My Toffee Recipe makes buttery, crunchy homemade toffee after just 15 minutes on the stove. I’m including lots of tips so you can feel confident making this candy at home. Recipe includes a how-to video!
A Foolproof Toffee Recipe
I know firsthand how frustrating a failed batch of toffee can be. Many, many batches of ruined candy made their way through my kitchen on my journey to discover perfectly crisp, buttery toffee perfection. Fortunately, after plenty of trial and error, I’m finally proud to share the BEST toffee recipe. Today’s post includes plenty of tips, tricks, and straightforward, easy steps!
One of the most important tips I can give you for this recipe is to use a candy thermometer! While you can skip the thermometer for my family’s favorite chocolate fudge or potato candy, please DON’T do so here. A reliable candy thermometer will make all the difference with your final result, so please use one.
Also, if you’re new to making candy or haven’t made it in a while, remember that you must be patient when cooking candy. During my research process, the temptation to bump up the heat to speed up the process was real, and often my most fatal mistake. Take it slow!
Why use my toffee recipe:
- Cooks in just 15 minutes!
- Thoroughly tested to produce perfect toffee, every time.
- Requires just six ingredients and NO corn syrup!
- Customizable; use whatever nuts or chocolate you like, or leave them out.
What You Need
You only need six simple ingredients to make my toffee recipe (seven if you count water!).
- Butter. I like to use unsalted butter and add salt myself for better control. If you want to use salted butter, read my salted vs unsalted butter post for the proper substitution.
- Sugar. We’re using regular granulated sugar here and NO corn syrup!
- Vanilla. Some toffees are made without vanilla extract, and I don’t understand why. Vanilla adds such a nice flavor to this (or any) toffee recipe, and I can’t imagine making it without it! We’ll be adding the vanilla after the toffee is removed from the heat to preserve its flavor (if added to soon it will simply evaporate out).
- Chocolate chips. This recipe is a rare instance where I actually prefer milk chocolate chips, but semi-sweet would work too.
- Almonds. I love adding nuts to my toffee, but if you want to make yours nut-free, you certainly can. If choose to add nuts, you can use whatever kind you like (toasted pecans would also be great!).
SAM’S TIP: This toffee recipe works best if you have all of your ingredients ready before you begin. Once your toffee reaches 305°F, it’s time to move. You won’t have time to go scrambling to your spice cabinet to measure out your vanilla, find that rogue measuring spoon in your kitchen drawer, line your pan with parchment, chop your almonds…you get the idea. Be prepared and set yourself up for success from the beginning. I also recommend reading through the whole recipe at least once and even watching the video before you begin.
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Toffee
- Bring on the bubbles – Stir together butter, sugar, water, and salt over medium heat until the mixture boils. Use a wet pastry brush to sweep any sugar crystals back into the pot during this time.
- Cook the candy – Once boiling, attach a candy thermometer (don’t let it touch the bottom!) and keep stirring as the mixture turns golden. Remove from heat and add vanilla once the toffee reaches 305F.
- Assemble the layers – Pour the toffee into a parchment-lined pan scattered with almonds. Let this sit for 5 minutes, top it with chocolate chips, and cover with foil. After 5 more minutes, smooth the chocolate evenly over the top of the toffee and sprinkle on additional nuts and salt.
- Cool, crack, and enjoy! Let your toffee cool completely before cutting or breaking apart.
SAM’S TIP: While your mixture makes its way to a boil, you may notice some sugar crystallizing on the sides of the pan. Use a lightly dampened pastry brush to nudge these sugar crystals back down into the pan (demonstrated in the video below). You can stop doing this once your mixture comes to a boil.
SAM’S TIP: Do not try to speed up your toffee making process by turning up the heat! You you will risk burning your toffee and will have start all over again. Have patience!
Frequently Asked Questions
This usually happens when the toffee mixture is heated too quickly or at too high of a temperature. Make sure to use medium heat (or medium-low) and go SLOW! Have patience and don’t crank up the heat.
Store your toffee in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. It will keep this way for several weeks (which makes this toffee recipe perfect for gift giving!).
Some people will argue that they can make perfect toffee just fine without a candy thermometer. They may use the hard crack test to see if it’s done (drizzling a small bit of the candy into a cup of cold water), or they’ll just know it’s done by the color.
