Buttery, crisp homemade Almond Roca is filled with toasted almonds, coated in creamy milk chocolate, and finished with finely chopped almonds.
If you love homemade toffee, be sure to browse my Homemade Toffee Recipes collection, where you’ll also find my classic English Toffee, Christmas Crack, Disneyland-inspired Churro Toffee, and Take 5 Toffee recipes.
I’ve been making homemade English toffee every Christmas for almost 25 years. The recipe came from my aunt, who has been making it for more than 40 years, and after dozens and dozens of batches, I’ve learned exactly what makes toffee crisp, buttery, and perfectly snappy instead of soft or grainy.
Since Almond Roca is essentially almond toffee coated in chocolate and almonds, it only made sense to use that same tried-and-true recipe as the starting point. This copycat Almond Roca recipe uses toasted almonds in the buttery toffee, then coats each piece in milk chocolate and even more finely chopped toasted almonds.
What Is Almond Roca?
Almond Roca is a crunchy buttercrunch candy made with butter, sugar, chocolate, and almonds. The crisp almond toffee center is coated in chocolate and finished with finely chopped almonds.
It’s similar to traditional English toffee, but the chocolate-and-almond coating surrounds the smaller pieces of candy rather than simply being spread over the top.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- No candy thermometer required. I use timing and visual cues to know when the toffee is ready.
- Lots of toasted almonds. Toasting the almonds first brings out their flavor before adding them to the candy.
- Milk chocolate coating. Each piece is coated in creamy milk chocolate and finely chopped almonds.
- Perfect for Christmas. Homemade Almond Roca is beautiful packaged in tins, treat bags, or holiday candy boxes.
- Great for making ahead. Toffee keeps much longer than most homemade baked goods, making it perfect for holiday gifting.
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Almond Roca vs. English Toffee
Almond Roca and English toffee are very similar. Both are made with buttery hard-crack toffee, chocolate, and almonds.
The biggest difference in my recipes is how they're finished.
My classic English Toffee is poured into a thin sheet, topped with chocolate and almonds, and broken into rustic pieces.
For Homemade Almond Roca, I toast the almonds first and add roughly chopped almonds to the toffee. Once the candy hardens, I break it into smaller pieces, coat each piece in milk chocolate, and finish it with finely chopped toasted almonds.
You get layers of buttery toffee, creamy chocolate, and toasted almond flavor in every bite.
Tips and Tricks
- Don't double the recipe. My aunt taught me to make toffee in single batches, and I've followed that advice for years. Smaller batches cook more evenly and are less likely to separate.
- Toast the almonds first. Toasting brings out the natural oils and gives the almonds a deeper, nuttier flavor.
- Use whole almonds. I prefer starting with whole almonds and chopping them myself. Finely chop the almonds used for the inside and outside coating.
- Use a wooden spoon or silicone spatula. Metal spoons heat up as the candy cooks. A wooden spoon or silicone spatula doesn't conduct heat the same way.
- Use a clean, dry pan. If you're making multiple batches, start with a clean and completely dry saucepan each time.
- Cook over medium-high heat. Don't be afraid to crank up the heat once the mixture begins to simmer. This isn't a low-and-slow recipe. On my stove, I cook it at about a 6 or 7 out of 10.
- Five minutes is a guide. Every stove cooks differently. If your toffee isn't the color of a brown paper bag after five minutes, continue cooking for another minute or so.
- Don't scrape the pan. When you pour the finished toffee, leave the darker candy on the bottom of the saucepan behind.
- Let the toffee cool completely before coating it. The candy should be hard and crisp before dipping it into the melted chocolate.
Ingredients
- Whole Almonds: Toast the almonds before using them for the best flavor. Finely chop them to use in the toffee and in the outer coating.
- Butter: Use salted butter for the richest flavor and best results. I don't recommend margarine for homemade toffee.
- Granulated Sugar: Sugar caramelizes as it cooks, creating the crisp, buttery toffee center.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds warmth and enhances the caramelized flavor of the toffee.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out the buttery flavor.
- Milk Chocolate: Milk chocolate chips or melting wafers create the creamy chocolate coating. Melting wafers are especially easy to work with when dipping.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How To Make Homemade Almond Roca
Step 1: Toast the Almonds. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Spread whole almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 7–10 minutes, stirring halfway through, until lightly toasted and fragrant.
Allow the almonds to cool completely.
Step 2: Chop almonds. Finely chop the almonds. Set aside.
Step 3: Prepare baking sheet. Line a baking sheet with foil.
