If you’ve ever felt intimidated by candy making, give this English toffee recipe a try. Our recipe will help you get it right the first time with step by step instructions, photographs and videos.
If you’ve tried making toffee and had the questions: “Why is my toffee soft?” or “Why won’t my toffee turn brown?” you’ve come to the right place! I’ll answer those questions and show you how to turn your next batch around in the right direction. You might also like our Churro toffee recipe.
Watch Our Step By Step Video!
One of my FAVORITE holiday treats is this English toffee. My aunt made this for our family every year for Christmas and I always looked forward to it! When I grew up and started my own family, I asked her for the recipe so that I could start making it for gifts.
What is English Toffee?
Do you like Skor Bars, Heath Bars or Almond Roca? If so, you’ll love our English toffee recipe. It is SO MUCH BETTER than any of those! English toffee is made from sugar and butter and heated to the hard crack stage for a crunchy, buttery candy. I’ve heard that traditional English toffee isn’t made with nuts, but we won’t even go there. Toffee simply isn’t the same without almonds. Many versions only sprinkle nuts on top of the chocolate, but mine has whole almonds in the toffee too. Of course, if you aren’t a fan of nuts, you can leave them out.
I made my first batch of English toffee 15 years ago, and it was…gritty. Eww. And soft. I was SO bummed! When toffee is undercooked it’s not only soft and gritty, but it tastes bad, too. I wasn’t going to give up. Making it is so much cheaper than buying it so I kept trying and the second batch turned out great!
I’ve taken step by step photos of how I make homemade toffee. It actually isn’t hard and uses pretty basic ingredients!
What others are saying about this Toffee Recipe
“I had never made toffee prior to finding your recipe last Christmas. I have since made it seven or eight times and it has been perfect every single time. I just made the first of this season’s batches on a different stove and it was still perfect! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!”
“Just made my first batch of your toffee and it came out pretty much exactly like you said it would! Your very clear instructions made it a breeze, and I’ll now be making several more batches to give as Christmas presents.”
“My first batch was the aforementioned disaster. But I just made my second, and it is beautiful and perfect!”
How To Make Perfect English Toffee Every Time
Before you dive into our English toffee recipe and make your first batch be sure to read through my entire post and the helpful tips at the end! You can also check out my Instagram highlight videos titled “Toffee” where I make a batch in real time.
English Toffee Recipe Ingredients
- Butter, salted (DO NOT use margarine)
- Sugar (do not use a substitute)
- Vanilla
- Salt
- Almonds, whole or sliced (optional)
- Chocolate chips or melting chocolate wafers
Adding Nuts to Your English Toffee
How To Cook English Toffee Over the Stove
Tips, Tricks, and FAQ for Making this English Toffee Recipe:
- Do NOT double the recipe
- You must use a WOODEN spoon.
- Use a clean, dry pan for each new batch.
- Cook over high- medium/high.
- By all means, if after 5 minutes your toffee still isn’t the color of a brown bag, keep it on the stove for another minute or so. Every stove cooks differently. The 5-minute timer is just a guide.
Can I make this English toffee recipe with margarine?
Why didn’t my toffee turn brown?
Why is my toffee separating?
Why is my toffee soft?
How Should English Toffee Taste?
Can You Freeze English Toffee?
Perfect English Toffee Recipe
English Toffee Recipe
Equipment
- baking sheet
- foil
- sturdy pan
- wooden spoon
- measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- spatula
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter (salted) DO NOT USE MARGARINE
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- pinch salt
- 1 cup almonds
- 1 cup chocolate chips or melting chocolate
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with foil. If you'd like to have nuts in your toffee, toss a handful of almonds onto the baking sheet. Set aside.
- Heat all of your ingredients (except for the nuts and chocolate) in a nice sturdy saucepan on med heat until butter is melted. Turn temp up to medium high and stir constantly until mixture comes to a boil.
- Set your timer for 5 minutes and DO NOT let ANYTHING disturb you while you stir. You must keep stirring your butter/sugar mixture so that it does not burn. And you must use a WOODEN spoon.
- Keep stirring until your timer goes off. It may even smoke a tiny bit and that is ok. If you are really concerned, lift the pan off of the burner (while you are still stirring) to remove it from the heat, but still stir until your timer goes off.
- Immediately pour hot toffee onto your foil-lined baking sheet. If you added nuts to your baking sheet, pour the toffee over the nuts.
- The toffee will be about 1/4-1/2" thick. Do not scrape the bottom of the pan. As you pour, the bottom will brown and you don’t want that in your toffee.
- Fill your pan with hot water and set it aside. It will start dissolving the toffee left inside and make it easier to clean.
- Let cool. It should harden within a couple of minutes.
- Melt Ghirardelli bricks or wafers, Wilton melting chocolate, chocolate chips, or any other variety of melting chocolate in the microwave at 30-second intervals until smooth.
- Spread across your toffee with a small spatula or butter knife. I use about 2 Ghirardelli bricks per batch. If you melt too much that’s ok, it will harden again and you can just microwave it again another time for another use.
- Sprinkle with sliced almonds, if desired, while the chocolate is still soft. After it has set up, break toffee into pieces.
Notes
- Do NOT double the recipe
- You must use a WOODEN spoon
- Use a clean, dry pan for each new batch.
- Cook over high- medium/high. (My stove is gas and tends to cook really hot, really fast. So I usually drop the heat to medium for my toffee, but in years past when I had an electric flat top stove, med-high worked best.)
