least 90 mins to 2 hours in fridge. If you try cutting too early, sticky mess. Store airtight in fridge to maintain texture. If caramel hardens unevenly, your caramel boil may have been off. Practice timing and senses—listen to bubble changes, look for shine, watch chocolate softness.

Chef's notes

💡 Butter must melt fully before sugar hits pan. Medium heat steady. No rush, burns happen fast. See deep amber bubbles, not light froth. Avoid stirring after sugar added; stops grainy texture dead. Visual watch key, timing tricky. Caramel thick, glossy ribbons mean right moment.
💡 Spread caramel quickly once boiled. Use offset spatula; drag into corners, fill gaps fast. Caramel cools rapid, stiffens on tray edges. Break crackers to fill holes in layer, no floating caramel patches. Keep flow even. Sticky, shiny surface signals good distribution. Speed matters.
💡 Bake caramel layer short time, 4-6 min tops at 420F. Look for bubbling, tiny crackles on surface. Amber color only, no browned edges or burnt smell. Remove on heatproof surface, don’t touch hot caramel or cracks form. Patience before chocolate step important. Overcooked caramel snaps hard; undercooked stays gummy.
💡 Chocolate melts fast in residual oven heat. Sprinkle even chips, return 2-4 min max but watch constantly. Chips soften not run. Spread quickly with offset spatula—swirl but gentle. If cooling delays, chocolate dulls, sticky chunks form. Move fast with chilled hands ready. Mix to glossy layer before chilling.
💡 Chill uncovered fridge 90 min minimum, ideally 2 hours. Firm caramel and chocolate layers need full set. Too warm fridges soften chocolate, messes cutting. Too short causes chewy, gummy texture. Store airtight cold, keeps crisp days but fresh best first 48 hours. Avoid foil under caramel; sticks badly.

Common questions

Why no stirring after adding sugar?

Stirring breaks caramel texture, grainy mess forms. Watch bubbles instead. Wait for deep amber color, not timing clock. Visual clues matter. Sugar settles uneven otherwise.

Can I swap crackers?

Graham or digestive biscuits work for flavor but lose crisp snap. Ritz thin, salty, uniform size best for even caramel layer. Adjust caramel boil watch times, these absorb differently. Butter saltiness influence sprinkle salt after done.

Caramel burnt or grainy, fix?

Stop cooking early next time or lower heat. Stirring ruins glossy finish, so resist. Use heavy pan base for even heat. Burnt caramel smells sharp; pour immediately, no delay. Try sugar type swap if problems persist.

How store leftovers?

Airtight fridge best, crackers stay crisp days. Avoid warm places. Can break pieces after chilling, store in sealed container. Bring to room temp before eating if too firm. Freeze not recommended; texture changes.