Toffee Recipe

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4.98 from 94 votes

Make this crunchy, buttery, no-fail toffee recipe with just a handful of ingredients and 15 minutes at the stove!

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Hardening2

Total Time2 25

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Kristyn Merkley

Equipment

1 candy and deep fry 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 17x12-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

Store. Toffee can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1–2 weeks or refrigerated for up to 3 months.

Variations. Switch out the milk chocolate chips for semisweet, dark, or white chocolate, or use chopped almonds, toffee bits, candy cane bits, or holiday sprinkles in place of the pecans.

Hard crack test. 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.

Nutrition