Butter, sugar, and corn syrup are cooked at a high temperature to create this buttery Homemade Toffee that melts in your mouth. I’ve added toasted pecans to this toffee mixture and then coated it all with chocolate. The taste combination is absolutely decadent and addictive. The perfect toffee to add to your holiday trays this year.

I have always wanted to put a true old-fashioned toffee recipe on my website. Up until now, I have been content with my Graham Cracker Toffee Recipe, but this year, I decided that I needed a true toffee recipe.

My kids had a teacher named Mrs. Brown in grade school and she and her husband were famous for their toffee making. I reached out to her and asked if her recipe was a secret. She told me that yes, it was, but she said that this recipe was as close as it gets. I decided this was the one I would make, and I was so grateful that I did!

Homemade Toffee

Homemade candy is easier than you think. Many people shy away from making Homemade Toffee not knowing that you only need a handful of ingredients to make this rich, decadent treat.

Are you looking for some sweet treats to serve this holiday season? This easy toffee recipe is perfect for your holiday dessert table, a holiday cookie exchange, or a hostess gift. No one will be able to resist the sweet and creamy flavor that melts in your mouth.

Homemade Toffee

If you’re like me, you’ve got a long to-do list you’ll be glad to know this toffee can be made in advance and stored until you are ready to serve it. This recipe also allows for some customization; if you prefer bittersweet chocolate to semi-sweet go for it! If you don’t like nuts, leave them out. Play around with the flavor of the toffee by adding cinnamon, espresso powder, or vanilla extract.

If you love homemade toffee, you are sure to love these toffee recipes too: Cinnamon Toffee Monkey Muffins, Giant Toffee Cookies, and Coffee Toffee Cheesecake.

Homemade Toffee

If this is your first time making toffee, fear not as I have outlined the cooking process so it’s easy to follow and foolproof. A few words of caution; resist the temptation to stir the toffee too much as this will make it crystallize and separate and don’t leave the pot unattended as it may start to burn. You will want to give this recipe your undivided attention.

Ingredients for this toffee recipe

For complete ingredients and instructions scroll to the bottom of this post for the full printable recipe card.

Sugar – White granulated sugar is used to make this toffee.
Butter – Salted or unsalted butter both work.
Water
Corn syrup – Use light corn syrup.
Walnuts or Pecans – I used pecans but you can also use walnuts, toasted.
chocolate chips – I used semi-sweet chocolate chips to create a layer of chocolate but you can also use dark or milk chocolate chips.

How to make this homemade toffee recipe

This homemade toffee recipe comes together quickly and easily with simple ingredients.

Butter two (15x10x1-inch) baking sheets or line them with parchment paper and set them aside.

Combine sugar, butter, water, and corn syrup in a heavy pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until butter is melted.

Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 25-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until a candy thermometer reaches 300°F or a small portion of the mixture dropped into cold water forms hard brittle strands.

Stir in 1 cup of the chopped nuts.

Pour mixture in an even layer into prepared pans; spread to your desired thickness.

To create the chocolate layer, sprinkle chocolate chips over each pan and let stand for 5 minutes before spreading the melted chocolate evenly over the candy.

Sprinkle the remaining nuts on top of the melted chocolate. Cool for at least 3 hours.

Use a sharp knife to cut or break the toffee into pieces.

Store the toffee pieces in an airtight container in a cool dry place, for up to 3 weeks. Toffee can also be frozen in a freezer-safe container. Thaw to room temperature before enjoying again.

Love it? Pin it!

If you love this best toffee recipe make sure that you don’t lose it! Pin it to your favorite Pinterest recipe board before you go!

FAQs about the best toffee recipe

What is the difference between English toffee and regular toffee? It seems English toffee is created without nuts, while regular toffee, made in the US contains nuts. Some sources say homemade English toffee is made with brown sugar and regular toffee, or American toffee, as we know it in the US is made with white sugar, but I haven’t been able to confirm this 100%.
What is the difference between caramel and toffee? Caramel is more liquid and does not contain butter but usually contains cream.
Why do you not stir toffee? Stirring toffee may make it crystallize and separate. You don’t want the toffee to have any sugar crystals.
What is the shelf life of homemade toffee? Homemade toffee will last for three weeks in an airtight container.

Substitutions

Remember that when it comes to making substitutions in recipes, you don’t need to be afraid to get creative and use ingredients that suit your personal taste and dietary preferences. Make it your own!

Try peanut butter chips or other flavored chips instead of chocolate chips.
Forgo the chocolate chips and use chopped chocolate; dark chocolate or milk chocolate will both work.
Swirl some nut butter on top of the toffee; peanut butter or cashew butter would both taste great.

Tips & Tricks

To add a touch more sweetness to the toffee stir in a teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Crumble toffee over cinnamon vanilla ice cream for an indulgent dessert.
Save leftover chocolate chips to make these Malted Chocolate Chip Cookies.

More Easy Candy Recipes to Love

Homemade Twix Bars (pictured above)
Peanut Butter Fudge
Peppermint Meringues
Candy Bar Fudge
White and Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark
Cinnamon Rock Candy
Homemade Caramels
Buckeye Candy

Delicious toffee is just a few simple steps away with this recipe. Rich, crunchy toffee that will melt in your mouth is hard to resist so I bet you’ll be whipping up your second batch real soon.

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Close up of Toffee pieces on a gray napkin

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