- The 5 minute cook time is just a guide. If you hit 5 minutes and your toffee still isn't the color of a brown paper bag, add an extra minute. Cook times vary on each stove.
Nutrition
Here is a collection of holiday candy recipes to try from Taste of Home.
Are the almonds raw, or roasted salted, does it matter? I’d love to give this recipe a try but am stuck on which kind of almonds. Could you please let me know?
You can use whatever kind you’d like. I prefer raw, but have used roasted and they are delicious too! Because the butter is already salted I don’t use salted nuts, but some prefer salted!
I used this recipe for my first attempt making toffee today. It sounded pretty simple, and I followed it exactly. It separated into a big nasty glob and there was no fixing it, so I had to throw it away. I searched online, trying to figure out what happened, and I read that there are several things that can cause the separation: using vanilla, too much stirring, too high heat, etc. it seems as though everything you said to do in your recipe was what causes it to separate so I was confused how this works for anyone. I tried one more time using a different recipe. It did not use any vanilla and said to cook on a lower heat for longer time and not disturb very often at all by stirring. Someone in the comments of that recipe said they had a gas stove and they cooked it on LOW the entire time so that’s what I did. That person said it only took them 14 minutes but mine was taking forever. The recipe said 25 to 30 minutes and I was at 40 minutes and still it wasn’t turning brown. It was boiling the whole time. After 40 minutes, it started to separate a little and I added a tablespoon of water and stirred gently like she said. It came back together and looked fine, but still wasn’t turning brown. After another 15 minutes, it looked like it was getting thick and grainy, and I decided to stop and hope for the best. It turned out chewy and a little grainy. I can’t imagine it needing to cook any longer than it did (almost an hour). I don’t have trouble making any other types of candy, I even do well with pralines. Don’t know why I had such trouble today, but I don’t know if I’ll be attempting toffee again!
Mine is definitely a med/high heat recipe that boils for 5 minutes. Some are low heat, but I haven’t tried any other recipe than this one. There are lots of variables and reasons stated online for separation, but I haven’t ever had that happen in the 22 years I’ve been making it so I can’t really weigh in on that! Is it really fair to rate the recipe with only one star? Yours didn’t turn out for a reason that isn’t clear, but many others have made it with success. Is that my fault?
I’m missing something. I don’t see where to add the vanilla and didn’t realize it until I was pouring the toffee over the nuts. My first batch is cooling. A little bit of the butter separated. We shall see!
Step 2 is to the heat all of the ingredients except for chocolate and nuts in a pan.
It’ll be ok without the vanilla!
I just made my first batch of toffee but didn’t do this whole recipe. Half has peanuts and the other half is just toffee. I used salted butter and I noticed right before it was done it started to separate but I continued to stir it and all of a sudden it just had a smoothe texture and the separation was gone so I poured it put then and it’s perfect. I did watch a YouTube video of this same recipe with a camera set up to show the pan through the whole cooking process and the lady said that separation just before it’s done is common but to keep stirring and it will mix back together smoothly. Mine took closer to 10 minutes from start to finish but I did go slightly lower temp cause I have an electric stove and I didn’t want to risk overheating it since the glass won’t cool down fast enough and potentially ruin the whole batch. Next I’ll be making the whole recipe, didn’t have chocolate or almonds this time but it’s delicious by itself.
So glad that yours turned out perfect! Stove temps and types definitely vary. Once you figure out what works for yours it’s smooth sailing!
Here is the solution if your butter separates: take off heat, rapidly stir in 1 T very hot water, and it will come back together. Add an additional T water, if necessary, return to heat and finish cooking.
Just want to say that I come back to this page every year. Your toffee recipe has never failed me – and I had lots of failed toffees before I found this page! I’ve become the ‘English toffee friend’ at Christmastime – everyone wants to be my buddy because they know I’ll make this.
Heidi, this made my day! I’m so glad you’ve been so successful in toffee making too! Speaking of which, I need to make 2 more batches this week, ha!
I can’t even count how many toffee nightmares I have had over the years. I like to make toffee as a gift for the holidays and every year have different kinds of disasters. I decided to try to do the opposite of what the recipes I have been trying instructed and voilà I found this recipe and it worked perfectly! I think my problems stem from the fact that I live at 6,800 ft. This fast and hot recipe seemed to do the trick for me. Many thanks!!
So glad to hear! It’s crazy how different the results can be!
Hi Brandy, this toffee was AMAZING!! I made it for my flatmate and she loved it! it didnt quite look like the picture much better! thanks for the recipe I’ll use it again soon! thanks! ~ Hannah.
☀️ https://goodhometime.com/ ☀️
So glad to hear!!
This recipe is prefect! I tried to make toffee twice yesterday and failed, and ended up with a burn on my arm to show for it. I’m an avid baker and well-versed in caramel making, but I struggled with toffee! I was not content with just giving up on toffee, so I found your recipe. This method really is fail-proof! And I’m convinced it’s the wooden spoon!😂 I used a whisk and rubber spatula yesterday and I think my temp was too low, and I ended up with a crystallized, separated mess both times. But this worked perfectly!!!
Yay! Gosh, isn’t it the best feeling to have a batch of toffee turn out perfect? My first batch failed miserable when I started making it almost 20 years ago, but once you get it——you get it! Must be the wooden spoon. Haha!
Thank you for great instructions! It worked. (after I burned it using another recipe requiring it to get to 308 degrees!
I’m so glad you had great results!
I have been using this recipe for several years. Toffee always turns out great!
Love to hear this!!
This worked perfectly the first time I tried it! I’ve never been successful with toffee before but your pictures made it easy. I had to go past the 5-minute mark before the toffee was the right colour, but I knew what colour to watch for so it was fine. Thanks for this recipe!
Yay! This makes me so happy! If I cook my toffee to 5 minutes on my stove in this house, it burns. So I have to cook it for 4 minutes. It’s crazy how different stoves vary so much. 5 minutes is a good mark to go by and then you kind of just figure out what works best for your pan and pot!
Third time’s a charm! I tried two other recipes before I found yours; both more complicated and time consuming; both failures! I read through your entire directions, as recommended, before starting. I then followed recipe exactly as written and voila! Delicious toffee as promised. It’s so awesome when a recipe turns out like it’s supposed to, especially when it’s a lot easier than others you’ve tried. Can’t wait to share gluesticksblog.com with my fellow toffee lovers! Thank you!!
Yay! Susan, I’m so glad! Yes, I understand toffee failures all too well. Nothing it worse than soft, separated, or gritty toffee. I’m so glad you had a successful batch!
I just made a half batch as a test today. I had the problem of separation of the butter at the five minute mark, but I put the pan back on the heat and stirred briskly until it came back to a boil. About that point it came back together. I used a silicone mini ice cube tray and poured the candy into that. The second tray was a bit scorched(as you warned!) but the first was fine. Next time I will work faster. After the candy cooled I popped them out and dipped them in melted chocolate. They are great and it was fun to make them. Definitely doing this again. Thanks for all the great tips here.
Interestingly, Fannie Farmers recipe for almond brittle (basically the same but with almond cooked in) calls for cooking over low heat until the correct temperature is reached. I may experiment with that approach as well.
Using a mold is a great idea! Perfect portion control. I may have to try this as well!
I tried this. Maybe my mistake was doubling the recipe. Also, I am filling molds rather than pouring the toffee onto pans to make ‘bark.’ All the shapes are quite thick (maybe an inch?) and they are chey. They started to cool and harden immediately after pouring into the molds. Now they have been in the fridge for an hour and they haven’t hardened.?
Hi! Yes, doubling the recipe was your mistake, unfortunately! I haven’t tried making them in molds, but I think the chewiness is from doubling the recipe. I’m sorry they didn’t turn out! You can scroll to the bottom of the post for helpful tips on making the toffee that turns out just right. A wooden spoon, heavy sturdy pan, and med-high heat are the other key factors. Hope that helps!! 🙂
Thank you so much for this recipe! I’m in college and do not have very much to cook with. I found your recipe and knew I had sugar and butter! You made my day a sweet one! I will definitely make this again! It took quite awhile longer for mine to darken, but it still worked and tastes great! Again, thank you for the wonderful recipe!
Awesome! I’m so glad it worked out. It’s definitely my favorite holiday recipe.
This is a very interesting recipe! Pin it!! Thank you for sharing at Sweet Inspiration Link Party 🙂
I’ve never had much luck making this, but I’m going to try this and see if it works this time!
It may have already been mentioned, but make sure you use a wooden spoon, when stirring after the 6 minutes. When i do this in the microwave, I generally do the 6 minutes (every microwave is different, so you may have to add, or subtract from the 6 minutes), as it has not started getting “amber” as yet. I do one minute at a time, and it take only 1 or 2 minutes more, and turns out very good.
Yes, thanks! A wooden spoon is a must!
There is nothing better than a crunchy piece of toffee! Thanks for the recipe!
I just made the toffee a couple days ago, and I was very pleased with it. Every microwave is different. After the 7 minutes (I did not stir or check it until the 7 minutes were up), I then checked the color of it, and stirred it as well. I then added a minute, and stirred, and then another minute and stirred, and by then, it was an amber color.
This looks delicious. My mother loves toffee and I often buy her toffee for the holidays. I have thought about trying to make it but have always been intimidated. Your step by step tutorial is very helpful and has given me the courage to give it a try. Thanks for the recipe!
I tried making English Toffee the other day, but didn’t cook it long enough. It tasted fine, but was chewy and sticky. I decided to try to fix it by putting in in the oven. I put the pan in the oven and set the temperature to 350 degrees. I watched it closely until it started to turn a darker brown and was bubbly. I then poured it into a pan and boiled it until it reached the right color, stirring slowly. I then put it on another pan. Some of the butter separated, but it the rest hardened and tasted fine. I poured off the excess butter and finished the toffee. It ended up great.
Glad to know there is a way to still save it if it ends up undercooked at first!
Hi im in the middle of making this and after 5 min in looks good and then the butter starts to separate away then begins ti look like curdled scrambled eggs but wont brown. Im constantly stirring and its at the right heat!
Please help!
Hi Trish! Did it eventually brown for you? If now, is very strange! You are using butter and not margarine and using med-high heat? Those are the two main factors and it sounds like you are doing it right.
I hope that these are as perfect as you say. I can’t wait to try them. Thanks for sharing at Link Party Palooza.
Toffee is one of my all time favorites, and this is a fantastic tutorial! Hope you have a fantastic weekend and thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday!
Miz Helen
This actually looks doable! Thanks for the step-by-step and the photos. I may have to give it a try this weekend. I’m not as intimidated as I have been. Thank you & Merry Christmas, Brenda
I love toffee and making it really is pretty easy! I learned the hard way why you should use a wooden spoon, as the first time I made some I used plastic and it melted. Oops! I won’t be doing that again! Thank you for sharing your recipe and tips at Merry Monday!
That looks so yummy! Pinned.
I just made my “perfect” batch, which I was so proud of this Year. I have learned a few pointers on here, of what and what not to do, and this is not a fast process, but it will turn out good, if you are patient.
Awesome tutorial for making candy. I noticed where you inspired a 12 year old to make toffee for her friends. That is the best kind of compliment.
Great work this candy looks delicious.
Thank you, Leanna! That was probably to date, the best compliment that I’ve received. When she e-mailed me photos of all the different batches she made and the toppings she used on her chocolate. I never would have been able to do that at 12 years old, so her perseverance was awesome!
I agree, ONLY a wooden spoon works, or that is how it worked for me. I did use the metal spoon, and believe it or not, turning my heat up/down, doing this almost “6” times, yes, but I finally got it, and was so happy, but it took patience for me, and I finally GOT IT!
I use a small stainless wire whisk for stirring and never have had an issue. I have seen the “wooden spoon only” rule in lots of places but I find the butter separates from the sugar if I use only the wooden spoon. I also use brown sugar in my recipe. Everyone seems to love it anyway!
Whisk? I’ll have to try that! I’ve just gone with what my aunt said, and brown sugar sounds good too!
I have followed the recipe exactly and stirred for over 15 minutes constantly. I never did get the brown color, it stayed the same color the entire time. Having a rough time finding the cause of this. My stove is electric, had it on medium entire time. Anyone know why it would stay the same light color even after a good 15 minutes or so of cooking/stirring?
Hi! That’s very strange. I cook mine on med-high/high heat. I’m wondering if it never got hot enough to change color? I would crank the heat next time and see if that helps! Every stove is different, but I think med-high (just under high) would work.
Guess what? I couldn’t stand it anymore so I made a second batch. It still took 15 min of stirring but it turned out awesome! The differences? I used a wood spoon, I added more salt since my butter sticks were unsalted, I added a tbsp of half and half, and what’s more, I turned UP the heat a bit. I was so paranoid about making the heat too high I think I had it too low. I saw the other range of temperature so I let it actually low boil and just kept stirring while a low boil, finally it turned brown! It is cooling now but it is already hardening. The chocolate however is still “tacky.” What I tried off of the spoon after hardening tasted like a Heath bar. Very good! I guess the heat has to be just perfect.
Yay! So glad to hear that!
Well last year, I had a lot of problems (about 6 batches before I got it to turn out like it should), but finally got them worked out. You do need to use BUTTER, not margarine, and the color can make a difference too, so you have to watch it closely too when it boils. I was trying to use a candy thermometer, but that didn’t work either.
Hi,
I looked over your recipe, I assume you don’t use a thermometer, only going by time of 5 minutes flat of boiling on Med/hi heat but with a gas stove. Gas is a constant heat so that causes me a problem and was my earlier thought after my first batch. I’ve noticed on the thermometer that the temp fluctuates a few degees as the burner keeps switching on and off, probably half the problem with cooking time. Definitely will try the wooden spoon. Your photos show 1 stick butter and looks like 1/2c sugar. I’ve always melted the butter and then added the sugar, is that a No No?
I don’t use a thermometer. I go by the 5 minute cook time and how the toffee looks. Both when using the electric stove at our old house and our gas stove here. The photo shows 2 sticks of butter and 1 cup of sugar. The butter melts as it heats so you can add the sugar all at once or after it begins to melt. It’s up to you.
Thanks but that don’t help me much. Cooking time doesn’t mean anything if they have a reason for using a thermometer and times could vary if it needs to get to 300 or 310 degrees. Maybe I just need to cook until it starts to smoke, like it says somewhere in this post. My other questions weren’t answered.
!st batch was 2c white sugar and 4 sticks butter cooked on Medium (7 on a flat top electric stove) took about 45 minutes before reaching 285. It had good taste and was easy to bite off a piece but it sticks to the teeth and is a bit too hard so I threw it out. 2ns batch was 2 sticks butter, 1 3/4c white sugar, 1c of heavy cream and 1 tsp vanilla. cooked same way, 45 min up to 300 degrees. This was surprisingly edible and tasty, it stayed firm but very soft to eat, not chewy at all. I really like it. 3rd batch I figured I’d changed the flavor of the 2nd. Used 2 sticks butter, 1c white sugar, 1c light brown sugar, 1c heavy cream but forgot the vanilla but added corn syrup. Stirred every 5 minutes cooking for 45 min til it hit 300, this time with my new digital thermometer. Good taste but turned out exactly like 1st batch. Not gonna eat it and chance loosing fillings. So….is a couple Tablespoons of water of much importance? What seems to be going wrong? Apparently 1st batch at 285 degrees was not different than the 3rd batch at 300 so should I take it up to 310? Do I need to stir more often or constantly for 45 minutes? I used a whisk for stirring. Last 2 times I used a new 2qt ceramic sauce pan which I really like for cleanup later. Each time I used same brand butter and cream. I obviously am missing the delcate touch at some point. At this time my only guess is with the vanilla in the 2nd batch. I’ve read about using baking soda, does this do anything? I didn’t believe in using the water because I read that the moisture needs to cook out before mixture caramelizes which causes the temp to rise so I didn’t see any point adding the water. I’m gonna try the second batch again this weekend unless you have the magic touch I am missing. It’s a waste of money trying these recipes if I have to throw them out. Amish make candy all the time, even bought their cashew crunch which is way awesome. Maybe I’ll have to talk to them? Hope you can help. Thanks
Hi Randy! I haven’t ever tried to switch up the recipe. I’ve been making this one (My aunt’s recipe that is in the post) for 10 years and have had great results! It’s tricky trying to adjust cooking times with butter and sugar, etc. I just go by the tips and tricks she shared with me like making sure to not double the recipe, only using butter (not margarine), watching the cooking time, etc. I’ve only used baking soda when I make caramel popcorn. You add a tsp. at the very end of the process before pouring over the popcorn. Here are the ingredients and measurements I use:
1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt
almonds
The cooking time and other directions are listed in this post. It can definitely be frustrating to throw out a batch and waste those delicious ingredients. Good luck!
