English Toffee

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!

Jump to:

• Why You’ll Love This English Toffee Recipe
• Ingredients
• Variations
• How to Make English Toffee
• Serving Suggestions
• Expert Tips
• Recipe FAQs
• More Delicious Sweet Treats
• Don't Be Shy!
• English Toffee

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

More Delicious Sweet Treats

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