Step 4: Make the Toffee. Heat the butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until the butter melts.
Increase the heat to medium-high and stir constantly until the mixture comes to a boil.
Step 5: Cook Toffee. Once the mixture reaches a rolling boil, set a timer for 5 minutes and continue stirring constantly.
Step 6: Continue cooking until the color is that of a brown paper bag. The mixture will gradually change from yellow to light brown and become frothy.
Continue cooking until the toffee reaches the color of a brown paper bag. Five minutes is a guide, so if it needs another minute or so, keep cooking and stirring. If the mixture starts to slightly smoke, lift the pan from the heat for a few seconds, but KEEP STIRRING.
Step 7: Add chopped almonds. Remove from heat. Pour ½ cup of chopped almonds into the hot toffee.
Step 8: Pour hot toffee. Do not scrape the toffee from the bottom of the pan; simply pour it onto the foil-lined baking sheet. Allow the toffee to cool completely and harden.
Step 9: Break into pieces. Once cool, break the toffee into small, bite-sized pieces.
Step 10: Coat the toffee in chocolate. Melt the milk chocolate chips or melting wafers in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval until smooth.
Dip each piece of almond toffee into the melted milk chocolate. Tap off any excess chocolate.
Step 11: Coat the toffee in almonds. Spread the remaining chopped almonds onto a baking sheet or plate. Immediately after dipping each piece in chocolate, place it in the almonds. Use a fork to flip the candy, covering both sides with almonds, then transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet to set.
Step 12: Let the Chocolate Set. Allow the chocolate to harden completely before transferring the candy to an airtight container.
Homemade Almond Roca FAQs
Almond Roca is a buttercrunch candy made with crisp almond toffee, chocolate, and almonds. The combination of buttery caramelized candy, creamy chocolate, and toasted nuts gives it its signature flavor and texture.
They're very similar. Both contain a crisp butter-and-sugar toffee along with chocolate and almonds. My English toffee is made in a sheet with chocolate and almonds spread over the top, while this Almond Roca is broken into smaller pieces and coated in chocolate and finely chopped, toasted almonds.
Yes. I recommend toasting the almonds because it deepens their flavor and makes them even crunchier. Bake whole almonds at 350°F for 7–10 minutes, stirring halfway through.
I prefer starting with whole almonds and chopping them myself. Toast the whole almonds first, let them cool, then finely chop them. Some of the almonds are stirred directly into the hot toffee, and the rest are used to coat the chocolate-covered pieces.
No. I've made the toffee base for more than 20 years without one. Cook over medium-high heat while stirring constantly until the mixture reaches the color of a brown paper bag.
Soft toffee usually means it wasn't cooked long enough. Five minutes is only a guide. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a rich brown-paper-bag color. Properly cooked toffee will become crisp and snap when cooled.
Butter separation can happen when the heat is too low, the mixture isn't stirred constantly, or the recipe is doubled. I recommend making one batch at a time and cooking over medium-high heat while stirring continuously.
Yes. I prefer milk chocolate for this recipe, but semi-sweet or dark chocolate can be substituted if you prefer a less sweet chocolate coating.
Store the candy in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.
Yes. Store it in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to two months. Allow it to come to room temperature in the container before opening to help prevent condensation from forming on the chocolate.
More Homemade Toffee Recipes
Love homemade toffee? This Homemade Almond Roca starts with the same tried-and-true recipe behind my Homemade Toffee Recipes collection.
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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
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- pinch salt
- 2 cups almonds
- 2 cups chocolate chips or melting chocolate
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with foil. Cover with almonds and roast at 35o degrees for 7-10 minutes, until fragrant. Cool completely. Transfer the almonds to a cutting board or chopper and finely chop them. Set the foil-lined baking sheet aside to use for the toffee.
- 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 the burner (while you are still stirring) to remove it from the heat, but still stir until your timer goes off.Remove from the heat and stir in ½ cup of chopped almonds.
- Immediately pour hot toffee onto your foil-lined baking sheet.
- The toffee will be about ¼-1/2" 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 the toffee harden and cool completely. Break into small bite-sized pieces.
- Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler or microwave until smooth.Spread the remaining almonds onto a baking sheet or plate.
- Dip each piece of toffee into the chocolate, using a fork. Tap off excess chocolate. Immediately coat both sides with chopped almonds, using a fork to flip each piece over, and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet to set.You can speed up the cooling process by refrigerating the baking sheet of toffee for 15-20 minutes.
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.
- 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.
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