Boy those look good! Wish I had some right now!
Hi, I’ve tried this 3 times and only one was edible. I would like to ask questions and tell you what I did if you could please reply. Thanks
Sure! What happened?
Thanks. I’ll see what happens when I try again. I guess I was just wondering if I try to press it down that would make it thinner, or just let it run on its own?
I’ve never tried pressing it down. I just let it run on its own and pour it across the pan instead of directly in the center.
Thanks for the suggestion. I failed to mention at the beginning I did use margarine, so with the margaraine, metal spoon, and no foil, I really got started off bad. I’m just afraid to let it get too dark, but it was definately a dark amber color (no longer yellow) when I took it off the fire. Do you think I would be better off, just pouring the mixture over the nuts, and maybe it wouldn’t seem so tuff? Is there a way to make it then when pouring, or should I spread it out with a rubber spatula? I have wasted a lot of nuts/sugar/butter on trying to do this.
To spread it out after pouring onto the foil I life the pan and let the toffee batter kind of spread down the baking sheet instead of having it all in the center. I hope that makes sense!
Oh I do wish I had good news, and I’m embarrassed to say, I must have tried it 6 times or more. I actually Googled to see if I used a candy thermometer what it would be, and it said “300” as the temperature. (Up to this point, I had not used a candy thermometer.) I know the first couple times was my fault, as I used a metal spoon, instead of a wooden spoon. Also I did not use foil at first. After the start of a fool boil, I timed it for 5 minutes, and it never got to 300 on the thermometer. I let it continue to boil until it got to the carmel color, and took it off the fire. I think it would have been alright, but it seemed to still be too think, especially where there were no nuts. I remember cooking it in the microwave before, but this time I used a pan. Whether that was the reason it did not turn out as good as when I used the microwave, I don’t know. Any suggestions from anyone, I would love to have.
Hi Brenda! Wooden spoon, butter, med-high heat. Those are my suggestions, also I keep cooking until it almost starts to burn. It’ll start to smoke a little and that’s when I turn the heat off. I really hope these help! How frustrating!
I’ve enjoyed reading all these comments. I just made a big batch, and had to pitch it this morning. Always before, it had turned out good. (It gets very expensive pitching all the nuts, and Heath bits I had used for it) I think my problem (I wasn’t going to try again, until I just seen this posting) was that I didn’t use butter, but margarine, and I used a metal spoon, instead of a wooden one. I’m going to try with the butter and wooden spoon, and let it cook, until it is “frothy,” Your pictures really came in handy.
Hi Brenda! Yes, try it again with butter and see how that goes. I think it will make a big difference! Those heath bits sounds yummy!
I had never made toffee prior to finding your recipe last Christmas. I have since made it seven or eight times and it has been perfect every single time. I just made the first of this season’s batches on a different stove and it was still perfect! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
So awesome! Thanks so much for sharing. I used to make cookies and other treats to pass out, but toffee seems to be the most popular so I just stick with that now!
Hi Brandy!
Just made my first batch of your toffee and it came out pretty much exactly like you said it would! Your very clear instructions made it a breeze, and I’ll now be making several more batches to give as Christmas presents. I’ve never made sweets before since all of the recipes I’ve looked at needed a sugar or candy thermometer, so your method is perfect for a student with limited funds!
Happy Christmas!
Lauren
Edinburgh, Scotland
Hi Lauren! Fantastic! And you’re a quick study! Like I said in my post, my first batch was a total flop, but with practice it got better! Thanks so much for coming back and letting me know how it turned out. Merry Christmas to you in Scotland!
I just made toffee for the first time but came here afterwards. It looks okay(maybe too thin) and it set up okay but it just doesn’t taste rich and buttery. My recipe was butter and sugar. I also was trying to spread over the whole cookie sheet but I think that is why it is too thin but can’t figure out why it doesn’t taste rich or buttery. I used semi sweet chocolate
Hi Polly! With using real butter I’m not sure why it wouldn’t taste buttery either! Did you use unsalted butter? That may cause the taste to come out different than salted butter. I’d give it another try, it’s so good it is definitely worth a second batch! And don’t worry about trying to spread it over the entire pan. Just pour it all out and give the pan a little tilt to spread it somewhat. Mine is usually about 1/4″thick before adding chocolate and nuts.
