This decadent English Toffee is perfectly buttery and crunchy with a layer of rich chocolate and roasted nuts on top. Whether you plan on gifting it to family and friends or saving it to satisfy your own sweet tooth, this toffee is the ultimate treat for the holiday season!
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Why You’ll Love This English Toffee Recipe
- Perfect Flavor and Texture: Buttery toffee, smooth chocolate, and crunchy nuts create a delightful combination of flavors and textures for an irresistible treat.
- Great for Gifting: This English toffee candy makes the perfect homemade holiday gift for family, friends, neighbors, teachers, and more.
- Simple Ingredients: You only need a handful of kitchen staples plus some roasted hazelnuts to make this homemade English toffee.
For more homemade candy recipes, check out our Sea Salt Caramels, Old-Fashioned Fudge, and Peanut Brittle next.
Ingredients
Here’s a look at everything you’ll need to make the best English toffee!
- Butter: Gives the toffee its rich, creamy flavor and smooth texture
- Granulated Sugar: Provides sweetness and forms the hard candy base for the toffee.
- Water: Helps dissolve the sugar and evaporates during cooking, allowing the candy to thicken.
- Corn Syrup: Helps stabilize the candy mixture during cooking and creates a smooth texture.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: These melt over the warm toffee, creating a creamy chocolate layer.
- Roasted Hazelnuts or Almonds: Add crunch and a nutty flavor. You can buy these already roasted or roast them yourself.
- Kosher Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the overall flavor of the candy.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Nut-Free: Swap the nuts for toasted coconut, crushed pretzels, or colorful sprinkles for a nut-free version.
- Change up the Nuts: You can also use pistachios, pecans, or peanuts to create a different flavor profile.
- Switch up the Salt: Use some flaky sea salt instead of the kosher salt for a more pronounced sweet and salty contrast.
- Try Different Chocolate: For a deeper chocolate flavor, try using dark chocolate chips with a higher percentage of cacao. You can also sweeten things up by using white chocolate chips instead.
How to Make English Toffee
To get started making this English butter toffee, grease a jelly roll pan or line it with parchment paper.
- Step 1: Start the toffee candy. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed pot, and then add the sugar, water, and corn syrup.
- Step 2: Cook the mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. When the candy begins to darken in color, insert your candy thermometer and keep cooking until it reaches 285°F.
- Step 3: Transfer the candy to the pan. When the candy is ready, pour it into the prepared jelly roll pan, spreading it out to the edges.
- Step 4: Add the chocolate chips. After 2 minutes, sprinkle the chocolate chips on top of the toffee in the pan. Wait an additional 2 minutes, and then spread the chocolate around with a spatula to cover the layer of toffee.
- Step 5: Top with nuts and salt. Add the nuts and kosher salt on top of the chocolate. Allow the toffee to cool and the chocolate to set for about 2 hours at room temperature before breaking into pieces.
Serving Suggestions
There are so many great ways to serve and enjoy this delicious English toffee. Here are some ideas:
- Wrap it up and give it to family, friends, your next door neighbor, your kids’ teachers, the mailman, or anyone else on your holiday list! Feel free to make an assortment of homemade treats including these Candied Pecans and these Ginger Molasses Cookies, and be sure to check out these Holiday Packaging Ideas too!
- Indulge in some rich toffee with a hot Milk Steamer to warm you up on a chilly day.
- Serve the toffee as part of a festive dessert tray along with some Peppermint Fudge and Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes.
Expert Tips
- Don’t scrape the sides: Avoid scraping the sides of the pot when stirring the candy mixture because it can cause crystallization, making your toffee grainy instead of smooth..
- Place in the freezer for faster chilling: If you need your toffee to set faster, pop the tray in the freezer once it’s reached room temperature to speed up the process.
- Storing: Store the toffee pieces in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Be sure to keep it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. You can also refrigerate it for up to a month or freeze it for up to 3 months. Allow it to come to room temperature before serving.
Recipe FAQs
Can I make this without a candy thermometer?
If you don’t have a candy thermometer, drop a bit of the toffee mixture into ice-cold water, let it cool for 10 seconds, and then roll it between your fingers. If it easily rolls into a tight ball, it's ready. If it's still loose and stretchy, it needs more time.
How do I break the toffee into pieces?
You can either use your hands to crack apart the toffee or the back of a knife. Place the toffee onto a cutting board and tap it with the knife handle to break it up.
More Delicious Sweet Treats
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English Toffee
This English Toffee is perfectly rich, buttery, and crunchy and topped with a layer of chocolate and roasted hazelnuts for a delightful flavor combination.
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Rate
Servings: 20 servings
Calories: 382kcal
Ingredients
- 1 lb butter
- 2 ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup corn syrup
- 1 10-ounce bag semi sweet chocolate chips
- ¾ cup roasted hazelnuts can sub almonds
- kosher salt
Instructions
- Grease jelly roll pan with butter, or line with parchment paper.
- Melt butter in large heavy-bottomed pot, add sugar, water, and corn syrup. Stir over medium heat frequently until it reaches the hard crack stage, or 285 degrees. Stir the bottom only, not the sides to prevent crystals. Place candy thermometer in candy once mixture begins to darken in color, almost amber in color. To ensure candy is ready, drop a bit into ice-cold water and roll it between your fingers (let it cool for 10 seconds or so). If it easily rolls into a tight ball, it's ready. If it's still loose and stretchy, it needs more time.
- Pour candy into sheet pan once it's reached the hard crack stage. Don't scrape the sides. Spread candy out to reach the edges of the pan. After a couple minutes, sprinkle the chocolate over the hot candy. Let it heat up, and after another 2 minutes, spread it gently with a spatula to cover the chocolate. Sprinkle the chopped nuts and kosher salt, let pan cool. After 2 hours (can place in freezer once it reaches room temperature), break into pieces.
Video
Notes
- Don’t scrape the sides: Avoid scraping the sides of the pot when stirring the candy mixture because it can cause crystallization, making your toffee grainy instead of smooth..
- Place in the freezer for faster chilling: If you need your toffee to set faster, pop the tray in the freezer once it’s reached room temperature to speed up the process.
- Storing: Store the toffee pieces in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Be sure to keep it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. You can also refrigerate it for up to a month or freeze it for up to 3 months. Allow it to come to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 382kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 167mg | Potassium: 116mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 574IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg
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Crissy says
This was my first time making toffee and it was so easy. My toffee turned out just like the stuff I buy from the local farmers market. It’s so delicious! I followed the recipe exactly and used a candy thermometer to make sure I got the temp to hard crack. I’ll be making this for my holiday baskets this year. I wish I could share the pictures.
Desarae says
yay! that makes me so happy! If you want to share pictures tag us on instagram :)
Jill says
Dang this looks SO good! I failed miserably last time I tried toffee. Going to give this a shot - thanks for the tips!
Miranda Taylor says
Definitely will have to try these soon! Toffee is the best thing ever!!
Emily Rogers says
Oh my gosh! This looks amazing. My mouth is watering right now!
Itzel Ruizesparza says
Making this tonight, for our Christmas movie night.
Lori SextonLeal says
Oh my goodness, English Toffee...HAZELNUT English Toffee! I don't think I could ever put this down. I contemplating how delicious this would be with coffee for breakfast ;) Also, what a great gift idea for the holidays! I'm picturing festive tins and happy friends, love it!! :) xo, Lori
Karly says
I'm going to make this under the guise of giving it to family and friends - but let's be real. I'm going to eat it all myself. ;)