Easy Homemade Toffee
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An unbelievably easy peasy, no-fuss, homemade toffee recipe (even for you first-timers!). So perfect for the holidays!
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Need an easy budget-friendly holiday gift for neighbors, teachers, friends and family? Some candy to munch on for all of December? I have you completely covered with this easy homemade toffee recipe.
But never made toffee before? Don’t have a candy thermometer? Don’t you worry, I got you. With the ins and outs, dos and donts, tips and tricks, a step-by-step video guide, you’ll be making so much toffee in no time!
what is the difference between toffee and caramel?
- Both toffee and caramel are made from sugar and butter, but toffee is cooked at a much higher temperature than caramel, resulting in a hard and brittle texture known as the “hard-crack” stage.
- Caramel has a creamier, thicker consistency and typically does not contain butter, yielding a soft and chewy end result.
Ingredients
Almonds
We love whole almonds but you can improvise with your favorite nuts such as walnuts or pecans.
Butter
A quintessential toffee ingredient! We always recommend using unsalted butter as it allows for more control and consistency. You can of course replace unsalted butter with salted butter in a pinch, reducing the amount of salt indicated in the recipe, and adding to taste.
Sugar
Granulated sugar is a must. We do not recommend using brown sugar as the molasses in the brown sugar has a higher chance of burning and scorching.
Vanilla extract
For added flavor! You can omit if needed, but the subtle notes of vanilla flavors certainly takes this toffee to the next level.
Salt
A little bit of salt allows the other flavors of the toffee to shine through.
Chocolate chips
Semi-sweet chocolate chips are perfect here, melting their way over the hot toffee.
Pecans
An added crunch as a finishing touch! But you can also use almonds, pistachios or walnuts.
tips and tricks for success
- Patience. Making toffee is a labor of love. Do not try to rush the process and increase the heat for faster results.
- Use a heavy saucepan. A heavy bottom saucepan is key for even heat distribution. A thin bottom saucepan tends to heat too fast, causing separation and burning.
- Avoid abrupt temperature changes. A sudden drop or increase in temperature can cause separation. We want to keep the temperature consistent and steady.
- Use a jar of peanut butter as a color guide. Known as the “peanut butter trick”, it is helpful to have a jar of peanut butter handy in order to cook the hot toffee until it resembles approximately the same color as peanut butter.
Storing and freezing HOMEMADE TOFFEE
- At room temperature. Leftover toffee can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week with layers separated by wax paper to avoid from getting sticky.
- In the refrigerator. Leftover toffee can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 weeks with layers separated by wax paper to avoid from getting sticky.
- In the freezer. Leftover toffee can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. To freeze toffee, place the leftover toffee pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet (making sure the pieces are not touching), covered, and place in the freezer until frozen. This can take a few hours or overnight. Once frozen, transfer the frozen toffee pieces into freezer bags, squeezing out any excess air before sealing. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Easy Homemade Toffee: Frequently Asked Questions
We recommend using a heavy saucepan for the best results possible, and to avoid any abrupt temperature changes during the cooking process. In some cases, separated toffee can be salvaged by removing from heat and whisking vigorously and constantly.
We recommend using whole almonds but pecans, pistachios or walnuts will also work very well here.
A candy thermometer is not necessary here. The beauty of this recipe is its ease and simplicity!
This is a handy trick to help cook the toffee mixture until it resembles the color of peanut butter.
Homemade toffee can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 week (away from heat) or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, letting it come to room temperature prior to serving.
Here is a foolproof step-by-step video guide for a stress-free toffee!
Easy Homemade Toffee
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw almonds
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup pecans, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Spread almonds in an even layer onto the prepared baking sheet. Place into oven and bake until toasted, about 10 minutes; set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, combine butter, sugar vanilla and salt over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until butter has melted and mixture is almond brown in color, about 10-15 minutes.
- Immediately spread the hot toffee mixture evenly over the almonds. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. After 1-2 minutes, spread the chocolate chips in an even layer until smooth. Sprinkle with pecans.
- Let cool completely, about 2 hours. Break into pieces.
Video
Did you make this recipe?
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You’ve inspired me! I’m a huge toffee fanatic, but I have yet to make it myself. Your directions and beautiful photos have convinced me to try it!
Do you happen to have a pic of the mixture when you take it off the stove? I’ve tried toffee many times and just can’t get it right. I’d like to see exactly what it looks like when it’s ready to pour. Thanks!
Karin, the original recipe from The Yummy Life (the link is at the bottom of the recipe) has great step-by-step photos of the toffee process. Hope that helps!
Hey, I have never heard of semi-sweet milk chocolate. I have heard of semi-sweet chocolate and then there is milk chocolate. Where do you find this? I have looked and I can’t find semi-sweet milk chocolate. Can you tell me where you get yours or the name of it? Thank you so much.
Semi-sweet chocolate will work just fine in this recipe.
Semi sweet and milk are two different intensities of chocolate. Milk is mild. Semi sweet is darker, more intense, and better for you. There is no semi sweet milk chocolate. Good luck.
It say semi-sweet chocolate chips it does not say milk in there.
I make a breakup that’s similar, but the toffee is poured over a base of matzoh, and garnished with sea salt. The combination of crunchy/salty/sweet is amazing.
