Butterscotch Grahams

Four ingredients. Eight minutes in the oven. That’s all it takes to turn plain graham crackers into buttery, caramelized butterscotch bark loaded with pecans.

The brown sugar and butter melt together into a toffee-like mixture that bubbles across the crackers as they bake. When it cools, you get a crisp, candy-coated cookie with a salty-sweet snap. Think of it as a stripped-down version of Christmas crack, but simpler and just as addictive.

Spread the butter mixture all the way to the edges of each cracker. Bare spots will burn while the coated areas caramelize. Work quickly once the butter and sugar are melted since the mixture starts to set as it cools.

Chef Tips

• Line your baking sheet with parchment paper. The caramelized sugar will fuse to an unlined pan and you’ll be chiseling for an hour.
• Let them cool completely before moving them. They’re soft and fragile straight from the oven but firm up into a satisfying crunch as the sugar hardens.
• Chop the pecans into smaller pieces so every cracker gets an even share of nuts.

Variations

• Use walnuts or almonds instead of pecans for a different crunch.
• Sprinkle flaky sea salt over the tops right out of the oven for a sweet-salty contrast.
• Drizzle melted chocolate over the cooled grahams for a butterscotch-chocolate bark.