Has anyone tried halving the recipe? I know we’re warned against doubling. If it’s a fine idea, I’d rather waste that doomed trial run on less ingredients
I googled it too, and it said the most common cause for separating is changes in temperature. I don’t know how to solve this problem for this recipe, but i think that all ingredients should be at room temperature before placing in the pan, and when you take it off the heat, the heat shouldn’t be lowered too suddenly.
After making toffee for almost 30 years, I discovered that the weather is an important factor. If it’s clear and dry it all comes together perfectly. If it’s damp, cold and rainy the butter and sugar separates no matter how long it’s cooked. I HAVE NO IDEAY WHY! Just many years of experience. I now only make my toffee on clear, dry days!🌞
I have the same issue when making bath bombs. Rainy days are the enemy. Science can be a crazy thing!
Thank you so much for the instructions! So easy to follow, and my first batch turned out perfectly. I cooked mine longer than specified, but I was really hesitant to turn up the heat first, especially when it started to separate, then froth. I will definitely make this again, and show my friends your instructions. Thanks again!
Wonderful! So glad to hear and the timing is just a guide, you really have to go by the color and look of the toffee like you did! It’s my all time favorite treat. Have a wonderful week!
Brandy
Hi Brandy,
Thank you so much for this detailed recipe. I made two batches in a row that were absolutely perfect. Here I am a week later and I made a batch and it’s a disaster. The butter and the sugar separated in the pan and never pulled back together. Any suggestions?
Hi Kelly!
I haven’t had that happen before, but I had a friend who mentioned that. Here is something I found online. Sorry I don’t have firsthand experience to help, but I think this might answer it for you! http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705267581/Toffee-break–How-to-avoid-the-dreaded-separation-anxiety.html?pg=all
Hi Connie, I’m not sure! Once it had the chocolate on it, I’m not sure if there is a way to salvage or turn it into something else. So sorry that happened!
Thank you so much for the detailed instructions! I tried making toffee today for the first time. I used a different but very similar recipe to yours and of course, it didn’t turn out. Between your detailed instructions and all of the comments, I realize that I didn’t have my heat high enough. Also, someone told me not to use nonstick cookware for it. Does anyone have advice about nonstick cookware for this recipe?
Yes! Heat plays a major factor. Don’t be afraid to see a tiny bit of smoke right before you pull it off the stove. That’s where I went wrong with my first batch years ago. I don’t have any advice about nonstick cookware. I use a basic saucepan, nice and sturdy. The only thing I’ve heard it to use a sturdy, heavy pan. Not sure why, but I’m assuming it will distribute the heat evenly. Good luck! I’m sure your second batch will be amazing!
My second batch was perfect! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I’ve always wanted to make toffee and couldn’t have done it right without your blog.
Wonderful! This made my day! I am getting ready for our annual toffee marathon this afternoon. 10 batches. I think I need to get more than one saucepan!
I have made toffee for years and I believe not only the wooden spoon helps but also the the weight of your pan is important. I believe the separation has several factors, change of temperature (too high of heat) and crystallization. Be careful not to scrape the sides if your pan while cooking and adding 1 or 2 tablespoons, depending on butter amount in recipe, of Karo Syrup will help prevent that separation.
I bombed the microwave peanut brittle (I’m trying again tomorrow!) but this… The toffee is perfect! Crisp, buttery, chocolatey goodness. Thank you so much for posting such an easy, clear recipe. My first time making any kind of candy on the stovetop (ok, so I made divinity right before this, but it didn’t require the stirring or the eye), and it turned out great! Thank you!
Awesome!! So glad it turned out fantastic. It’s my favorite candy recipe! The peanut brittle isn’t user error as much as figuring out what works best for your microwave. Actually, if you click through to the link I shared (where I found this exact recipe) you can read reviews of how others tinkered with the timing and had great results. Hope that helps!
Hi Colleen,
I am so sorry to hear this! When did you start your timer? I set my timer for 5 minutes when it started to slightly bubble my first time, but then it didn’t cook long enough. After that, I didn’t set it until it was in a full boil and then it cooked long enough to turn “paper bag brown”. It sounds like you know what you are doing, but that would be my only suggestion if you are up for trying it out again. It is so frustrating to waste time and food!
My first batch was the aforementioned disaster. But I just made my second, and it is beautiful and perfect! It definitely was the heat. It needed to be medium high for me. On my electric range (which is crazy and runs hot), I cooked the toffee on #8. The first try I cooked it on #6 – and the butter separated in the last minute and all was lost. Thanks for the recipe! I’m sending the first batch to my son who is serving as a Corpsman in the Navy (but with the Marines) in the Middle East. Cheers and happy holidays to all.
Hi Laurie! I’m glad it turned out for you. Now you know which setting works for your stove and it should be smooth sailing every time after! Happy Thanksgiving and a huge thank you to your son for his service. Being away from family during this time of year is a big sacrifice. The Nelson family thanks you!
Just wanted to let you know that the first time I tried this recipe it came out perfect, however the second time wasn’t as great. The toffee turned out soft and sugary and wouldn’t set. I figured I just didn’t cook it long enough. My question is can i put it back and cook it again after it has cooled. I hate wasting ingredients but I didn’t try to cook it the second time.
