We’ve made homemade candy our whole lives, but we especially love to make it around the holidays (and more specifically Christmas).
One of our favorites to make is Homemade Toffee! This classic candy only has a few ingredients, and the steps are surprisingly very simple. Plus, it tastes way better than store bought!
We love to serve this at parties and holiday get togethers, but also love to include it on cookie plates or to give as a neighbor gifts. If you like to do the same, be sure to check out some other homemade candies like our Christmas Crack Recipe (aka saltine cracker toffee), Homemade Turtles and homemade Caramels.
Why we think you’ll love it:
- Addicting. We can’t get enough of the buttery flavor and smooth chocolate!
- Big batch. It’s super easy to make in big batches and perfect for storing.
- Great holiday gift. It’s perfect for entertaining, wrapping up in treat boxes, or gifting to neighbors and friends on Christmas cookie plates.
Toffee Recipe Ingredients
- Salted butter (2 cups): Supplies rich dairy flavor and the fat that caramelizes with sugar to create that classic toffee snap.
- Sugar (2 cups): The backbone of the candy, it melts and cooks to hard crack for a crisp bite.
- Vanilla extract (2 teaspoons): Adds warm aroma and rounds out the caramel notes right after cooking.
- Salt (¼ teaspoon): Balances sweetness and sharpens buttery flavors.
- Milk chocolate chips (2 cups): Melt into a smooth, creamy top layer that contrasts the snappy base. Or semi-sweet chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, or white chocolate chips
- Chopped pecans (½ cup): Add toasty crunch and a nutty finish that pairs perfectly with chocolate. Or chopped almonds (or your favorite nuts), toffee bits, chopped candy cane bits, or holiday sprinkles.
How to Make Toffee
PREP. Line a 17×12-inch jelly roll pan (or baking sheet) with parchment paper.
TOFFEE. Combine 2 cups butter, 2 cups sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Clamp a candy thermometer to the saucepan.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth, then bring to a boil while whisking constantly.
- Continue whisking the mixture as it boils until it reaches 290°F or the “hard crack” stage. This will take 10–15 minutes, and the mixture will be amber-caramel in color.
- When it reaches the hard crack stage, immediately pour toffee in an even layer onto the prepared baking sheet.
TOPPINGS. Let sit for 1–2 minutes, then sprinkle 2 cups chocolate chips on top. After 1 more minute, spread chocolate smooth with an offset or rubber spatula and sprinkle ½ cup chopped pecans on top.
SET. Let sit at room temperature for 2 hours to harden, then cut into toffee pieces with a thick, sharp knife.
PRO TIP: Checking the Temperature
If you don’t have a candy thermometer, do a hard crack test. Have a bowl of ice water next to the stove and do the following:
- Use a spoon to drop a dollop of the candy syrup into cold water. Wait about 10 seconds.
- If the dollop is pliable and bends, the syrup is too soft and needs to boil longer.
- If the dollop snaps, it’s at the hard crack stage and is ready.
Homemade Toffee Recipe
Equipment
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups salted butter
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups milk chocolate chips
- ½ cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Line a 17×12-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper.
- Combine butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Clamp a candy thermometer to the saucepan.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth, then bring to a boil while whisking constantly.
- Continue whisking the mixture as it boils until it reaches 290°F or the "hard crack" stage. This will take 10–15 minutes, and the mixture will be amber-caramel in color.
- When it reaches the hard crack stage, immediately pour the toffee into the prepared pan.
- Let sit for 1–2 minutes, then sprinkle chocolate chips on top. After 1 more minute, spread the chocolate smooth with an offset or rubber spatula and sprinkle chopped pecans on top.
- Let sit at room temperature for 2 hours to harden, then cut into pieces with a thick, sharp knife.
Notes
- Use a spoon to drop a dollop of the candy syrup into cold water. Wait about 10 seconds.
- If the dollop is pliable and bends, the syrup is too soft and needs to boil longer.
- If the dollop snaps, it’s at the hard crack stage and is ready.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Store homemade toffee in an airtight container at room temperature for 1–2 weeks. Store in the refrigerator or freezer for up to 3 months.
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This recipe was originally published November 2018.
My butter separated… ugh!!
Oh no, that’s the worst! If your butter separated it probably got too hot too fast. For toffee you want to melt and cook slowly so the fat and sugars stay smooth. Next time try medium heat and stir gently till it comes together. You’ve got this and your toffee will be dreamy!
Taste is really good. Size of pan is not correct! DO NOT use a 7×11 pan … it’s too small! Next time I will definitely use a 9×13! Most areas are close to an inch thick. Toffee should not be that thick IMO!
Great recipe and top tips. Will definitely keep and try again. Going to share as a Christmas gift
Yum!! Looking forward to this.
Easy and delicious!
Thank you for sharing this with your readers.
Classic Toffee is so delicious and easy to make. Not just a Christmas favorite, but a treat any time of the year!
I love this recipe! My mom used to make this every year and we would give it away at Christmas. This is exactly her recipe except the pecans. She used almonds.
Awesome recipe!! Thanks so much for sharing. I have never made toffee before. This was a very detailed and easy recipe follow.
