English Toffee
This English toffee is buttery, chocolatey, and made with everyday ingredients. It makes a wonderful gift around the holidays!
Love making homemade candy and treats? Try my snickerdoodle truffles, turtle candies, and saltine cracker candy.
Why you’ll love it
This English toffee recipe has been on the site since 2015 and has been updated with new photos a couple of times. Anytime I update it, the recipe stays the same and for good reason. My readers love it! This is a recipe that they come back to every holiday season without fail.
English toffee is one of those Christmas candies that has some flexibility in terms of toppings. It’s also so cute wrapped in festive cellophane and a holiday ribbon.
It’s great for gift giving and lasts several days on the countertop or in the fridge. I try to make a batch at least once a year right around Christmas since it’s one of my favorites.
What you’ll need
Equipment for this recipe
How to make English toffee
This is a brief overview with step-by-step photos. The full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions is in the recipe card below.
Grease a large baking sheet with butter or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set it aside. In a medium saucepan over low–medium heat combine the sugar, butter, water, vanilla, and salt. Stir occasionally to keep the sugar from scorching.
The mixture will start to boil and foam as it cooks. After several minutes, amber streaks will appear and the toffee will begin to pull away from the edges of the pan, usually around the 17–23 minute mark.
When the toffee turns a deep amber color, it’s ready. If you’re using a thermometer, it should read right around 290°F. Take it off the heat and carefully pour it onto the prepared baking sheet. Let it cool for several minutes before moving onto the next step.
Add the chocolate chips to a microwave-safe bowl and warm in 15–second intervals until completely melted. Spread the melted chocolate over the cooled toffee in an even layer. Sprinkle with chopped nuts, and gently press them into the chocolate.
Chill the toffee in the fridge for about 30 minutes until the chocolate sets. Break into pieces, and serve!
Helpful Tips
Substitutions and Variations
How to Store Leftovers
Store English toffee in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. It will keep for about 2 weeks.
More Christmas Dessert Recipes
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Ingredients
Toffee
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes (at room temperature)
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt, omit if using salted butter
Topping
- 10 ounces chocolate chips, any variety
- 1 cup walnuts, chopped
Instructions
- Prepare a large baking sheet, by greasing it with butter or spraying with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan over low-medium heat, melt the sugar, butter, water, vanilla, and salt. Stir constantly to ensure the sugar doesn't burn.1 ¼ cups granulated sugar1 cup unsalted butter3 tablespoons water1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract½ teaspoon salt
- The mixture will come to a boil and begin to foam. As the toffee cooks, it will begin to have streaks of amber brown throughout and pull away from the sides of the pan, about 17–23 minutes.
- Once the candy turns dark amber in color and releases small puffs of smoke (if using a thermometer, if should read 290°F), remove from heat and pour onto the prepared baking sheet. Allow the mixture to cool completely.
- Place the chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl and heat, stirring every 15 seconds until all chips are melted and smooth.10 ounces chocolate chips
- Pour melted chocolate over cooled toffee, and smooth into an even layer. Sprinkle with nuts, and lightly press them into chocolate.1 cup walnuts
- Place the toffee in the refrigerator about 30 minutes to set. Break the toffee into pieces, and enjoy!
Suggested Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Meet Kimberly
Hi, I’m Kimberly Vargo! Comfort food is at the heart of everything I make like easy dinners and sides to desserts, cocktails, and condiments. A lot of my inspiration comes from old family recipes, personal favorites, and vintage cookbooks.