I hate wasting ingredients too, especially 1 cup of butter! I’m so sorry that happened, but at least you know you can make a good batch like the first one. I agree, the second batch probably didn’t cook long enough. I honestly didn’t have an answer for your question so I found a forum online and someone posed the same question. The consensus was that it wouldn’t hurt to try to reheat it, but it most likely wouldn’t set up right. If you do try it, I’d love to know how it turns out in the end. This would be good to know for others who may have the same problem!
I love toffee,but only tried making it once – it was NOT good. this looks like a great step by step
Yes! Most likely it was the cooking time. Don’t be afraid to see a little smoke start. Just keep stirring like mad so that it doesn’t burn. If you need to raise the pan off the heat for a second you can do that and then return it back to the heat, but keep stirring the whole time. Undercooked toffee will not set up right. It’s definitely worth a second shot!
Glad you could save it! That sounds delicious!
i just made this (twice- the first time was a failure haha) and it is AMAZING! yum!
Your experience sounds like my first experience too! The first batch flopped, but it’s been great ever since! So glad you enjoyed it!
I use a similar recipe and today was my first time ever dealing with separation. So frustrating. 2 ruined batches! My last batch separated also and i was too busy stirring to be able to google. So I remembered my hollandaise separation trick and splashed some water in it and whisked it back. Worked like a charm! After I was done, i googled it and realized it was because it started raining while i was cooking. Grrr. Oh well, hope the water trick helps someone else!
Just found this recipe on Pinterest, and wanted to say thank you. I made it tonight and it is amazing. I will definitely be making this again and again!
Oh wonderful! I’m so glad you liked it and that it turned out perfect for you! There is a science to it, but when it comes out it is sooo good! Thanks for giving me feedback and have a wonderful night!
Brandy
Love this recipe. It was so easy to make and is so tasty. Made 6 batches for my coworkers and another batch for me. Thank you, this is a keeper.
-carri
Hi Eclarien,
I’m so sorry that yours didn’t turn out. I know how frustrating that can be because my first batch didn’t turn out either. I mentioned in my post that it was soft and didn’t set up. I followed the recipe exactly, even cooked it for 5 minutes, but there were a couple of things I realized as I made my second batch that helped. The second batch turned out great! I was kind of afraid tot cook it at med-high to high heat. I kept thinking that it was going to burn so I think I cooked it lower than I should have. And also, I started my timer too soon. The next time I made sure to start it after the mixture started boiling and then I kept stirring for 5 minutes even when it started to smoke a little. But every stove is different. My stove in this house cooks much higher and faster (it’s gas) than the stove at my other house (electric). So I have to adjust according to that. I hope you try making it again! I’d like to add your comment to my blog so that others can get troubleshooting help as well. I’ve had a couple of people email me with their success story. Amber (her comment is on my blog) had her first batch turn out soft, but after troubleshooting with me, she’s made 4 perfect batches since! I appreciate you letting me know!
Brandy
Gluesticks
Hi Brandy and Eclarein.
I have been making toffee for several years now. My family and friends love it! With regards to the separation of the butter from the sugar, I have had this happen to me whereby the chocolate does not adhere to the toffee because there was on oil slick of butter on it. Sometimes I would dab the toffee with a paper towel to sop it up. But what works best for me is to stir with a small whisk, this way the butter and sugar remain incorporated and don’t separate out. I really don’t think it is a big deal to have to use a wooden spoon, the pan you are cooking the toffee in itself it metal! So what is the big deal to have to use a wooden spoon? The pan I always use is copper on the outside stainless steel on the inside. The whisk is of good quality. I have found this helps a lot. I also use a candy thermometer. There are differences of opinion as to what degree the toffee needs to get to so I use the ice water drop method and if it hardens up and has a good crunch factor, I quickly pull it off the heat and pour it in the prepared pan.
Have fun making toffee!
Patty
Thanks Patty! I don’t know the reasoning behind the spoon either except my aunt said I have to use it, haha! Thanks for the tips!
From Amber:
Hi Brandy,
I’m the 12 year old that asked a lot of questions about toffee making. I thought maybe you’d like to know that I’m the MASTER toffee maker right now. At school, I share a lot of what I make with my friends. They all LOVED the toffee.
today was the 3rd time i made toffee. (i had to go to safeway after school to buy a box of butter, haha.) This time, I made it perfectly. it was BEAUTIFUL. I’ve sent pictures for you :). It looked like glass; super reflective.
Making the toffee is very fun. Cleaning is kind of a hassle, but seeing the very reflective toffee is just so rewarding. On my previous batch, I marbled dark and white chocolate and it was too pretty to break apart and devour.
I just wanted to thank you for your advice & easy instructions for toffee! I’ve had a wonderful experience with it; obviously, I love the toffee too.
Hi Amber!
I am SO GLAD you got back to me with the results! I am so impressed with your toffee. I think it is beautiful and I love the white chocolate chips on it too. Like I said in my blog post, my first batch FLOPPED and turned out gross, but the second one was much better. You’re a pro now and shouldn’t have any issues in the future! It is one of my favorite Christmas treats and so much cheaper to make than buying a Skor or Heath candy bar.
Thanks again for the photos. I’d like to share one on my facebook page if is ok with you. It’s always fun to see my reader’s photos and results! Just let me know,
Have a wonderful night!
Are the almonds raw or roasted, salted? It doesn’t say, and I’d like to know before I try the recipe please!
Sherry, it’s all personal preference! I’ve used raw, toasted and roasted. I prefer no salt because the toffee is made with salted butter already, but if you want to use lightly salted nuts you can!