Could I put the chopped pecans into the toffee, instead of on top of it? Or both?
Yes, you could!
LOVE THESE and love toffee. My favorite Christmas treat of all.
Do walnuts substitute well for the pecans?
Yes!! They would be a great swap!
My husband loves these. So good
Love toffee and this is absolutely amazing.
This is the closest to my grandma’s recipe from 80 years ago. Absolutely love it. Thanks for sharing.
Great recipe thank you
I am so excited to try this recipe! Toffee is one of my favorite treats to get at Christmas time–I didn’t realize it had so few ingredients. This recipe addresses the concerns I have about keeping the toffee from getting grainy with sugar crystals and makes me feel less worried about dealing with a boiling confection. Well done!
This was easy and delicious I used almonds instead because I had them in my panrty already perfect treats for family and friends for the holidays or any day they were so good
I love toffee and this looks so easy and absolutely delicious
Love this recipe! Its easy to make and follow. It was a big hit for my co-workers!
My mom loves toffee and pecans. Made this as a treat for her and she said they were divine! Thank you for the easy and amazing recipe.
LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS
We make this multiple times each year.
Its a requested Chrisltmas gift by family.
Make this…you’ll love it!
I love these❤️🥰
I love to cook and I love toffee but, for some reason, I’ve never made toffee. You have inspired me to try your recipe — my husband is going to be SO thrilled when I present to him a platter of delicious toffee. Thank you for the opportunity of your giveaway!
Yum!
Excellent toffee!!! I prefer to make my own now that I’ve made this! Not hard at all and fresh plus delish! Also, love that it’s adaptable with the nuts, etc.
This looks very good. I’ve made toffee before but this looks like a much easier recipe. I am excited to try it.
Love Toffee!
Sounds so simple!
I LOVE Toffee. I can’t wait to try this recipe!
since I love toffee, this is my rate for it I would give it a 10 if I could.
I have made this toffee many time and love it. I have made and gifted it to many others.
This stuff is crazy good! WARNING!!! It is extremely addictive. LOL! It really is quite easy to make. Will keep you stirring for awhile but well worth the effort. YUMMMM
Toffee & Nuts is such a delicious combination!
Delicious!!
I can’t wait to try this!
Your recipe is SPOT ON!!
I’ve made it before and it wasn’t anywhere near as good as this recipe.
Definitely a keeper!
This recipe turned out delicious. Kids ate it and begged to make it again. It is a keeper. So Good.
Yummy. Just a few ingredients that include butter chocolate and sugar is always tasty.
This look fabulous! I am going to make this and break out of my fudge rut!
Toffee Brittle is so good!!
I usually make peanut brittle.
This recipe looks easy to make.
Definitely will be a treat at our house
this season!! Thanks so much!!
This stuff is “crack” SO AMAZING!!!
I love toffee and this recipe is good.
Love this so much! It melts in you mouth❤️
Thanks.
It is to die for . Thanks for sharing .
Glad to share!! Thank you for letting me know!
So, so easy (except for the waiting on the temp to reach hard crack) and so so good!!
Glad you think so 🙂 Thank you!!
Once the ingredients are boiling do you keep whisking it for 15 minutes?
I still like to. I don’t do it constantly, but every min or so, I give it a stir.
12/12/2020 Made toffee, how easy, turned out delicious. Did notice toffee is a little chewy is this normal?
Glad you liked it! Yes, it is a little sticky 🙂
is there suppose to have corn syrup in it, and if so the amount does not show also the salt is not in the measurement as well thank you
sorry I see the salt but not the corn syrup measurement…I forgot to ask if white chocolate can be used in the same way?
No corn syrup & yes, you can use white chocolate the same way 🙂 Enjoy!
Shouldn’t this also have baking soda in it to make it light? Please advise. Donna
Nope, this recipe does not need it 🙂
Missing syrup amount and salt amount
How much corn syrup do you use to make the toffee.
How much corn syrup, please?
can i sub the sugar for sweetener for my diabetic friends
Though, I have not personally tried, I am sure that would be ok 🙂
There is no measurement for the corn syrup although you mention it with the butter and sugar. Please advise.
Didn’t see corn syrup on ingredient list. How much is needed? It was listed in the instruction portion of the recipe. Thanks!
this recipe is not complete the strup and the sajt amounts are left off
Easy recipe to follow and tastes so good. a great combination!
How much corn syrup and salt do I use?
The perfect candy to hand out as gifts. Easy to make and makes alot.
Toffee is my weakness! I have to make it with the intention of giving it away, or its NOT GOOD!
This recipe was so simple to follow and turned out perfectly!
This was amazing!! I couldn’t believe how easy it is, too! It wasn’t too hard & my family loved it. We are going to make more & give as gifts!
I like how easy this is, thank you, very nice
In love with this rec sk much better than store bought. Cant wait to make again
Thank you for trying it! I agree..it’s my favorite!
I made this for the first time last year and i cant wait to make it again! I cant believe how much better it is homemade!
Glad you tried it & liked it! Thank you!
Toffee recipe missing corn syrup and salt amounts.
Love this recipe! This is in my candy gift list!
Woohoo!!! Glad it made it to the list 🙂 Thank you!