Old-fashioned Classic Toffee

This classic old-fashioned toffee recipe is a holiday and family favorite. It is easy to make and results in the best sweet caramel flavor that toffee is.  Covered in semi-sweet chocolate and slivered almonds throughout make for the most amazing homemade toffee recipe.  Anyone that loves Health bars or Almond Roca will love this homemade toffee recipe.

Toffee is a great make-ahead candy that is easy to make and wonderful for giving as a holiday gift.  This recipe is a no-bake dessert that stores well for a long time so you can make it even weeks before serving or wrapping it up as gifts. Simply store it in an air-tight container in your refrigerator until you are ready to enjoy it.

Old-fashioned Classic Toffee plated and stacked

Ingredients for Homemade Toffee

This recipe is a simple dessert that only needs 4 ingredients.  You will need salted butter, white sugar, semi-sweet mini chocolate chips, and almonds.  It includes nuts in this toffee recipe but you can make this with no nuts.  Now it is only 3 ingredients for the best homemade toffee.

For the nuts, I am using slivered almonds. You can also use sliced almonds (both pictured below) but other nuts work as well. For this toffee recipe, you can use almonds, peanuts, cashews, pecans, or a combination of any of these nuts and it will be very tasty.

Different Between English Toffee and Regular Toffee

I am sure you have heard the term English toffee before and have wondered what is the difference between that and just regular toffee.  What makes a recipe English toffee?  The main difference is in the type of sugar used.  English toffee traditionally uses brown sugar and other toffee recipes, such as this one, use white granulated sugar for the candy base.

Also if it is dipped in chocolate and includes nuts, it is not English toffee.  It is what is also known as buttercrunch. So you can call this recipe toffee or buttercrunch, either way, it is not a traditional English toffee but it is so good whatever you want to call it.

For more check out the History of Toffee.

Old-fashioned Classic Toffee ingredients

Making Homemade Toffee

The key to making any homemade candy, like toffee, is to have an accurate candy thermometer.  You will need to make sure the candy gets to the soft crack stage so that it sets when it cooks and has a brittle crunchy texture that you can still bite through easily.

In a large saucepan, melt butter and sugar over medium-high heat. Insert a candy thermometer to the side of your pot or have it handy for checking throughout the cooking. Allow it to come to a boil and stir.

Salted butter and sugar coming to a boil

Prep the Baking Sheet with Almonds

Just after all is melted and it is just beginning to heat up, prep the baking sheet. LIne a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Spread ¾ C of the sliver almonds evenly over the foiled baking sheet. Reserve the remaining almonds and chop them into smaller pieces - this will be for the top of the toffee later.

Prepare the baking sheet

Cook to a Soft Crack with a Rich Medium-Brown/Amber Color

Stir continuously over the next 15-20 minutes. It will darken over time and once it is a medium-brown color with hints of brown/red (amber) check the reading on your candy thermometer. You want it at the SOFT CRACK heat which is 280-285°.  It should look similar to the photo below and be bubbling continuously and has risen in the pot as it expands and thickens.

Old-fashioned Classic Toffee light brown and almost ready

As soon as it reaches 280-285°, safely pour the toffee evenly over the almonds on the prepared baking sheet.

Pouring onto the baking sheet with nuts

Melt Chocolate & Add Toppings Over the Toffee Layer

Immediately sprinkle the mini chocolate chips over the layer of hot toffee. Make sure the chips cover the entire surface. Wait about a minute as the chocolate will melt from the heat of the hot toffee. It will then be easy to spread as it melts by using a rubber spatula as shown in the photos below. Spread the chocolate evenly in a thin layer.

Spreading the melting chocolate chips

Immediately sprinkle the finely chopped almonds over the chocolate layer. If you are also adding sea salt flakes, now is the time to sprinkle that on the top as well.

Topped with almonds and sea salt

Cool and Chop the Finished Old-fashioned Classic Toffee

Old-fashioned Classic Toffee broken into squares

Store and Gift-Giving Homemade Toffee

Store in an air-tight container in your refrigerator. Toffee is great to make ahead for all those goodie bags, cookies, and candy plates that are delivered to neighbors, friends, and family.  Do not give it all away, keep some for yourself!!!  This can last for months if stored correctly. The chocolate may begin to get a white hue to it as it is cold in the refrigerator but it is still delicious.