I always wondered about the wooden spoons, too, so I googled it. Here’s the first response I got:
There are basically two reasons why a recipe would ask you to use of a wooden spoon.
The first reason is mechanical. Wooden spoons are rounded, smooth, relatively soft and non-abrasive. This means that they are comfortable to hold when applying pressure to beat a mixture. The action of a wooden spoon is to push the ingredients together until they are blended. Always use a wooden spoon when making sauces unlike a metal spoon, they won’t transfer out the heat and mess with the temperature in unpredictable ways. If you are making sauces that are particularly troublesome, like hollandaise, this could solve curdling problems. Also, wooden spoons are less likely to damage nonstick pan surfaces.
Metal spoons are harder and sharper, with an action which tends to,cut through the mixture. A wooden spoon is ideal for folding in ingredients that do not want over mixing such as adding flour to a creamed mixture or folding in egg whites. The design of a metal spoon does not make them very comfortable when hard beating is required and the hard, sharp edges of the spoon may cut or damage ingredients or the mixing bowl and scratch the coating on pots and pans.
The second reason is chemical. Wood is an unreactive material and is unlikely to react with the ingredients in the mixture. Metal is more reactive, particularly with acidic ingredients, and is not suitable for use in some cases.
Wooden spoons are an important utensil in the kitchen and most good cooks have more than one.
You should always hand wash wooden spoons with soap and warm to hot water only. Never wash them in a dishwasher. If after washing the first few times they have a fuzzy feel to them, don’t be alarmed, this is natural. The grain will raise the first few times any wood is put into water. Some people refer to it as the curing process. Lightly buff them with a Scotchbrite Pad or fine sandpaper and then oil them with any edible oil. After buffing or sanding a few times they will stay smooth.
Thanks for the info! I put my wooden spoons in the dish washer all the time, but will start washing them by hand. They are, by far, the ones I use the most and I need to not be so lazy and take care of them!
Brandy
Gleusticks
Can I use a Teflon pot to make my Toffee in?
Hi Germein! I don’t have any Teflon pans so I’m not sure how the high heat would affect it. I’m sorry!
You know, I might even try this, as you make it look do-able. I have a sugar thermometer, but I like the sound of a recipe that just uses a timer and some basic observation skills. Thank you for sharing Aunt’s tips!
I usually don’t have problems but just wasted my butter. This is a terribke recipe. I followed directions and the butter separated
It’s not the recipe. It should be medium-high, but every stove cooks differently. It may take a batch to get the stove/cooking times perfect for yours.
Hey Amber!!
You have a lucky friend to receive this. Hopefully I can help with your next batch.
Refrigerated butter is fine, but I haven’t ever used frozen. If you don’t have time to let some sit and soften, you can microwave it for a few seconds at a time (turning after every 6 seconds) until it softens.
For a stove like yours I would cook it at a 6 for melting the butter/sugar and raise it to a 7 to boil it for the 5 minutes. If that seems too high, drop it back down to a 6.
When the toffee is brown, it will be kind of frothy, like a little foamy in consistency. I hope that makes sense. It will look significantly different than just melted butter mixed with sugar like it did when you first set the timer.
Let me know if you have any more questions!! 🙂
Brandy
Gluesticks
Hi Brandy,
sorry i’m 12, and not terribly smart, so here goes:
1) my stovetop isn’t labeled as med high, high; it only has the numbers 1-8. what should med-high be?
2) i tried this and it turned out funny. i used butter that was frozen. next time, should i use room temperature butter?
3) after the toffee is done, like a paper bag, what should the consistency be?
my friend loves toffee so that’s why i tried to do this today 🙂
thanks,
amber
CountryBelle,
I’ve never lived in high altitude so I am not sure if it makes a difference. Hopefully someone else will see this post with a good answer for you!
Brandy
Gluesticks
I tried it this afternoon with success. Although, I should have pulled it off the stove maybe 5 secs sooner, just because I had a little bit darker syrup in spots. Otherwise awesome recipe! Tastes very similar to a skor bar. (I added coarse sea salt instead of almonds, cuz that’s what I had on hand) Yummy!
I am at a really high altitude… anyone out there have experience with that and this recipe??
Thank you!
It’ll turn out just take longer to boil/cook.
I was excited to try this recipe because I can’t eat store bought heath due to an almond allergy. In case this helps others in higher elevation, I am at 3000 ft elevation and it took 8 minutes to turn the brown color. Texture and flavor turned out perfectly!
Wonderful to hear!!
This is basically my recipe too but I double my batch everytime. I have a gas stove, use unsalted butter and scrape the bottom of my pan. I use the 5 minute standard but I also spoon a bit out and do the crunch test, just a strand of toffee and eat it before I ever remove from the heat. Separation happens because the butter has been previously frozen or the batch hasn’t been stirred constantly. I never use foil because heat will add aluminum into your candy. I use parchment. I also never use whole nuts, I chop them up for bottom and tops.
Hi! Did you try my recipe? Just wondering why it’s rated 4 stars if you didn’t make it.
I’m at 3500 ft and wgen using a cabdy thermometer I generally decrease the final temp by 2° F for each 1000 ft. So if the recipe calls for a temp of 238F when I make caramels, I cook to 232 or 233F, otherwise my caramels are hard instead of soft.
Holy Moley, I need this!