This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Make this crunchy, buttery, no-fail toffee recipe with just a handful of ingredients and 15 minutes at the stove!
Always Better Homemade
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 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.
Ingredients
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 15 minutes
HARDENING TIME: 2 hours
- 2 cups salted butter – use real butter, not margarine
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups milk chocolate chips – or semi-sweet chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, or white chocolate chips
- ½ cup chopped pecans – 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.
More Like This
Homemade Candy
Holiday Treats
Collections
Toffee Recipe
Equipment
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.
Video
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.
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