How to Make Butter Toffee
Looking for a delicious way to show your love? Look no further than homemade butter toffee! This sweet treat is surprisingly easy and incredibly versatile – it’s the ideal gift for any occasion, from Valentine’s Day or Christmas to birthdays, anniversaries…or even just because you care.
Surprise someone special today with this heart-warming crunchy delight.
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I have a policy with sweets and baked goods alike: they have to be worth it! I won’t waste my time with some store-bought cookie or pie.
I’m not usually a sweet eater, but when I eat something sweet and decadent, I ensure it is a worthwhile experience. It needs to be special.
Like my Rum Truffles or Coconut Truffles, this homemade butter toffee is gorgeous and delicious. With a cooking time of only 30 minutes, it’s a thoughtful, fancy gift that doesn’t require hours of effort.
Recipe Notes
Toffee only has a few ingredients, so quality really counts here—always use the highest-quality butter and chocolate.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Butter. I usually use European butter because it has a higher butterfat content. Of course, it should be unsalted to control any salt flavor. My favorite brands are Pulgra and Kerrygold.
- Chocolate. My favorite brand of baking chocolate is Guittard (affiliate link), and I use 70% cocoa for this recipe. Milk chocolate tends to be a little too sweet for this one.
- Sugar. Use granulated sugar. You can also use brown sugar, which gives this toffee an even more caramel-ly flavor.
- A Note on Keto Butter Toffee: If you are watching your carbs, you can use monk fruit sweetener. See the recipe notes.
Butter Toffee with Fleur de Sel
This crunchy butter toffee slathered with bittersweet chocolate and a sprinkle of fleur de sel is a flavor and texture heaven.
Butter Toffee with Roasted Almonds and Fleur de Sel – The Traditional
I love nuts, so this is my favorite version. The roasted almonds, deep, dark chocolate, and a little fleur de sel are what I picture when I imagine the perfect toffee experience. Just imagine crumbling a few pieces of this crunchy butter toffee over a big bowl of ice cream. 🙌 Do you need anything else in life?
How to make butter toffee
Toffee is a science, so the ingredients don’t vary much. Again, the quality of the ingredients determines the amazingness of this toffee.
This butter toffee recipe is super simple and will make you look like a classically trained confectioner, but read through the entire recipe before getting started.
You will need one piece of equipment for the toffee: a candy thermometer (this is the one I use (affiliate link)). Luckily, candy thermometers are relatively inexpensive.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Start by setting up two baking sheets. Each baking sheet should be lined with a silicone baking mat or good parchment paper (not waxed).
- Add the butter, sugar, and water to a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
- Bring everything to a boil and then reduce the heat slightly. This is the best time to place your candy thermometer in the mixture. The candy thermometer should never touch the bottom of the pan.
- Use a whisk (or a wooden spoon, but no plastic) to stir the mixture. Keep it at a low boil. It should be bubbling but not too fast.
- Continue to heat until the toffee reaches 298℉.
- Quickly remove the toffee, and carefully pour half the mixture onto each baking sheet.
- Spread the toffee using an offset spatula. Let the butter toffee cool until it is completely hard at room temperature. Blot off any excess oil with a lint-free paper towel.
- While the toffee is cooling, melt the chocolate chips. You can melt the chocolate in a double boiler or microwave it on high for 30 seconds at a time. Stir occasionally.
- Pour the melted chocolate over the toffee and spread the chocolate using an offset spatula.
- Top with chopped nuts and fleur de sel.
Pictorial Guide
Step-by-step photos for how to make butter toffee:
Step 1. Start by bringing the butter, sugar, and water to a boil. Reduce the temperature and insert your candy thermometer. Bring the mixture to 298℉.
Step 2. Carefully pour the hot butter toffee onto a Silpat. When cool, remove any excess oil by patting with a paper towel or a lint-free kitchen towel.
Step 3. Melt chocolate chips. In this photo, I’m using a double boiler, but you can also use the microwave. The trick is to melt the chocolate slowly and evenly.
Step 4. Chop and toast the almonds.
Step 5. Pour on the melted chocolate and spread.
Step 6. Sprinkle with fleur de sel and/or roasted almonds.
Step 7. When the chocolate is completely cool, break the toffee into bite-sized pieces.
Tips for perfect butter toffee every time
- Continue to heat while stirring constantly, and the sugar and butter will start to achieve a nice amber color.
- Keep stirring and watching the temperature closely until it reaches the “hard crack” stage.
- Once the thermometer reaches 298℉, immediately remove it from the heat! Following super-specific temperatures is the secret to awesome candy. If you use monk fruit sweetener, allow the thermometer to reach 300°F.
- Add the vanilla quickly, and then pour and spread.
- After the toffee is cool, remove any excess oil with a lint-free paper towel before adding the melted chocolate.
Recipe Variations
Hazelnut Butter Toffee. To make hazelnut butter toffee, add about 1 cup of roughly chopped hazelnuts to the butter toffee before pouring it onto the Silpat. You can also add another 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts to the top.
Keto Butter Toffee. Replace the sugar with monk fruit sweetener. I like the Lakanto (affiliate link) brand. Use the golden variety for this recipe.
Thick Butter Toffee. To make a thicker butter toffee layer, line a cake 9×13 cake pan with parchment paper. Add some oil to the parchment to easily remove the toffee after cooling.
Other Candy Recipes to Try:
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Classic Butter Toffee
Equipment
- baking sheets (affiliate link)
Ingredients
- 16 ounces unsalted butter
- 16 ounces granulated sugar
- 3 fl. ounces water
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 23 ounces chocolate chips, I like extra dark Guittard
Optional Toppings
- 16 ounces roasted and chopped nuts
- 16 ounces crushed candy canes
- fleur de sel (affiliate link)
Instructions
- Prepare two baking sheets lined with silicone baking mats or good parchment paper.
- Combine butter, sugar, water, and salt in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
- Cook over moderate heat, stirring gently, until candy thermometer registers exactly 298℉.
- Remove from heat and immediately stir in vanilla until well combined.
- Working quickly, pour ½ the mixture onto each prepared baking sheet. Use a heatproof rubber spatula or offset spatula to spread quickly before the toffee sets. Spread thin.
- Allow toffee to cool completely. Blot to remove excess oil from the surface.
- Melt chocolate in a double boiler.
- Pour ½ of melted chocolate over each piece of toffee, spread, and immediately sprinkle with topping.
- Allow to set, then break into bite-size pieces.
Laura’s Tips + Notes
YOUR OWN NOTES
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Why did some of my chocolate separate from the toffee.
The chocolate may separate if you don’t blot the excess oil off the butter toffee.
What size sheet pan?
I use a half-sheet pan, which typically measures 13 x 18 inches.
This actually is so easy and amazingly tasty!
Thanks so much for the feedback. I love to hear how things are going in your kitchen.