However, for most of us, a candy thermometer is a critical tool for making perfect candy. I highly recommend using one for this toffee recipe! It will come in handy with many other candy recipes, too, (like my peanut brittle or peanut butter fudge!).
This toffee recipe makes a GREAT homemade gift alongside my cookie mix in a jar and candied pecans!
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
Toffee Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup coarsely chopped almonds*
- 1 cup (2 sticks ) (226 g) unsalted butter cut into pieces
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (60 ml) water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips
- 1-2 Tablespoons finely chopped almonds for topping, optional
- Flaky sea salt for topping, optional
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Line a 9×9 pan with parchment paper and scatter coarsely chopped almonds evenly over the bottom. Set aside.½ cup coarsely chopped almonds*
- Combine butter, sugar, water, and salt in a medium-sized pot over low heat. Meanwhile measure out your vanilla extract and have it ready nearby.1 cup (2 sticks ) (226 g) unsalted butter, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, ¼ cup (60 ml) water, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Stir ingredients frequently over medium heat. During this time (only before boiling), use a wet pastry brush to brush down the sides where any sugar may settle on the side of the pot to prevent sugar crystals.
- Once butter is melted, increase heat to medium and continue to stir frequently until mixture comes to a boil (this may take a while, have patience and do not turn up the heat or you will ruin your toffee).
- Once the mixture comes to a boil, attach your candy thermometer. Make sure that the point of the candy thermometer is not touching the bottom of your pan.
- Continue to stir occasionally, the mixture will slowly thicken and will turn a more yellow hue as it cooks, and cook to hard crack (305°F/151°C).
- Once toffee reaches 305°F/151°C, immediately remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract (careful, it bubbles and steams a bit).
- Pour mixture evenly into your prepared pan over the almonds. Allow to sit for 5 minutes and then sprinkle chocolate chips evenly overtop the mixture. Cover with foil and allow to sit another 5 minutes, then remove the foil and use a spatula to gently spread chocolate chips evenly over your toffee.1 cup milk chocolate chips
- Immediately sprinkle with additional finely chopped almonds and flaky sea salt, if desired. Allow to cool completely at room temperature before breaking and serving.1-2 Tablespoons finely chopped almonds, Flaky sea salt
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Melanie
Came out great ! I live at 7000 ft and its the 1st time in 11 years I’ve made toffe and the butter didn’t separate.
Michelle
This is the best toffee I’ve ever tasted. Amazing recipe! I’ll be making it again.
It took 30 minutes for it to reach 103° but so worth it!
Allison
Tried recipe today for the first time. Turned out great! Easy to follow. I had raw sliced almonds that I chopped smaller in food processor, which worked great!
Sam
Wonderful! Thank you so much for trying my recipe, Allison, I appreciate it!
Jinnie F.
Well, I must be a fool because mine got slightly scorched. I went slowly, but I did turn the heat to medium while cooking. I think next time I’ll cook it at a little lower temperature. I’m sure I’ll get better results!
Sam
Hi Jinnie! Candy can be tough so don’t be too hard on yourself. I would recommend going a little lower no your heat next time. Your medium might be a little more powerful than mine.
julie watson
I have used several of your recipes with great results so have come to feel certain I’ll be a hit with your recipes. Unfortunately this one didn’t do that for me. Tried it twice. First time I waited until I saw 305 on the thermometer and as I started to remove it the temp jumped up 5 degrees! Tasted a little past carmelized.
Second time I very carefully followed the instructions again and kept the stove on med-low. Took it off as it approached 305 and this time the butter separated from the sugar. Sigh…
I looked at several other recipes from other good sources. None go up to 305 – many stopping at 290. The other thing was no water was added in any of the other recipes I saw. I made a recipe that was exactly like yours but without the water and removing at 290-300 degrees it worked beautifully.
I was a chemistry major and have 2 masters degrees, so I feel certain I followed the recipe correctly. I will continue to follow your other recipes, but will skip this one in the future. Sorry – I hate to be a downer, but this time was a no go for me. I hope everyone else has better luck.
