Toffee Recipe

This toffee recipe is reminiscent of the classic HEATH toffee bar or Almond Roca some of us grew up loving. It’s crunchy, chewy, sweet, full of chocolatey caramel flavor and 100% addicting. Beginner or not, anyone can make delicious homemade toffee!

Toffee is a praline-like candy typically made by cooking sugar with butter to a “hard crack” stage then letting it cool. So if this is your first time making toffee from scratch, have no fear! It’s not as intimidating as it looks, I promise.

All you need is a few simple ingredients and a candy thermometer to make it super easy. The best thing about this treat is that you can make a large batch and give it to family and friends as gifts during Christmas or any December holiday party.

If you love gifting old-fashioned holiday sweets, my Homemade Peanut Brittle recipe, Easy Peppermint Bark Recipe, and Homemade Chocolate Truffles Recipe are some of my favorites to give away.

What You’ll Need for This Recipe

Pecans: Toasting pecans is a great way to bring their flavor out. Almonds can be used in place of pecans if you prefer.

Chocolate Chips: I use milk chocolate but feel free to use semi sweet chocolate, dark chocolate, or bittersweet chocolate if you want your toffee less sweet.

Sugar: Granulated white sugar is recommended. English toffee uses brown sugar. No corn syrup is needed!

Butter: Unsalted is best so we can control the salt (which we add ourselves).

How to Make Toffee

1. Line a 9×9 inch baking dish with parchment paper then spread an even layer of chopped pecans out and set aside.

2. Combine the sugar, salt, water, and butter in a heavy-bottomed pot.

3. Place over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once the mixture comes to a boil stir frequently until a candy thermometer reads 305F (151C). Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Be careful as the vanilla can crackle and fizz as it comes into contact with the hot sugar.

4. Immediately pour over the pecans and use a spatula to spread to the edges. Set aside for 2-3 minutes to cool slightly.

5. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the surface then cover with foil for about 4 minutes and then use a spatula to smooth into a thin even layer.

6. Top with a few tablespoons of finely chopped pecans as well as some salt if desired. See my notes below on salt in the Pro Tips section. Refrigerate for at least an hour to chill and set then break into pieces and enjoy.

Pro Tips for this Recipe

• Toasting nuts is always a nice way to bring out more depth of flavor in your toffee. Spread the chopped pecans on a baking sheet and bake at 350F for about 4 minutes or until fragrant.
• You can sub in toasted chopped almonds for the pecans if desired.
• A candy thermometer makes this such an easy recipe to make, do yourself a favor and pick one up if you don’t have one yet.
• Store toffee in an airtight container in a cool place. Humidity will make the toffee sticky while heat will melt the chocolate.
• The chocolate is optional. You can leave it out or use 1/2 a cup instead for a paper thin layer. Milk, semisweet, or bittersweet are all fine, it’s really up to your personal preference.
• You can use a larger pan and either double the recipe or spread the toffee out thinner.
• I love this toffee recipe when topped with a sprinkle of big flaked sea salt. You can find Maldon’s sea salt flakes at most grocery stores or look for a brand that says fleur de sel.
• I suggest using parchment paper or a nonstick silicone mat as opposed to aluminum foil to prevent the toffee from sticking.
• Use the BEST ingredients you can find. Using quality butter and chocolate will ensure you have the best toffee recipe.
• Using a HEAVY-BOTTOMED pot is highly recommended and will help your sugar heat evenly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between caramel and toffee?

Caramel is cooked to the softball stage 240F, while toffee is cooked to 305F, the hardball stage. The higher cook temperature makes it into a solid while also adding more depth of flavor as the sugar caramelizes more.

What does it taste like?

While sweet, toffee has a deep caramel flavor that goes well with chocolate. The ample amount of butter added to the sugar gives it a delicate melt in your mouth consistency that makes it easier to eat than brittle.

What is the difference between toffee and English toffee?

English toffee uses brown sugar and often will not have nuts while American toffee almost always has pecans or almonds and uses white granulated sugar to make it.

How do you store it?

Store your toffee in a sealed container in a cool place. Humidity will make it sticky and heat will melt the chocolate. 

How long will it last?

If stored properly then your toffee should last 3 weeks.

If you’ve tried this Toffee recipe then don’t forget to leave a rating and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!