This classic Buttery English Toffee combines sweet, crunchy buttery toffee with a thick layer of milk chocolate, topped off with toasted almonds. It’s an unbelievably simple recipe that will have you making this delicious old-fashioned candy in no time.
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The Best Classic English Toffee
Our recipe for Buttery English Toffee will remind you of the stuff your grandma used to make. It’s a classic version of this favorite homemade Christmas candy treat that is surprisingly simple to make. All you need are a few ingredients, a candy thermometer and these step-by-step instructions.
If you are someone who likes to gift homemade treats around the holidays, tuck a few pieces inside a cute little tin for the perfect present to give to neighbors, teachers, family or friends. Also, even though it’s technically a candy, Buttery English Toffee makes a great addition to cookie plates or cookie exchanges. This recipe can be easily doubled, so feel free to go nuts (pun intended)!
What is the Best Chocolate to Use?
You can use regular chocolate chips from the grocery store, but if you are looking for an upgrade, we have a few ideas:
- Chocolate bars work just as well as chocolate chips, and oftentimes the quality of the chocolate is much better. All you need to do is chop the chocolate bars up into smaller pieces before using as you would normally. We prefer to use Peter's Chocolate, but you can use your favorite brand. Trader Joe's also has a one-pound chocolate bar that works great for this recipe.
- If you still want to use chocolate chips, there are some higher quality brands readily available. Guittard milk chocolate chips taste great!
- We typically use milk chocolate, but semi-sweet or dark chocolate would taste great. Or, even a blend of dark and milk chocolates would work if you want to get fancy.
Ingredients in Buttery English Toffee
- Almonds - these should be lightly toasted and chopped. You can substitute chopped pecans or walnuts if you like.
- Butter - either salted or unsalted butter would taste great.
- Sugar - use regular white granulated sugar.
- Water
- Corn Syrup - this helps make sure that your toffee doesn’t crystallize.
- Vanilla Extract - pure vanilla extract tastes best.
- Chocolate Chips - we like to use milk chocolate, but both dark chocolate and semi sweet would also taste good.
How to Make Buttery English Toffee
- Toast nuts. To toast nuts, spread them evenly in a baking pan and bake for about 10 minutes, stirring halfway through the cooking time. Once they are fragrant and golden brown, remove from the oven, let the nuts cool and then coarsely chop. Set aside.
- Make toffee. Meanwhile, in a heavy saucepan over medium high heat, melt butter and add the sugar, water and corn syrup. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Continue to stir and cook sugar mixture until it reaches 300 degrees F on a candy thermometer (hard crack stage). Once the candy mixture reaches 300 degrees F, take it off the heat, add vanilla and mix, then quickly pour into the prepared pan. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to spread the toffee mixture to an even thickness.
- Add chocolate layer. Let the toffee cool for 1-2 minutes, then sprinkle the chocolate chips on top, letting the hot toffee melt the chocolate.
- Finish with toasted nuts. Spread the melted chocolate evenly all over the toffee, then quickly top with the toasted chopped almonds. Let cool until solid, then put it in the fridge to continue to cool for about 20 minutes.
- Serve. Once set, remove from the fridge and slip a butter knife under the toffee to release it from the pan. Break the toffee apart into serving size pieces. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- Make sure that you cook your toffee to the correct temperature. Not only should you use a candy thermometer, but you should also make sure it works properly (it should read 212 degrees F in boiling water)! This is probably the biggest reason that your toffee wouldn’t come out right.
- Be sure and exercise patience and don’t break your toffee up too soon.
- If you don’t want to put your toffee in the fridge, you can also let it set up at room temperature overnight. By the next day it should be completely solid.
- Use a heavy-bottomed pot to avoid burning your toffee.
How to Store Homemade English Toffee
- Refrigerator: you can keep your toffee stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.
- Room Temperature: you can also store toffee in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week as long as the room is relatively cool.
- Freezer: yes, you can freeze Buttery English Toffee! Be sure and wrap extremely well so that no moisture can seep in and store for up to 2 months.
More Simple Christmas Candy Recipes
- Saltine Cracker Toffee
- Nilla Wafer Caramel Candy
- White Chocolate Cinnamon Bear Marshmallow Popcorn
- Nutella Balls
- Homemade Caramel
- Coconut Caramel Popcorn
- Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- Unicorn Hot Chocolate Bombs
- Mint Chocolate Dipped Oreos
- Peanut Butter Bars
- Peanut Butter Bars
- Nutella Ball Candy
Buttery English Toffee Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup Almonds toasted and chopped
- 1 cup Butter
- 1 cup Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Water
- 2 Tablespoons Corn Syrup
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 12-oz bag Milk Chocolate Chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees and butter a 9" x 13" baking dish.
- To toast nuts, spread them evenly in a baking dish and baking for about 10 minutes, stirring halfway through the cooking time. Once they are fragrant and golden brown, remove from the oven, let the nuts cool and then coarsely chop. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a heavy saucepan over medium high heat, combine the butter, sugar, water and corn syrup. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Continue to stir and cook sugar mixture until it reaches 300 degrees F on a candy thermometer.
- Once the candy mixture reaches 300 degrees F, take it off the heat, add vanilla and mix, then pour into the prepared buttered baking dish. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to spread the toffee mixture to an even thickness.
- Let the toffee cool for 1-2 minutes, then sprinkle the chocolate chips on top, letting the hot toffee melt the chocolate.
- Spread the melted chocolate evenly all over the toffee, then top with the toasted chopped almonds. Let cool until solid, then put it in the fridge to continue to cool for about 20 minutes.
- Slip a butter knife under the toffee mixture and then break the toffee apart, into serving size.
- Once set, remove from the fridge and slip a butter knife under the toffee to release it from the pan. Break the toffee apart into servings sizes.
- Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Enjoy!
Nutrition
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This Buttery English Toffee is a classic version of the homemade Christmas candy treat that is surprisingly simple to make. All you need are a few ingredients, a candy thermometer and these step-by-step instructions.
Virginia
I took the candy to a party this over the weekend, and at least five people asked me for the recipe! Huge hit!
Jill Baird
It's a hit every time! So glad you loved it too.