Homemade Butter Toffee

Homemade butter toffee is a crunchy and tasty treat that is perfect for beginner candymakers!  Serve it for Christmas, Easter or just because!

Homemade butter toffee is a great introduction to candy-making.  I’ve been making it for years using the recipe below that was passed around the neighborhood when I was a growing up.  I think every middle and high school girl on the block made it at least once.  How’s that for doable?

As candy making goes, making toffee is a simple process (vs Homemade Sponge Candy, which is awesome but a challenge).  You cook butter and sugar until caramelized, add vanilla, then pour onto a buttered or parchment lined baking sheet.  Top with melted chocolate and crushed nuts and you’re done.  All ready to delight your family and impress your friends! 

Every Christmas, old-fashioned butter toffee is a special treat that I put on the appetizer table!  And this year I decided to make it for Easter too.  Let the kids have their Peeps and marshmallow eggs.  I’m eating toffee!

Why You’ll Love This!

Flavorful.  Like an extra buttery Heath bar, this is a tasty and special treat.

Easy.  After you get past your first time, you’ll be able to make this easier than running to the store for a snack.

Fun.  Baking is lovely, but I think candy-making is even more fun!

What You’ll Need

Ingredients

• Butter.  This adds richness to the toffee.
• Sugar. This adds sweetness and structure. I don’t use organic sugar in candy making since results can be unpredictable. 
• Water.  This helps the sugar dissolve (and eventually cooks out).
• Vanilla.  This adds flavor.
• Chocolate chips. This forms the topping of the toffee with the sliced almonds. You can use bars or baking chocolate as well.  Dark, milk and semi-sweet all work–pick your favorite!
• Sliced almonds.  This forms the topping of the toffee with the sliced almonds. While almonds are traditional I will use pecans or other nuts instead if that’s what I have. 

Special Tools

• I recommend using an instant read or candy thermometer, but toffee has been made at least since the early 1800s (before these existed), so it’s not a requirement.   

Step by Step Overview

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment, or heavily butter a cookie sheet. Set aside.

Combine toffee ingredients in medium saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved.

Continue cooking without stirring until brittle when dunked in water or the thermometer reads 300 F, hard crack stage.

Let cool a few seconds (that is seconds not minutes) then pour out slowly on to prepared pan to make sure it isn’t spreading too fast. Let cool.

Melt chocolate in microwave or over double boiler and spread on top of toffee.

Sprinkle with crushed almonds while chocolate is still soft.

Let cool, then break into pieces.

Tips & FAQs

Today you’ll see people pouring their toffee onto a parchment lined, rimmed baking sheet.  Since I learned to make this before parchment was common (shhh), I usually just butter a cookie sheet and pour. 

If you’re new to toffee making, the parchment is probably more reliable (note that wax paper will not work in lieu of parchment).  You see, once in a blue moon, the toffee can stick to a cookie sheet or occasionally it may try to slide off the sheet as you pour it from the pan (you just need to give it a few more seconds to cool if it does).  If you go the butter route, be sure to apply liberally to avoid the sticking.  

When you make candy, the hotter you get your melted sugar, the crunchier the final product is.  Caramel, which is chewy, cooks to about 245 F, while toffee, which is crunchy, must reach 300F.  For more information on sugar stages see this explanation from the Science of Cooking.

An instant read thermometer can lose accuracy over time.  Test yours periodically (boiling water is 212F, adjusted for altitude, ice water is 32F) and replace or recalibrate it as needed.  I often do the cold water test in addition just to double check. 

More Ideas for Celebrating Spring!

Monday #SpringSweetsWeek Recipes

• Basil Strawberries and Cream Cookies from The Spiffy Cookie
• Carrot Cake Shortbread from Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Flower Pretzel Bites from For the Love of Food
• Funfetti Easter Cupcakes from Hezzi-D’s Recipe Box
• Irish Apple Cake from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Lemon Matcha Muffins from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• No Bake Salted Caramel Cheesecake from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Small Batch Carrot Cake from Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Twix Cookie Cups from Crazy For Couponing

Homemade Toffee

Homemade toffee is a crunchy and tasty candy that is much easier than you may think! Basic candy making instructions included.

Author: Inger

5 from 1 vote

Print

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course Desserts & Snacks

Cuisine British

Servings 36

Calories 116 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Toffee ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar (not organic, see note)
• 1 Tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

For the topping

• 1 cup chocolate chips (or 2 cups, depending on how thick you want the topping)
• 2 Tablespoons sliced almonds broken up

Instructions

 

• Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment, or heavilybutter a cookie sheet. Set aside.
• Combine toffee ingredients in medium saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
• Continue cooking without stirring until brittle when dunked in water or the thermometer reads 300 F, hard crack stage.
• Let cool a few seconds (that is seconds not minutes) then pour out slowly on to buttered cookie sheet to make sure it isn’t spreading too fast. You want it hot enough to pour out, but not so hot it runs off the cookie sheet. Let cool.
• Melt chocolate in microwave or over double boiler and spread on top of toffee.
• Sprinkle with almonds while chocolate is still soft.
• Let cool, then break into pieces.

Notes

I don’t recommend organic sugar for this recipe. I use it for everything except candy-making where the slight impurities can cause problems with crystallization. Trust me, I have had numerous failures.

When making candy, make sure your pan is deep enough. Candy may boil up higher than you expect--and do it quite rapidly--and boiled over candy is no fun (though this recipe isn't as bad as many for this).

Nutrition

Calories: 116kcal

I am not a health professional and nutrition data is calculated programatically. Accuracy may vary with product selection, calculator accuracy, etc. Consult a professional for the best information.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Updated from the original published Dec 9, 2013. 

• ← Cranberry Orange Marmalade
• Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream →