Salted Chocolate Graham Cracker Toffee Bars rival the real deal and are much easier to make. Absolutely addictive!
Larimer Square is a bustling street in downtown Denver, one of those chi-chi one block areas that are reminders of the days when cities had main streets and you could go there to find a gathering of merchants. When I discovered the inspiration for this recipe for Salted Chocolate Graham Cracker Toffee in a local cookbook, they had labeled them Larimer Square Bars.
There seems to be no history that indicates the area gave rise to a namesake cookie. It's not too late; forget gold, they should claim them now! I can only imagine that the person who titled these bar cookies Larimer Toffee Squares had to have been making a play on words with this historical area; elevating the cookie to both the distinction and history that being associated with Larimer Square would convey.
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Larimer Square was the first main street in Denver, born during the gold rush of the mid 1800's when it was settled and named by General William H. Larimer Jr.
Back in those 'olden' days, merchants would include purveyors of feed, flour and furniture but today it's a designated Historical District and a destination for both city residents and suburbanites to grab a cocktail, shop a bit and have dinner in some of Denver's best restaurants.
It's gone through its share of changes in the years I've lived in Denver but I love that this charming street is mostly filled with local shops and some of the best restaurants and it's lit up all year round with strings of white lights.
While I have changed the name to more correctly identify what this recipe is; I'm happy to share this history...all of Denver loves Larimer Square and I know you will love these Salted Chocolate Graham Cracker Toffee Bars!
Once made in our home? While I do love my recipe for Homemade English Toffee, it is a more difficult and time consuming effort. Not to be forgotten but also not made easily in a middle of the week afternoon...make these instead!
I've found since first publishing this recipe more than 15 years ago that they are well known as Graham Cracker Toffee Squares. My twist? How about some milk chocolate and finishing salt?
Salted Chocolate Graham Cracker Toffee Bars...all the better right? They are elevated and updated once again. If choosing to go the same route, please be sure that you have some 'finishing salt.' Regular table salt would be much too salty. I love a brand called Maldon and use their Sea Salt Flakes whenever I want to top something like this. Beautiful and a more mellow salt taste.
These are one favorite that always end up on the plates I give to neighbors for Christmas; I surprised them for a number of years but now I know what their favorites are and I make sure to include them with the goodies I prepare for everyone...here's a few more!
The original recipe is from one of my favorite cookbooks, Creme de Colorado, the 2nd cookbook published in the 1980's by the Junior League of Denver; makes sense that for a Colorado cookbook that someone would create a name about Larimer Square, right?
The original recipe is a mixture of just four ingredients; graham crackers, butter, pecans and sugar and while they are good; trust me...these made with some chocolate and a bit of finishing salt are better...way better!
The beauty of this treat is their ease...they definitely emulate English Toffee but no cooking and darkening of butter and sugar is necessary, they are baked in the oven before being drizzled with chocolate and topped with the Maldon Salt.
Make them and make a lot of them...I promise you they will disappear!