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.
Did you make this recipe?
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Your recipe is not right….I’ve made this before. There are much better recipes out there. A candy thermometer is a must. It might be wise to add to your recipe to sress the importance of stiring contineously!. Sorry…
So the recipe is right, you just prefer others. Which is fine, but there’s no need to say that this one isn’t right. It does say to continuously stir and having that expectation of a colour versus a tempature is nice for those that don’t have a thermometer.
Is this made in a 9×13 pan?
Yes, a 9×13 will work.
That looks dangerously addictive. looks super yummy! (:
Have made this for years. It never lasts long at all! Have never put nuts on the bottom but will try but I do prefer walnuts over other nuts, especially English walnuts if you can find them. Regardless what nut you use, this is a great treat!
I’ve already made about six batches of your graham cracker toffee that you sent out last week… and now you sent me THIS!?? Good thing I stocked up on butter and sugar.
Hi ! ” ALL ” is all the BEST ! Thanks !
I’m so curious about the OG toffee you tried in 7th grade. I don’t know you, but my mom (and her family, and now me) make a similar toffee but only around the holidays (though the recipe is different and cooking methods much more precise). I’ve searched high and low for where the recipe came from, and have never been able to find one like it, although this one probably comes closest. Maybe you got it from one of my relatives 🙂
I am so glad I found this! I made 2 batches and will be gifting them in cute little treat boxes I found at the dollar store. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! It’s SO easy. Total plus not having to watch the candy thermometer. Thank you Thank you Thank You!!!!
I made this over the weekend for the first time and it turned out great! It was so good, I ended up make 4 batches so I could share with friends and family. Things that I did:
I used the peanut butter jar trick someone mentioned in the comments. When the color matched, it was perfect!
I used salted butter, because that is what I happened to have, and left out the salt listed in the ingredients. It was fine that way.
My first two batches there came a point where the butter separated out from the mixture. I thought it was ruined, but I persisted. Eventually I was able to whisk it back in, and it incorporated smoothly. The last (doubled) batch, I stirred in slow, gentle revolutions. This gave no separation and it again turned out perfect. I have made my notes on my printed recipe and may end up making another batch or two before the season is over!
If you use unsalted butter and don’t add salt the recipe will fail every time. I learned this the hard way bc my grandmother’s recipe assumed salted butter and I always use unsalted.
I made this 4 times today. 2 fails 2 successful batches! I tried to cheap out on the butter-mistake!! Total separation! You must use land o lakes or other reputable butter not store brand. Also since I failed 2x, the 3rd time I used a candy thermometer. As someone else stated it was the color of Peanut butter at 300.! I made one batch without almond and crushed pistachios ontop-A+. Next batch I will try some cayenne pepper and dark chocolate. I am giving these away at a cookie exchange and will make one more batch for a party at my house. Thanks for inspiring me to make this!! I love your recipes!!
Thank you Chungah! Looking for some easy recipes to make up some treats this year for Christmas. This is one I will definitely give a go. And as always, may I say again; the most Damn Delicious item on your web site, is definitely YOU.
Oh my heavens. This turned out so perfect!! Thank you for recipe. Best toffee recipe I have tried so far!!
Thank you so much for this recipe – I just made it and it worked perfectly. So incredibly easy and quick!! I’m impatiently waiting for it to cool enough for me to break it (and eat some).
Can this be made with any kind of margarine, or do you have to use butter?
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
Haven’t seen this comment yet: I didn’t have enough toffee to cover the pan. Before I added the chocolate and nuts, you could see the bottom of the pan in some spots. It is a very, very thin layer.
I’ve made this five times since Thanksgiving, everyone loves it! I had my butter separate tonight, I think because I let it melt before I added the sugar. Also, I love the peanut butter tip, it does take a little longer (20 min), but it’s worth it. Thanks for this yummy recipe!
Just made this last night and it turned out beautifully! Have never attempted to make anything like this so I was very nervous. Used one of the commenters trick of turning a jar of peanut butter upside down and setting by the stove. Be patient!! It took me about 25 minutes of continuous whisking but sure enough turned an almond brown and started setting as soon as it hit the parchment paper.
This is the second time I’ve made this super easy toffee. My family and friends love it! I use a stainless steel pan and wire whisk. I let the butter mostly melt before adding the other ingredients. I also prefer using pecans instead of almonds. I appreciate that no thermometer is necessary. It usuallyntakes 12-15 minutes for it to turn a Carmel brown. Thank you for this wonderful, delicious, easy recipe!
If anyone is interested, I have been making this MICROWAVE Toffee recipe for almost 30 years:
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup water
4 oz. Milk chocolate
Rub the top of a mixing bowl with (extra) butter. Place butter into bowl. Pour sugar directly on butter. Add salt and water. Cook approximately 7 to 8 minutes and start watching at this point so as not to overcook. Candy is done when the color of a Heath bar or brown sugar. Pour mixture over sliced almonds (optional) on a buttered cookie sheet. Don’t scrape the bowl! Cool. Top with melted chocolate. Break into pieces and serve.
My notes over the years: The butter on rim of bowl is to help toffee pour out…you can use a little from your stick, use extra, or what I like to do is just take butter wrapper and wipe around rim. The TOTAL cook time should be between 7 and 12 minutes…this is me having several microwaves over the years, but all close to 1000 watts. I highly suggest your first few makings to watch closely after 7 mins as it can change within 20-30 secs. Then you will know about how long to watch for with your microwave. I have posted this other places online and read people have had more then 12 minutes but I think that’s pretty unusual. It’s a good idea to “swish” the bowl around and look after maybe 9 mins because I have seen it burn before and not be noticed until the batch is ruined. I have made this without the almonds plenty of times and is delicious too. Last year I wanted peanut brittle so bad that I tried it with peanuts and it was perfect…just left chocolate off. (Which I do sometimes anyway as I just want the toffee/butterscotch/caramel flavor!) I know my mom used to take mini Hershey bars and just let them melt on top of the hot candy. As for the greased cookie sheet, I don’t even bother because it’s pretty greasy and will not stick usually. You might wonder why you shouldn’t scrape the bowl…it will change the color of the toffee and make it cloudy, plus can have a different texture. I love this stuff so much I could care less, I scrape the bowl to get all the candy out. Soak the bowl in hot water to melt any leftover candy. Also, your bowl does matter somewhat… A medium to large bowl is best, and if you have a good plastic bowl that won’t melt in the microwave, great, but I have ruined many bowls because it gets very hot, so I use a glass bowl…BE CAREFUL doing this though, you will want to wear your oven mitts when you take the bowl out. It can get pretty heavy to pour too when using glass instead of plastic. Enjoy!!!
Thank you for sharing that!
I must say this was my 3 rd attempt to make this toffee….I was determined to make this! I have made a similar candy, peanut crunch and have never had any problem. I did change from a wisk to a wooden spoon and to a heavy bottom saucepan ( which I used a skillet the first time , which is what I use for my peanut crunch and I might add is amazing! But…with this recipe I needed to make sure I used a wooden spoon, a heavy saucepan and make sure I used a candy thermometer (temp to 300) it helped tremendously!! Well…I know you’re all wondering, did it come out? YES!!!! Success! Now I’ve got it! Thank you for the recipe!