Just finished making this for Christmas…it was super easy and it tastes as good as the picture looks!!! I don’t ever bake..but am going to have to repeat this one, its almost gone!!! Thanks!
Was it supposed to be brown sugar? Your recipe did not specify and now I have a pot of strange looking goo….
As indicated in the recipe, this toffee calls for granulated sugar, not brown sugar.
The “brown goo” is not out of the ordinary. This will turn into toffee upon cooling.
Would this receipe be considered gluten free? I’m making goodies for work and a co-worker is gluten free so I just wanted to double check
Wow, I had no idea how easy it is to make toffee. It looks delicious so I’m ready for the “challenge”. 😉 It’s the perfect gift to hand out this time of year.
I so want this right now!
I was hooked when I saw your pictures! However when I tries to make this, the toffee never hardened. I even let it sit overnight. It stayed gooey. What do you think I did wrong?
I used a 9.5 x 13.5 baking dish.
Thank you!
I’m not too sure. Did you follow the recipe exactly as is? The toffee should’ve hardened within minutes of pouring.
Hey Melissa,
After the two hour cooling period, my toffee did the same thing and wouldn’t harden. I ended up sticking my pre-cooled toffee into the freezer for about 2 hours and it turned out perfect! Also, I used a sharp knife to cut the toffee after it sat on the counter for about 5 minutes following the freezer.
Use a candy thermometer and cook the toffee until 300 degrees F. It usually takes me 30 minutes to make mine.
The COOKING of the caramel-hardened candy part didn’t cook long enough or get to the proper temperature so it was caramel
stage instead of “TOFFEE” or harder candy
Bring it to the temperature required which I think was mentioned at 300 degrees. It should harden quickly after that.
Help- I made this and it turned sugary and the butter separated from the sugar, and I did everything the recipe said. I stirred it constantly and I turned it up a bit to get it to brown. Sad and bummed.
I think the increase in heat may have caused this to separate. It’s a simple process of stirring, watching and a bit of patience.
High Elevation can make this a problem… I couldn’t make in Colorado, but make it all the time at home in the midwest… I use a candy therm. Why mess it up and waste your ingred. Stir and too high of heat can make the sugar seperate.. Also, check your butter ing. some are not all real butter~
you need to cook it longer in CO. just buy Enstrom.
I have a trick to share. I get a jar of peanut butter and turn it upside down on the stove. The second it gets to the color of the butter, it’s done. Never has failed. No thermometer needed!!
Great trick!! Love it 🙂
Great trick I tried this recipe and that peanut butter jar upside down worked really good for me
The easiest way to ensure hard toffee without separating is patience. Leave it at medium…it seems to take forever. It will stop bubbling and you will notice slight seperation. At this point my frantic wisking turns into a slower stir to ensure the butter and sugar stay together. I leave a glass of cold water by my stove and occasionally drop a bit of the mixture in. Once the mixture turns into a hard crackle once dropped in the water it is done.
Thank you for that Erica. I just tried to make it and my toffee got seperated and grainy. I’ll try again with your suggestions:)
I make toffee all the time and have been making it for awhile now. The first couple of times can be challenging. I used a candy thermometer for the first few times just to ensure the correct temp and texture for the candy. Once I learned how it supposed to look and the texture I did not need it any more. I cook the butter and sugar mixture on med heat for EXACTLY 12 minutes. (yes i time it. lol), and it comes out perfect every time. I hope this helps.
When it gets seperated and grainy it is not neccesarily lost! Same thing happened to me.. I just added a little cold heavy cream straight out of the fridge (took the pan off the heat first). As you see the structure changing, put back on the stove on a LOW heat, and stir until it comes together. Totally saved it! The result might be a little chewyer than they’re supposed to.. Buy hey, who’s complaining
Thank you for the tip, I had the same problem with the butter and sugar separating, but your idea to add cream totally saved it!! As long as it tastes good, all is not lost. 🙂
Thank you!!
This scrumptuos toffee recipe is almost identical to my mother’s recipe from years ago, and hers says “Cook to 300 degrees”. It is a simple thing to make, but I personally always make it with a candy thermometer. It can go wrong if you aren’t careful – grainy. Avoid heat too high, stir constantly, watch the thermometer, then immediately remove from burner.
I love toffee and just made some last week! Such a great gift idea!
This toffee and I would be inseparable. 🙂 It’s gorgeous!
I seriously can’t make this stuff because I would sit around and eat it ALL day! But since it’s the holidays I probably should right :). I love these close up photos! You’ve totally got me craving it now!
Homemade toffee is the best – love the crunch of the nuts you’ve added here!
I love toffee! You can’t let me near it because I”ll eat it all right out of the jar, leaving nothing for everybody else – as my mother-in-law has learned quite well. 🙂 But it’s your photos that really entice me here – you captured all the beauty of this Holiday treat beautifully! Pinned!
This looks delish, Chung-Ah! I made Almond Roca last night for the first time, and it was easier than I had expected, too! Candy seems so daunting, but once you give it a try, it’s not so bad 🙂
There is no holidays without toffee! This looks fabulous!
omgosh YUMMY!
I can’t believe I’ve never made toffee before….just sad. I need to change that ASAP and this sounds like the perfect recipe! 🙂 Beautiful pics too!