The BEST English Toffee Recipe That Everyone Will Love (2024)

My husband’s aunt makes the BESTcandy each Christmas- English toffee, peanut brittle, and homemade caramel are always abundant around this time of year. This year I am making lotsof homemade candy to pass out too, and this English toffee is always tops on my favorite Christmas candy list!

Today I’m sharing my favorite English toffee recipe that tastes amazingly delicious and is so addicting! Everyone I’ve shared this easy English toffee recipe with absolutely loves it.

How to Make English Toffee

Homemade toffee is really quite easy to make, it just takes a little patience. I’ll walk you throughthe whole process.

You don’t HAVE to have a candy thermometer to make this recipe, but it definitely will help if you do have one.

There are other ways to test if your candy is cooked to the right point, but I always find the most accurate results when I use my candy thermometer.

English Toffee Ingredients

  • butter
  • sugar
  • salt
  • semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • almonds or pecans, finely chopped

I used amix of nuts for the nuts on top of my toffee, because I like the combination of flavors.

Any nuts will work, as long as they are finely chopped.

Steps to Making English Toffee

First the butter, sugar, and salt will all go in a large heavy saucepan. Candy making requires a nice heavy pot, so use the best quality pot you have.

You’ll cook over medium heat let the mixture to come to a steady boil, stirring constantly. It’s important that you keep stirring constantly for the English toffee to turn out.

I always use a candy thermometer because I like to know for sure when my toffee is done. With candy making, you can go from done to burnt very quickly, so you want to make sure you’re at the right temperature.

Next you’ll pour the mixture into a foil-lined baking sheet. Let it sit for a minute or two, and then sprinkle on the chocolate chips.

Let them melt on top, then spread the chocolate out with a knife.

Sprinkle on the nuts. Now comes the hardest part… waiting!

Let the English toffee candy cool and harden, and then break into pieces.

How do I know when the English toffee is done?

When the temperature reaches 290-295 degrees it is ready to remove from the heat.

How can I tell if the toffee is done without a candy thermometer?

  • When the mixture turns a dark amber color it’s done.
  • Drop a small bit of the mixture into ice cold water. If the drip turns hard and brittle, it is done.

Doesn’t this homemade Enligh toffee look amazing?! This decadent Christmas candy is rich and has a nice crunch to it.

The smooth chocolate top balances the crunchy, buttery toffee and the chopped nuts on top.

You can break up this English toffee in as big or as small of pieces as you like.

This English toffee candy ais a wonderful treat to share with others, especially during Christmas and the holidays.

If I share mine with someone, then they KNOW I love them because this homemade toffee recipe is one of my absolute all time favorites!

Other Favorite Holiday Treats-

  • Chocolate no bake cookies
  • Andes mint cookies
  • Special K bars
  • Easy candy sleighs

These are my traditional go to favorite Christmas treats I make every single year without fail!

My mom made them every Christmas for us a child, then I learned to make them as a teenager, and now I’m passing on these same traditions to my children.

The BEST English Toffee Recipe That Everyone Will Love (8)

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The BEST English Toffee Recipe

Quick and easy English toffee recipe that makes rich, buttery English toffee in minutes. This easy candy recipe is perfect for Christmas or any other time of the year!

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time25 mins

Course: Dessert

Keyword: candy, chocolate, Christmas, Christmas candy

Servings: 24 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 cups butter
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup almonds or pecans, finely chopped

Instructions

  • Combine the butter, sugar, and salt in a large heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat and allow the mixture to come to a steady boil, stirring constantly. When it turns a dark amber color or reaches 290 degrees with a candy thermometer, it is done. You can also drop a small bit of the mixture into ice cold water, and if the drop turns hard and brittle it is done.

  • Carefully pour the mixture into a foil-lined baking sheet. Let harden for a minute or two, then sprinkle on the chocolate chips. Let them melt on top for a minute, then spread the chocolate evenly with a knife.

  • Sprinkle on the chopped nuts and press down slightly on the nuts. Let the English tofee candy cool and harden, then break into pieces. Store in an airtight container.

Originally posted in December 2014, updated in December 2018.

The BEST English Toffee Recipe That Everyone Will Love (2024)

FAQs

Which toffee is the best in the world? ›

Lotte Coffy Bite Toffee

This is the best toffee in the world that has a rich flavor of coffee.

