This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This classic toffee recipe is the perfect homemade treat. With crunchy pecans and chocolate, it’s simply delicious!
If you love this classic holiday candy, you’ll definitely want to try our other favorites – Pretzel Toffee and Christmas Crack (aka saltine cracker toffee)!
Everyone Loves It!
Toffee is a hard candy usually made by boiling together sugar and butter, and topped with chocolate after it hardens.
It’s a popular recipe we love to make for holidays and is one we love to gift too!
Here’s why we love to make it:
- Simple. There are only a few ingredients, and the steps to make it are pretty straightforward.
- Addicting. I can never get enough of that sweet, buttery flavor paired with smooth chocolate on top that homemade toffee offers!
- Big batch. It’s super easy to make in big batches.
- Great Holiday Gift. It’s perfect for entertaining, wrapping up in treat boxes, or gifting to neighbors and friends on holiday cookie plates.
Ingredients
- salted butter – Make sure to use real butter, margarine won’t work for this recipe.
- sugar
- vanilla extract
- salt
- milk chocolate chips – or semi-sweet chocolate chips/dark chocolate chips – even white chocolate chips work.
- chopped pecans – Other toppings include chopped almonds (or your favorite nuts), toffee bits, chopped candy cane bits, and holiday sprinkles.
How to Make Toffee
- PREP. Line a 7×12-inch jelly roll pan (or baking sheet) with parchment paper.
- TOFFEE. 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 hard crack stage, immediately pour toffee in an even layer onto the prepared baking sheet.
- TOPPINGS. Let sit for 1–2 minutes, then sprinkle chocolate chips on top. After 1 more minute, spread chocolate smooth with an offset or rubber spatula and sprinkle 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
If you don’t have a candy thermometer, you can 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.
Recipe Tips
This homemade toffee recipe is quite easy to make, but here are some tips to make the process easier.
- Saucepan. Use a large, heavy-bottom saucepan. If the bottom of your saucepan is too thin, the toffee can burn.
- Boil low and slow. Bringing the syrup to a boil too quickly can cause the butter to separate from the sugar. Be patient as the boiling process can take about 15 minutes.
- Sugar crystals. Stir occasionally using a wooden spoon or offset spatula. Sugar crystals and separation tend to happen when you stir too frequently. If crystallization does happen, be careful not to scrape it off the sides, or bottom of the pot.
- Easy clean-up. Line the jelly roll pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Storing Info
- STORE. Keep in an airtight container at room temp for 7-10 days. Stored in the refrigerator, it can keep an extra week or two.
- FREEZE the toffee by placing it in a freezer-safe bag or dish for up to 1 month.
For more homemade candy recipes:
Toffee Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Candy thermometer
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 7×12-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 hard crack stage, immediately pour toffee into the prepared pan.
- Let sit for 1–2 minutes, then sprinkle chocolate chips on top. After 1 more minute, spread 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.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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.