Sam
Hi Julie! It sounds like either your thermometer is reading incorrectly or your stovetop heat may be too high (this would actually be my first guess since you mentioned how quickly the temperature jumped). Candy can be tricky, even for chemistry majors, so it just may take a bit of time developing a knack for it. If it’s helpful, I have a video that shows exactly how I make it step-by-step in my kitchen so you can see it works 🙂. I hope that helps and am glad you’ve been enjoying the other recipes!
JoAnn Barnes
Toffee is one of the hardest recipes to try. do not give up instead just keep trying. Yes you will have to dump your ingredients when it’s spoiled, but in time you will learn exactly the right time to turn off the fire and to pour the coffee out. trust me Grandma just has had so much experience with it that’s why she is so good at it. But in time you will too It is very very tricky. But after many tries I know can say that I can make good toffee too. Don’t give up cuz it’s really worth it when you finally get it right.
Natalie Stanton
I made this recipe today (12/22/2023). Your recipe is so easy to follow and this is the best toffee recipe. Thank you so much for sharing your recipies. My husband loves it.
K Coffey
I found this recipe last year in my attempt to replicate the famous toffee of a family member. The toffee portion of this recipe is just perfect!
Here is what I do differently to create the family version:
Sprinkle very finely chopped pecans on the parchment paper and then top them with Hershey bars, smooth side down. Place in the oven at the lowest temp possible just until melted enough to spread and fill in gaps with a spatula. Let harden (or close to it) while you make toffee. Follow toffee recipe and pour over chocolate (including the coarsely chopped nuts). Place another layer of Hershey bars over the top, smooth side up. After a few minutes gently spread and smooth and top with finely chopped nuts.
I know the Hershey bars have added sugar and whatnot, but they melt so smoothly and make a decadent once-a-year treat!
JoAnn Barnes
You can skip warming your Hershey bars in the oven first. when you pour the hot toffee mixture on the chocolate it will melt very quickly in just a few minutes. sometimes too much heat and chocolate can make it granular and you don’t want that.
Jan
This turned out amazing! My whole family loved it. It took more like 45 minutes to make, but I was so afraid of cooking it too fast I think I went too slow. Delicious all the same!
Nadine
hello! My toffe always end up separating with this recipe. Can I be stirring too often ? every how long should I be stirring ?
Sam
Hi Nadine! Unfortunately, the toffee tends to separate if it’s heated too quickly or if it’s heated too much. 🙁
Heather
If I wanted to make it in a 9×13 inch pan, how do I adjust the ingredients?
Sam
Hi Heather! You would need to increase the recipe by 50%. I caution you in doing this because candy can be very tricky. Good luck! 🙂
Greg F
I have been using this recipe since last year, always perfect!
I am like a pro candy maker.
Mary
Directions are very clear and precise! Came out perfectly first time! We’ve been having rain so, thanks to your advice, I waited for a no-humidity day. If anyone is having trouble the humidity may be the reason. Also, I think it is very important to be patient and watch the heat while it cooks. Takes quite a while but definitely worth the wait! Thanks so much!
Marya Keeny
My toffee completely split at around 260 degrees. I cooked it on low the whole time for around 30 minutes.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We are so sorry to hear this, Marya! 😕 Candy can be so temperamental. Was it a particularly humid day when you made the toffee? Using a thin pan or not stirring often can also cause this.
Marya Keeny
I tried it again and turned the heat up to med and it came out fine. I guess I had it on too low before. weird
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re happy to hear that, Marya! 🥰
Ande
What would cause the toffe to have a weird fatty/buttery layer on the top?
This recipe is super good and I use it often, but every now and then that happens and I don’t know why.
Sam
Hi Ande! Most often this happens if the butter is heated quickly. 🙁
Megan
Unfortunately tried this twice, both times a fail. Despite using a low/medium temp, taking my time and using a candy thermometer it separated each time. Waste of ingredients.
Sam
That’s frustrating to hear, Megan, what went wrong/what issues did you run into? Maybe I can help. There is also a video tutorial in the recipe card, if that helps!
Sue Darby
Can I double recipe?
Sam
Hi Sue! If you are an experienced candy maker comfortable with making toffee it should be fine. If you are newer to it I would recommend doing two batches instead.
Lilly
I have tried four other recipes and this recipe was THE ONE!!! AWESOME RECIPE!!!! Is all I have to say!!!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Lilly! 🙂
Amelia
Tastes just like a heath!