Best Toffee Ever - Super Easy (2024)

Need an edible gift that'll please everyone on your list? Look no further than toffee! This top-rated toffee recipe is beloved by the Allrecipes community because it's easy, quick, and absolutely irresistible.

What Is Toffee?

Toffee is a candy made by caramelizing sugar with butter. The mixture is heated until it reaches the hard crack stage (at least 300 degrees F), hardened, then broken into pieces.

Toffee vs. Caramel

Toffee and caramel have some similarities, but they have a few key differences. Caramel often contains milk or cream, which gives it a thicker and creamier consistency. The candies are also heated to different temperatures during the cooking process.

What Is Toffee Made Of?

Make this easy toffee with just five ingredients:

  • Butter: This sweet and crunchy toffee starts with four sticks of melted butter.
  • Sugar: Two cups of sugar add the perfect amount of sweetness.
  • Salt: A pinch of salt enhances the other flavors.
  • Chocolate chips: Melted semisweet chocolate chips are spread over the toffee for an extra layer of deliciousness.
  • Almonds: Almonds lend welcome crunch. You can substitute walnuts or pecans, if desired.

How to Make Toffee

You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here's a brief overview of what you can expect when you make this toffee candy:

See Also
Hiland Dairy

  1. Melt butter in a saucepan with sugar and salt.
  2. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cook until it's dark amber and 285 degrees F.
  3. Pour the toffee onto a prepared baking sheet.
  4. Sprinkle the chocolate chips onto the toffee, let soften, and spread in an even layer.
  5. Sprinkle the nuts over the chocolate.
  6. Let harden in the refrigerator. When the toffee is hard, break into pieces.

How to Store Toffee

Store homemade toffee in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week or in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Can You Freeze Toffee?

Yes! You can freeze toffee for up to three months. Arrange the hardened toffee pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet, cover, then freeze for at least a few hours or up to overnight. When the toffee is frozen, transfer the pieces to zip-top storage bags (make sure to squeeze out the excess air) or another freezer-safe container. Wrap in foil for extra protection. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise

"Super simple to make," according to jstbeyondreach. "Took almost no time to put together, and was a huge crowd-pleaser. I used half light butter and half regular butter. Worked great and was super creamy."

"This is my go-to recipe for toffee," says Karen Griffiths. "I must have had 20 failures over the years, but since I have been using this recipe I have had a good batch each time. I think the trick is cooking it on medium. DON'T RUSH IT!"

"This really was very easy to make," raves Em. "It was my first attempt at toffee and I was a little nervous, but it turned out great. As tempting as it is to keep stirring it, it really does make a big difference to just let it simmer."

Editorial contributions by Corey Williams

Best Toffee Ever - Super Easy (2024)

FAQs

Do you stir toffee constantly? ›

It's important while the toffee cooks to only stir it occasionally. Constant stirring can cause the toffee to crystallize and separate.

Why is my toffee chewy and not crunchy? ›

Don't hurry this gradual transformation; syrup that doesn't reach 300°F, or close to it, will make candy with timid flavor and chewy (not crunchy) texture. Think you can save time by bringing the syrup to a full rolling, popping boil in order for it to darken more quickly? Think again.

Why did a toffee fail to set despite using the correct ingredients? ›

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!

Why won't my toffee harden? ›

If the sugar mixture is not cooked to the proper temperature (the hard-crack stage 300-310° F {149-154° C.} or if you are working in a kitchen with high humidity, chances are your candy is retaining too much moisture.

Why do you add vinegar to toffee? ›

Made with just sugar and a little water, toffee is easy to make and is an easy introduction to the world of confectionary. This recipe includes a dash of vinegar which will help keep the colour of the toffee clear and bright and banish any cloudiness.

How to prevent butter from separating when making toffee? ›

If the two elements melt unevenly it can result in separation. If you have good stovetop burners, we recommend turning them to medium-low to allow the butter and sugar to melt gently in the beginning stages. If the heat is too high, but butter might melt too quickly and can separate from the sugar.

Why add baking soda to toffee? ›

This toffee is cooked initially to 310°F (154°C), then the salt and baking soda are added, creating carbon dioxide. The foaming and bubbling aerate the candy somewhat, making the texture lighter and the candy easier to bite into.

What does overcooked toffee look like? ›

Toffee Making Tips + Troubleshooting

Undercooked toffee won't be anything more than a caramel sauce. But overcooked toffee will be just slightly crunchier (almost unrecognizably). So, always err on the side of over-cooking!

What is the difference between English toffee and regular toffee? ›

Americanized toffee may include nuts, while a completely traditional British toffee will not. On the other hand, English toffee uses pure cane sugar, brown sugar, or molasses as its sweet base and always involves chocolate.

Why cream of tartar in toffee? ›

It can help stabilize and maintain the structure of whipped cream and meringue so they don't fall flat once you're done whipping them. Preventing sugar crystallization. Cream of tartar can prevent your homemade hard candy, caramel, and toffee from forming a gritty texture due to sugar crystallization.

How to know when toffee is done? ›

Last, keep temping toffee until thermometer says 285-295...at 285 do the ice water test by dropping a dot of toffee into some ice water...it should be brittle. If so, it's done. It will be a very dark amber color. Pour into foil lined pan, put on chocolate and nuts and, VOILA!

Why do you not stir toffee? ›

NOTE:[i] Most recipes recommend constant stirring from start to finish to prevent butter and sugar separation. Constant stirring will not hurt the mixture, but I have found it is unnecessary. You will stir the mixture a little as it cooks.

What to do with unset toffee? ›

If the sauce has separated then warming it gently and stirring occasionally should help it to come back together. If it still has a film of fat on the surface after warming then whisking in a tablespoon of hot water (from a freshly boiled kettle) can also help.

Why add water to toffee? ›

Add water slowly and carefully as the water can cause the hot candy mixture to splatter. Adding the hot water lowers the temperature of the toffee mixture; therefore, continue to stir and cook the toffee until it reaches the correct temperature.

How do I stop toffee crystallizing? ›

To help prevent crystallisation, an acid/fructose such as lemon juice or cream of tartar can be added before boiling, or a glucose solution. This makes the molecules odd shapes and harder to form geometrical solid blocks. So it helps keep them separate, enabling a clear toffee.

How do you keep toffee from getting sticky? ›

Your toffee is getting sticky because it isn't coated in chocolate to protect it from the moisture in the air. If you want to make uncoated toffee pieces and store them, then you need to put it in an air-tight container with some dessicant.

Can you cook toffee too long? ›

Undercooked toffee won't be anything more than a caramel sauce. But overcooked toffee will be just slightly crunchier (almost unrecognizably). So, always err on the side of over-cooking!

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Gov. Deandrea McKenzie

Last Updated:

Views: 6618

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (46 voted)

Reviews: 93% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Gov. Deandrea McKenzie

Birthday: 2001-01-17

Address: Suite 769 2454 Marsha Coves, Debbieton, MS 95002

Phone: +813077629322

Job: Real-Estate Executive

Hobby: Archery, Metal detecting, Kitesurfing, Genealogy, Kitesurfing, Calligraphy, Roller skating

Introduction: My name is Gov. Deandrea McKenzie, I am a spotless, clean, glamorous, sparkling, adventurous, nice, brainy person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.