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.
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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.
FAQs
Lotte Coffy Bite Toffee
This is the best toffee in the world that has a rich flavor of coffee. Its creamy texture makes it mouthwatering to all of us. This brand also manufactures Caramilk, Lotte Eclairs, Lacto Kind, Spout gums, and Booproo.
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.
How do you keep English toffee from separating? ›
Stirring too quickly or too often can cause the toffee to separate. Moderate the heat as needed – turn it down if the toffee is boiling or cooking too fast so it doesn't burn. Cook until the toffee registers 285-290 degrees on an instant-read or candy thermometer and is deep amber brown in color, about 20-25 minutes.
Should you stir toffee while cooking? ›
Once the butter has melted, stop stirring and bring mixture to a boil. Once boiling, cook, stirring only 2 to 3 times, until it turns a dark amber color and the temperature reaches 285 degrees F (137 degrees C) on a candy thermometer, 20 to 30 minutes.
What is the difference between toffee UK and US? ›
English toffee and American toffee diverged with the preferred use of sugar type. English toffee is made with brown sugar, while American-style toffee, known as buttercrunch is made with white table sugar (granulated sugar). Buttercrunch is typically dusted with crushed almonds or other nuts.
What does baking soda do in toffee? ›
For better crunch, add baking soda
The base soda is reacting with the acid sugar, plus heat, to make tons of tiny bubbles.
Do you refrigerate English toffee? ›
+ Can it be refrigerated? Yes, but it needs to be set out of the refrigerator to bring to room temperature before serving.
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 is the best pan for making toffee? ›
This should NOT be a non-stick pan, because non-stick pans allow crystals to be pulled into the cooking toffee and will cause the batch to crystallize. The heavy pan distributes heavy evenly so the toffee cooks without burning.
Why is my English toffee grainy? ›
As the toffee cools and the molten sugar crystals become solid again, they are attracted to the 'seed' forming new lumps of tiny crystals – hence the grainy texture. This can also happen if the toffee is stirred, or agitated, after it has begun to boil or on cooling (as happened with this pink-tinted toffee).
Use chopped chocolate instead of chips, and the chocolate layer will be more likely to stick. Chocolate chips have a non-melting coating to help them keep their shape. But when they melt, the coating can prevent the chocolate from sticking to the toffee.
What does cream of tartar do in toffee? ›
Adding cream of tartar when you're making candy helps prevent the creation of sugar crystals. That's why lots of icing, syrup or candy recipes call for it: it makes it so the end product doesn't have large crunchy sugar capsules.
Can you cook toffee too long? ›
Undercooked toffee won't be anything more than a caramel sauce. But overcooked toffee will be just slightly crunchier (almost unrecognizably). So, always err on the side of over-cooking!
Do you use wax paper or parchment paper for toffee? ›
The clear winner is parchment paper for baking and cooking! It's oven-safe up to 425°F, and the non-stick properties can keep your cookies, brownies, casseroles, and more from adhering to the pan.
What is the #1 most popular candy bar? ›
Snickers is the top-selling candy bar in the United States and is produced by Mars, Inc. This classic chocolate bar is made with nougat, caramel, and peanuts, and it has been a favourite among Americans since its introduction in 1930. M&M's are small, candy-coated chocolates that are produced by Mars, Inc.
What is the world record for the most toffee? ›
The largest piece of toffee weighed 1.33 tonnes (2,940 lb) and was created by Susie's South Forty Confections, Inc of Midland, Texas, USA on 17 September 2002.
What is the number 1 hard candy? ›
Jolly Ranchers
But we still think some other varieties of candy are significantly more delicious than the beloved Jolly Ranchers. Jolly Ranchers candy is easily one of the best candy options that you can opt for. Frankly, there's a reason why Jolly Ranchers were the best-selling hard candy on Amazon as of January 2023.
What is the number one candy flavor? ›
1st Place: Cherry
Finally, the most popular hard candy flavor of all time is none other than the classic, iconic, and unforgettable taste of cherry candy.
