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    Home » Recipes » Desserts » Cookies » Cookie Bars

    Classic Toffee Bars Recipe

    May 7, 2025 By Brandy Leave a Comment

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    Toffee bars are a classic treat made with a few ingredients. Everything you love about English toffee in cookie bar form!

    Want the real deal? Check out our amazing toffee recipes! English toffee, churro toffee, and Take 5 toffee.

    Watch our step by step video!

    Toffee bars are a childhood favorite treat. My mom would make these, and they were so buttery and good. She would mix the chocolate chips right into the cookie dough then bake into bars. I had no idea that classic toffee bars were made by spreading the chocolate on top until I was an adult. I've made them both ways and they are equally delicious, but if you want bars that LOOK like toffee, make them the way that Betty Crocker does---with the chocolate on top.

    toffee bar squares on parchment paper

    What are toffee bars?

    Despite the name, there isn't an ounce of toffee inside these bars. They are a cookie bar with all of the same elements as English toffee: butter, sugar, chocolate, and nuts. The base is a brown sugar shortbread cookie spread with chocolate and topped with chopped pecans (or walnuts or almonds), just like toffee. If making toffee intimidates you, these are a delicious alternative.

    hand holding two classic toffee bars

    Classic Toffee Bar Ingredients

    • 1 cup butter (salted or unsalted)
    • 1 cup brown sugar
    • 1 egg
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 2 cups flour
    • 1 cup milk chocolate chips
    • ½ cup chopped nuts

    Cookie Dough Base

    Combine butter, brown sugar, an egg, and vanilla. Then add flour and salt. No leavening ingredients (baking powder or bakid soda) needed. This makes the base more like shortbread. Buttery and delicious.

    Press the dough into a 9x13" baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

    baked toffee bars sprinkled with chocolate chips

    Melting The Chocolate

    Once the cookie bars have baked until light brown, sprinkle with chocolate chips and let sit for 5 minutes. This will give the chocolate chips time to soften, no need to melt them in the microwave or double boiler.

    toffee bars spread with melted chocolate and sprinkled with chopped pecans

    Use a spatula or butter knife to spread melted chocolate evenly across the cookie bars. Sprinkled with chopped pecans, if desired. Let bars cool for 30 minutes then cut into squares (the chocolate will still be soft). Allow the chocolate to harden completely before serving.

    baking dish full of toffee bar squares

    This recipe makes at least 24 delicious bars. Cover with plastic or store in an airtight container for up to 2 days for best results.

    3 More Cookie Bar Recipes You'll Love!

    Sugar Cookie Bars

    Cake Mix Cookie Bars

    Pecan Pie Bars

     

    dish with parchment paper filled with toffee bars

    Classic Toffee Bars Recipe

    Classic Toffee Bars Recipe

    Everything you love about toffee, in cookie bar form! These pecan toffee bars are loaded with pecans and chocolate and are simply the best.
    4.50 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
    cooling: 1 hour hour
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 35 minutes minutes
    Servings: 24
    Calories: 166kcal

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup butter
    • 1 cup brown sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • 1 large egg
    • 2 cup flour
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup milk chocolate chips
    • ½ cup chopped pecans

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    • Cream butter and sugar. Mix in egg and vanilla.
    • Add dry ingredients and stir until cookie dough forms.
    • Press cookie dough into an ungreased 9x13 baking dish.
    • Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
    • Sprinkle with milk chocolate chips. Let sit 5 minutes. Spread chocolate evenly over bars.
    • Sprinkle with pecans.
    • Let cool 30 minutes. Slice into 24 bars.
    • Allow chocolate to set completely before serving.

    Notes

    This recipe makes 24 delicious bars. Cover with plastic or store in an airtight container for up to 2 days for best results.
    You can double this recipe and bake in a half sheet pan. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 166kcal
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    About Brandy

    Welcome! I'm Brandy, mother to 5 darling kiddos and a cute black lab named Toby. My husband is in the Coast Guard so we've lived all over the place, turning each house into a home. I love baking, sewing, making cute things with my kids, and sharing what I've learned with all of you!

    4.50 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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    Welcome!

    I'm Brandy! I love to create and share my ideas through easy-to-follow recipes and tutorials.

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