Another great holiday recipe that you will want to make every Christmas is my peanut butter balls.  They are no-bake and amazing for gift-giving any time of year. You must check out the recipe for OLD-FASHIONED PEANUT BUTTER BALLS.

While chopping, a lot of tiny bits end up in the pan or on the cutting board. SAVE THEM!  We love to munch on them and especially to sprinkle them on top of ice cream sundaes just like Ben & Jerry's Heath Bar Crunch ice cream.

Toffee pieces and leftover small bits in a bowl

PIN FOR SAFEKEEPING & SHARING!

Old-fashioned Classic Toffee PIN

Product Recommendations for this Recipe:

The Short Order Cook is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.  If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission on the sale at no additional cost to you. This helps with the costs of running the blog. Thank you! 

Old-Fashioned Classic Toffee

Angela

This classic old-fashioned toffee recipe is a holiday and family favorite. It is easy to make and results in the best sweet caramel flavor that toffee is plus a chocolate layer and slivered almonds.

5 from 4 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Cooling Time 45 mins

Total Time 1 hr 10 mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 24

Equipment

• Candy Thermometer

Ingredients

  

• 2 C salted butter
• 2 C white granulated sugar
• 1 10 oz pkg semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
• 1 C slivered or sliced almonds
• 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes optional

Instructions

 

• In a large saucepan, melt butter and sugar over medium-high heat. Insert candy thermometer to the side of your pot or have handy for checking throughout the cooking. Allow it to come to a boil and stir.
• Just after all is melted and it is just beginning to heat up, prep the baking sheet. LIne a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Spread ¾ C of the sliver almonds evenly over the foiled baking sheet. Reserve the remaining almonds and chop them into smaller pieces - this will be for the top of the toffee later.
• Stir continuously over the next 15-20 minutes. It will darken over time and once it is a medium-brown color with hints of brown/red (amber) check the reading on your candy thermometer. You want it at the SOFT CRACK heat which is 280-285°.
• As soon as it reaches 280-285°, safely pour the toffee evenly over the almonds on the prepared baking sheet.
• Immediately sprinkle the mini chocolate chips over the layer of hot toffee. Make sure the chips cover the entire surface. Wait about a minute as the chocolate will melt from the heat of the hot toffee. It will then be easy to spread as it melts by using a rubber spatula as shown in the photos above. Spread the chocolate evenly in a thin layer.
• Immediately sprinkle the finely chopped almonds over the chocolate layer. If you are also adding sea salt flakes, now is the time to sprinkle that on the top as well.
• Let the baking sheet rest in a cool place. If your house is warm, it will not set completely and may need to go into the refrigerator to set completely. It should take about 45 minutes for the toffee to harden and the chocolate to set.
• Once the toffee is set and cool, you can begin chopping or chipping away to make pieces. Lift the foil out of the baking sheet and peel the foil off or simply place the toffee and foil directly onto a cutting board. I use the sharp tip of a knife to press down and make jagged pieces. You can also use your hands but for me, it is more controlled with the cutting board and knife method.
• Store in an air-tight container in your refrigerator. This can last for months if stored correctly. The chocolate may begin to get a white hue to it as it is cold in the refrigerator but it is still delicious. (any small bits that collect - SAVE - great for adding to ice cream sundaes)

Notes

Servings Per Recipe: 24
Calories: 226

% Daily Value *

Protein: 1.5g3 %

Carbohydrates: 20g7 %

Dietary Fiber: 1.1g5 %

Fat: 16.9g26 %

Saturated Fat: 9.3g47 %

Cholesterol: 30.5mg10 %

Vitamin A Iu: 355IU7 %

Niacin Equivalents: 0.5mg4 %

Folate: 3.1mcg1 %

Calcium: 17.9mg2 %

Iron: 0.5mg3 %

Keyword candy, chocolate, christmas, easy, gluten-free, grain-free, holiday, kid favorite, no bake, special occasion

Did you make this The Short Order Cook Recipe?

Tag @theshortordercookblog (Instagram & Facebook) or @shortorder_cook (Twitter). 

I would love to see your latest creations and kitchen adventures.