What is the difference between toffee and English toffee? ›

Americanized toffee may include nuts, while a completely traditional British toffee will not. On the other hand, English toffee uses pure cane sugar, brown sugar, or molasses as its sweet base and always involves chocolate.

Why is my English toffee chewy? ›

Don't hurry this gradual transformation; syrup that doesn't reach 300°F, or close to it, will make candy with timid flavor and chewy (not crunchy) texture. Think you can save time by bringing the syrup to a full rolling, popping boil in order for it to darken more quickly?

Do you stir toffee constantly? ›

It's important while the toffee cooks to only stir it occasionally. Constant stirring can cause the toffee to crystallize and separate. For those of you that need to know exactly how often you should stir, I would suggest erring on the side of not stirring more than stirring.

What is the most famous English toffee? ›

World Famous English Toffee

When William Loft set up shop in 1860, he took the familiar confection, wrapped it in a soft chocolate robe, and rolled it in crushed almonds. Then he gave his American creation a new name: buttercrunch. Loft's candy was wildly successful.

What is the famous toffee in England? ›

ABOUT WALKER'S NONSUCH

Discover England's favourite toffee makers. We have been making our secret family recipe using the finest ingredients for five generations.

Why does the butter separate when making English toffee? ›

If the butterfat separates out then usually this is due to the mixture being either heated or cooled too quickly, which "shocks" the mixture and causes the fat to separate out. It can also be caused by the mixture being heated unevenly (if the pan has a thin base and has hot spots).

What is toffee called in America? ›

The English toffee eaten with regularity in America is also called buttercrunch. What's the difference? Primarily, the difference rests in the ingredients. Toffee in Britain is made with brown sugar, whereas buttercrunch is made with white granulated sugar.

What is English toffee called in England? ›

Although named English toffee, it bears little resemblance to the wide range of confectionery known as toffee currently available in the United Kingdom. However, one can still find this product in the UK under the name "butter crunch". Conversely, in Italy they are known as "mou candies".

What can go wrong when making toffee? ›

Common toffee making mistakes:
  • I started with way too high of a heat. (At least, I think this was an issue.) I set my portable cooktop at 260 degrees F.
  • I stirred too quickly. I didn't realize this could be an issue.
  • I didn't add a dash of salt. They say you can save a ruined batch of toffee by adding a dash of salt.
Dec 13, 2017

Why add baking soda to toffee? ›

You might wonder why the toffee recipe includes baking soda. It is added at the end of the boiling stage and creates lots and lots of bubbles. These bubbles help to lighten the texture of the finished toffee, resulting in an easier-to-bite candy.

What is the best pan for making toffee? ›

You need a very sturdy pan which is KEY to even heat distribution. Thinner, cheaper pans can scorch the cooking candy and/or cook it unevenly. Here are some great choices: Anolon Nouvelle Copper and Cooks Standard. I own a couple pricier copper pots because of the amount of candy I make.

Why do you add vinegar to toffee? ›

Made with just sugar and a little water, toffee is easy to make and is an easy introduction to the world of confectionary. This recipe includes a dash of vinegar which will help keep the colour of the toffee clear and bright and banish any cloudiness.

Can I use parchment paper when making toffee? ›

Tips for Making Toffee:

Before you start the recipe, line a rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. It's best to do this first because you will need to pour the finished toffee onto the prepared pan immediately.

Why do you put cream of tartar in toffee? ›

This means that as boiling continues, a portion of the sugar separates into its constituent parts—glucose and fructose. Adding cream of tartar and a dash of vinegar to a toffee recipe helps bring about this change.

What is the top 1 candy in the world? ›

Statistics About The Most Popular Candies In The World
  • Snickers is listed as the most popular candy in the world.
  • M&Ms, with annual sales of over $500 million, is the most popular candy brand in the United States.
  • In duty-free shops, Toblerone is the best selling candy.
Feb 7, 2024

Who is the king of toffee? ›

By 1896, Mackintosh was calling himself the "Toffee King" and his product "The King of All the Toffees".

Which candy is the best candy in the world? ›

CandiExotics Vegan Blackberry Filled Pencils Liquorice Gummy Candies Soft Jelly Candy 100gm
  • best chocolate. ferrero rocher. chocolate packs.
  • chocolate. lindt. fabelle chocolate.

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