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Best Toffee Ever

4.4 from 220 votes
Old fashioned toffee with chocolate and chopped nuts.
photo of Danelle, author of Let's Dish
Published on , Updated November 14, 2024
4.4 from 220 votes

Old fashioned toffee topped with chocolate and chopped nuts.

Best Toffee Ever

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This really is the Best Toffee Ever, and it’s perfect for sharing with family and friends this holiday season! I have tried many, many toffee recipes over the years.

Quite a few of them have been complete failures (and I have a funny feeling it wasn’t the recipe).

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I have never made toffee before. I’m more a baker than candy maker so this was my very first try for toffee. It was PERFECT! Everyone raved over this deliciousness. So much so, in fact, that I have to make more.

Angie

5-star rating

Luckily, I’ve learned a few things from my mistakes, and I’ve also found a tried and true toffee recipe, which helps make up for any “human error.”

Here are a few of my favorite toffee making tips:

  • Use a medium to large, heavy pot. This is definitely one of those times it’s best to follow the advice of Julia Child and “always start out with a larger pot than what you think you need.”
  • Melt the butter and sugar together over low heat, whisking the WHOLE time (the constant whisking is very important). 
  • Bring your toffee to a steady, but NOT a rolling boil, at medium to medium-high heat, and continue to whisk constantly.
  • When your thermometer says 285 degrees, drop a bit of toffee into some ice water…it should be brittle. If so, it’s done!
Best Toffee Ever

Update: After sharing this recipe, I had several people tell me they don’t use a candy thermometer when making toffee. They just cook the caramel until it’s the color of peanut butter. 

I tried it and it works brilliantly! I actually put a jar of peanut butter on the counter next to my pot for comparison. As soon as the toffee looks like the peanut butter, I pull it off the stove and pour it onto the baking sheet. It’s now my go-to method for perfect toffee every time!

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Just made this and it is awesome! My first try didn’t come out very good because I didn’t cook it long enough.
I read the comments and someone said she took it off the stove when it reached the color of peanut butter. Thank you very much because the second try was perfection!

Wanda

5-star rating

That’s it! You’re ready to make some delicious toffee. And once you’ve perfected your toffee making technique, you’ll really be able to impress your family and friends with your delicious homemade candy.

It really is worth all that whisking and stirring!

Be sure to save this recipe to your favorite Pinterest board for later.

Best Toffee Ever

Ingredients

  • Butter
  • Sugar
  • Salt
  • Vanilla
  • Chocolate chips
  • Almonds
Best Toffee Ever

Best Toffee Ever

Old fashioned toffee with chocolate and chopped nuts.
4.39 from 220 votes
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Course: Candy
Cuisine: English
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 455kcal
Author: Danelle

Ingredients 

  • 2 cups butter
  • 2 cups white sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup chopped almonds optional but recommended, toast almonds before adding to toffee

Instructions

  • Cover a large baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
  • In a medium to large heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the butter, sugar and salt over low heat until butter is melted, whisking constantly. Bring to a steady (not rolling) boil over medium to medium-high heat, and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture has reached 285 to 300 degrees F (137 to 150 degrees C).
  • Remove toffee from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. (If desired, you can sprinkle some of the nuts on the baking sheet before pouring on the toffee).
  • Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top, and let chocolate soften for a few minutes. Spread the chocolate into a thin even layer. Sprinkle with chopped almonds.
  • Refrigerate until set. Break into pieces, and store in an airtight container.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 455kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 263mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 37g
Keep scrolling for tips, ingredient substitutions, answers to frequently asked questions and more!

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105 comments

  • After reading the reviews of this toffee, I would add that the quality of your butter is very important. I live in Wisconsin and use Land O Lakes butter for all my holiday candy making. This might be the problem for those having separation problems. The quality and weight of your pan is also critical. I always used a special 4qt. Club aluminum pan for toffee. I recently did a kitchen makeover and installed an induction cooktop, candy baking will be interesting this year with the required stainless steel cookware. Good luck with your toffee!

  • Marlene Wilkins

    MY MOTHER MADE CRACKLE WHEN I WAS YOUNG. I HAVE SEARCHED FOR THE RECIPE BUT CANNOT FIND IT. IT WAS HARD CRACK CLEAR DARK BROWN CANDY WHICH SHE POURED INTO A BAKING SHEET WITH INCH SIDES. I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT IF YOU HEAR ABOUT IT AND LET ME KNOW. SHE HIT IT WITH HER HAND TO BREAK IT UP.
    FOR NOW WE WILL TRY YOUR RECIPE WHICH LOOKS GOOD. THANKYOU. M

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4.39 from 220 votes (218 ratings without comment)

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photo of Danelle, author of Let's Dish

Hello! I’m Danelle. Thanks for visiting.

At Let's Dish, I'm bringing a taste of uptown foodie to real-life, everyday meals! Here, I share simple, reliable recipes that make mealtime easy.
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