|

Easy Homemade Toffee

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share a commission.

Easy Homemade Toffee is the ultimate holiday treat and comes straight from my mom’s kitchen. Only eight ingredients, a little finesse, and some patience to the BEST toffee ever!

Tis the season for Holiday Cookie Platters! We love including No Bake Peanut Butter BallsEasy Cut Out Sugar CookiesVanilla Bean Shortbread Cookies, and Soft and Chewy Gingersnap Cookies.

A side shot of a white bowl filled with toffee, on a gray tray with brick wall in the background.

Best Toffee

My Easy Homemade Toffee recipe is brought to you from Norma Jean, my beautiful mother, who loved to cook and bake. She was a natural in the kitchen, and baking was her specialty, as you can see from her collection of recipes on here – Norma Jean’s Kitchen. I’m so proud to be able to re-create some of her dishes, and preserve them for the foreseeable future.

Save This Recipe Form

Want to save this recipe?

Enter your email below & we'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get more great recipes and tips from us each week!

If you love the flavor of toffee, try my Coffee Toffee Ice Cream and my Brown Butter Toffee Cookies next!

Ingredients Used

  • Butter – You’ll need a pound of unsalted butter for this recipe, or four sticks.
  • Sugar – Granulated sugar is used.
  • White Syrup – Just a little bit of white syrup is required.
  • Water
  • Salt – I use a little kosher salt in the recipe, plus more for topping.
  • Chocolate Bars – You’ll need 17 ounces of chocolate. I normally use Hershey’s chocolate bars (with almonds).
  • Toppings – You can sprinkle the top of this toffee with sunflower seeds or any type of nuts.
Overhead process shots of 1) the toffee ingredients on a gray tray, 2) the toffee mixture boiling in a pan with a candy thermometer attached, 3) the toffee mixture in a baking sheet with chocolate bars on top, and 4) the finished toffee, sprinkled with nuts.

Expert Tips to make the BEST Toffee

  1. Use a good candy thermometer. Follow the directions and clip it to your pan before you begin cooking. Make sure the tip is NOT touching the bottom of the pan! <—- IMPORTANT
  2. When the butter is melted, add the sugar, salt, syrup, and water. Cook on medium high until the candy thermometer reaches 305 degrees.
  3. Be patient while the toffee mixture cooks. It will take approximately 15 – 20 minutes for it to reach the desired temperature. Stir frequently, watching the candy thermometer as it climbs.
  4. Don’t be tempted to turn the heat up over medium high heat. Be patient.
  5. Watch the thermometer very close, and pull the pan off the heat immediately as it reaches 305 degrees.
  6. Immediately pour the toffee mixture into a prepared baking sheet (lined with parchment paper).
  7. Lay the chocolate bars on top, spread it around evenly, and top with nuts of your choice (or none at all).
Close-up shot of my hand holding a stack of five pieces of toffee, with a brick wall in the background.

Kitchen Tools used for this recipe:

Make this cookie recipe next: Best Ever Peanut Butter Cookies

xoxo ~Sue

A side shot of a white bowl filled with toffee, on a gray tray with brick wall in the background.

Easy Homemade Toffee

Easy Homemade Toffee is the ultimate holiday treat and comes straight from my mom's kitchen. Only eight ingredients, a little finesse, and some patience to the BEST toffee ever!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 30 pieces
Calories: 246kcal
Author: Sue Ringsdorf

Ingredients

  • 1 pound unsalted butter
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons white corn syrup
  • 6 Tablespoons water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 17 ounces Hershey’s milk chocolate bars (with almonds, optional) – I use four 4.25 ounce bars
  • sunflower seeds/pumpkin seeds – to sprinkle over top (can be any or no nuts)
  • sprinkle of kosher salt

Instructions

  • Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • Melt the butter in a medium pan. Add the sugar, syrup, water and salt and turn heat to medium high. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and then continue cooking over medium high heat until it becomes an almond color and the candy thermometer reaches 305 degrees. This process should take approximately 15 – 20 minutes. Be careful, because it is VERY easy to burn.
  • Pour mixture in prepared baking sheet, and even it out with a spoon.
  • Lay four large Hershey’s candy bars on top. Wait a minute and then as the chocolate melts, spread it around evenly with a spoon. Top with some additional nuts (any kind you like or none at all) and a sprinkle of kosher salt.
  • Place in freezer for approximately 45 minutes.
  • Remove from freezer and break the toffee apart with your hands. Store in airtight container.

Notes

  1. Make sure you use a candy thermometer, and clip it on to the pan, so that it does NOT touch the bottom of the pan.
  2. Be patient as the mixture cooks, and don’t turn the heat up over medium high (to avoid burning).
  3. The toffee mixture is done at 305 degrees.
  4. Store your toffee in an airtight container, in the refrigerator (for best results)
  5. This toffee freezes well for several months.

Nutrition

Calories: 246kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 44mg | Potassium: 51mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 378IU | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @Suebeehomemaker or tag #suebeehomemaker!

8 Comments

  1. I love your blog and your tribute to your mother. I’m going to make her recipe when it starts getting chilly out. I’ll post during the event, thank you!

    1. Suebee Homemaker says:

      Hi Lissa! Thank you so much for your sweet words. Let me know how the toffee turns out!

  2. Julie Ann Kerr says:

    What is the white syrup you used? Homemade or store bought? Light kayro? I’m excited to try this!

    1. Suebee Homemaker says:

      Yes, Karo syrup, like in the picture above! Enjoy!!

  3. YUM! These look absolutely delicious and so easy to make!

    1. Suebee Homemaker says:

      Thanks Natalie! I hope you try them! 🙂

  4. Norma Jean rocked this recipe and it was not an official Christmas season until I had a helping or 2! If you are having a party or a family gathering, this will be a hit and everyone will be impressed.

    Suggestion – Reread tip #1 from above. Especially, if you are on dish patrol or the clean-up crew!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating