I have made this homemade toffee as long as I can remember. It it crunchy and buttery and sweet and delicious. The toffee and chocolate are a perfect dessert combination. You only need 3 ingredients to make it (4 if you want nuts), and the process is super easy. This homemade toffee makes a great gift, or a great additional to a holiday cookie tray.
You do need either a candy thermometer or an instant read thermometer for this. I think a candy thermometer works best, especially if you are new to candy making, but an instant read thermometer also does the trick if you’ve got one. You just have to be careful you don’t let the toffee get too hot.
Correct temperature is absolutely key to this recipe, as the texture of the toffee is totally contingent on getting it to the right temp. If it goes to high it will burn, and if it doesn’t go high enough you get a more crumbly texture, not the crisp toffee you want. You need to be at hard crack temp which is 305-310.
You can use any kind of toasted nuts in this and it is great. My family prefers no nuts so I usually make it that way. You can also top with any kind of chocolate. I prefer semi sweet because it is a nice offset to the sweetness of the toffee.
Homemade Toffee
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips or chopped chocolate or reg choc chips
- 1/2 cup toasted nuts any kind, optional
- pan spray or butter to grease the pan
Instructions
- Heat the butter and brown sugar over medium in a heavy bottom pan.
- Spray an 8×8 pan with pan spray or grease with butter.
- Stir the butter and sugar while it melts, and then once it is fully combined allow it to start to boil. Stir once and then don't touch it other than to take the temp.
- Boil until it reaches the hard crack stage at 310.
- Pour immediately into greased pan. Allow to cool for 1 minute.
- Sprinkle chocolate over and place a cookie sheet on top of the pan to help the chocolate melt. Use an offset spatula to spread the chocolate evenly.
- Gently score the toffee into squares. You don't need to cut all the way through, you are just helping to give it a guide as to where to break apart. You can skip this if you prefer irregular pieces of toffee. I kind of like how they look when just randomly broken up.
- Allow to fully cool. Once it is mostly cooled you can put it in the fridge to speed it up.
- Break into pieces. Stores well at room temp or in the fridge or freezer.