We’ll walk you through step-by-step, to make this Quick and Easy Toffee the most no-fuss, easy recipe for homemade toffee! It is the perfect holiday gift to delight friends and family!
This is our absolute favorite time of year. It has turned cold, and we are happily whipping up all of our favorite holiday treats. Our kids certainly don’t complain, seeing as there is a never-ending amount of cookies, fudge, caramel, and toffee. There are not enough words to adequately describe how much we love toffee. With or without nuts and chocolate chips, it doesn’t even matter. We could eat this all day, every day, for the rest of our lives. While that may not be the best idea for a multitude of reasons, you’ll be hard pressed to convince us to put down the toffee these last few months of the year. We are going to savor every single bite, and share our love of toffee with everyone we know!
What is English Toffee?
Toffee has different names in different countries. In the United States, most toffee is known as English Toffee. Where it can get confusing however, is that traditional English Toffee does not contain any nuts, yet English Toffee in the United States can contain a variety of nuts. The moral of the story is to always check toffee labels to make sure you’re getting the toffee you want.
Nuts in Quick and Easy Toffee:
Nuts are entirely optional in this recipe, however we highly recommend them. Whether you roast them in the oven or use them raw, they are absolutely delicious and add an amazing crunch to your toffee. You can leave them whole or give them a rough chop.
Cooking Stages:
There are set temperature stages in candy making to represent the texture of your finished product, depending on the type of candy you are making. Generally speaking, the lower the temperature, the softer it will be; the higher the temperature, the more firm and brittle. In this recipe, we are looking for our finished product to reach the hard crack stage of 290-300 degrees F.
Cooking Tip:
Make sure you have your pan prepped and everything ready to go before you start making the toffee. Once your toffee reaches the appropriate temperature, you need to immediately remove it from the heat so it does not continue to cook and go past that hard crack stage.
What size saucepan should I use:
When toffee is cooking on the stove, it bubbles and grows tremendously. If you have a saucepan that looks like it is probably big enough for how much toffee you’re making, consider going up a size from that! There is nothing more stressful than realizing your saucepan is too small while it is starting to bubble up!
Caramel vs. Toffee vs. Butterscotch:
Caramel, toffee, and butterscotch are very similar, but they do have some key differences. Caramel and butterscotch have an addition of cream or milk, and call for different sugars. Both are heated to a lower temperature to make them softer or liquidy depending on how you’re using the finished product. Toffee is meant to be hard and brittle, so it is cooked to a higher temperature.
Corn Syrup Substitute:
Can’t find corn syrup or want to make your own corn syrup substitute? Corn syrup is not the same product as high fructose corn syrup. It is an invert sugar that prevents crystallization in candy making. If you need to replace the corn syrup in this recipe, you’ll want to use another invert sugar that will also prevent crystalization, including:
- Honey (will impact flavor and won’t prevent crystalization as well)
- Golden Syrup
- Brown Rice Syrup
- Homemade Corn Syrup Substitute
Troubleshooting: Why does my chocolate not stick to the toffee?
The most common cause of chocolate not sticking to toffee is excess moisture on the toffee from butter seeping out. If you follow our recipe, this shouldn’t happen, but if it does and you do notice some seepage, simply blot it off with a clean dish towel or paper towel.
Storage Instructions:
Store your toffee in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 weeks, though we promise it won’t last that long!
If you like this recipe, you may be interested in these other delicious holiday dessert recipes:
- Grandma’s Homemade Caramels
- Fool Proof Homemade Fudge
- Chocolate Kiss Cookies
- Christmas Gingerbread Cake
Watch the video below where Caytlin will walk you through every step of this recipe. Sometimes it helps to have a visual, and we’ve always got you covered with our cooking show. You can find the complete collection of recipes on YouTube, Facebook Watch, or our Facebook Page, or right here on our website with their corresponding recipes.
Quick and Easy Toffee
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup salted butter
- 1/4 cup corn syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup nuts , optional
- 2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips , optional
- If using nuts, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread nuts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. This will bring on a crunchier and more flavorful, nuttier experience.
- Heat sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt in a saucepan over medium high heat.
- Stir continuously. The mixture will start to golden. We want to get it to a medium-brown shade. If using a candy thermometer, it should reach 290-300 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Once it has reached the deep golden color or a temperature of 295 degrees Fahrenheit, remove from heat and carefully add in vanilla. Stir to combine.
- Pour the mixture over the toasted nuts (optional) or directly onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
- While toffee is cooling, sprinkle chocolate chips on top and let it melt for a few minutes before using a spatula to gently spread it (optional).
- Let cool for at least 1 hour at room temperature, or in the fridge until completely cool and hardened.
- Once hardened, break into pieces and store in an airtight container.
Nutrition
