Ingredients
- 1 stick (113 grams) unsalted American butter*
- 1 cup (200 grams) light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
Directions
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Line a small rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
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In a heavy bottomed small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sugar and salt and whisk vigorously for one minute until combined. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture looks like melted peanut butter and a candy thermometer reaches 295 to 305°F, about 10 minutes.
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If the mixture separates at all, remove from heat and whisk vigorously until recombined. Return to heat and continue cooking.
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Immediately and carefully pour the hot toffee onto the prepared baking pan, allowing it to spread into an even layer. Let cool and harden for about 20 minutes.
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Place the sheet of toffee on a cutting board or in a zip top bag. Use a mallet, rolling pin, or heavy object to crack it into small pieces. You can also cut into bits with a sharp serrated knife. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
*Don't use European-style butter (82% butterfat+) in this recipe. It contains too much butterfat and will cause the toffee to separate.
Super easy recipe, turned out perfect and oh so tasty. Just enough toffee bits to add to my cookie recipe, changed up my semi-sweet chocolate chips for chopped milk chocolate. My kids think they’re the best cookies. Thank you for creating such a delicious, simple recipe.
Hi Susie! So happy to hear that these toffee bits are such a hit with you and your kids! 🙂
WOW!! This toffee is amazing! I was a little worried that is wouldn’t harden after it cooled but it’s perfect! I doubled the recipe but used salted butter so I only added half a teaspoon of salt and it turned out absolutely perfect. I made it just to eat as candy and honestly I’d be extremely surprised if any is left in a few days! So good!
Yay! So glad to hear you loved this toffee, Kynzie!
What an easy and delicious treat!!! Honestly, I ate half before I could bake my cookies Her recipe is super easy. Try it!!
Yay! So glad you enjoyed this toffee so much, Cheryl!!
These toffee bits are the perfect addition to any recipe! They are so easy to make and taste great. I will definitely be making them again.
Hi Aman! So glad you enjoy these toffee bits! Thanks so much for the comment!
I made this and it came out with still some butter on my toffee and I whisked it for 10 but still had some butter on it. Did I do something wrong? It tasted like toffee and hardened really well but still got some butter on the toffee
Hi Kemora! It sounds like perhaps your butter might have a higher fat content than some brands. This toffee can separate like that if your butter contains anything higher than 80% butterfat. If that’s not the case, and your butter only contains 80% butterfat, perhaps the toffee got a little too hot before you removed it from the stove? Please let us know if you would like to troubleshoot any further; we are always happy to help!! 🙂
this is NOT easy to make :/
THREE failed attempts using two different kinds of unsalted butter, both american style. Butter and sugar separated, and no matter how hard I whisked, it would not come back together. I thought perhaps I wasn’t cooking it long enough, but the first batch got scorched and the second batch I gave up on. The third try was almost there…it came together with peanut butter consistency, but never solidified beyond a soft-fudgy texture once poured out onto parchment and cooled. I used a candy thermometer too, but as soon as it hit 250 degrees, butter and sugar separated…bummer!
Hi Pete! I’m sorry this toffee recipe did not work out for you! It sounds like something was going wrong for sure. I will drop a few suggestions here, in case that helps and you wish to give this another try!
– Your pan might be too thin. If one of your batches was scorched, it may be because the pan you were using wasn’t heavy-based enough. Perhaps try using a more heavy-based pan, so the heat can be better distributed as the toffee cooks, and avoid scorching the base in the process.
– When your toffee begins to separate, you have to stir vigorously to bring it back together, over a low heat, and then continue cooking. Sometimes it takes a bit to get it to come back together!
– We have not tried this ourselves, but other readers have suggested that if your toffee begins to separate, it can sometimes be salvaged by adding one tablespoon of water. This should help the sugar to fully dissolve again and bring the mixture back together. Again, once you add the water, stir vigorously to bring it back together, over a low heat, and as soon as the mixture comes back together, remove it from the heat and pour onto the prepared pan.
I hope something here may help your future attempts! Feel free to reach out to us if you have any further questions – we are always happy to help! Good luck 🙂
Hi! Can I use a salted butter, and omit the addition of salt in the recipe?
Hi JM! Tessa always recommends using unsalted butter, because there is no standardization of salt levels between brands of butters. One brand could contain twice as much salt as the next brand. She therefore always writes recipes to use unsalted butter, and adding a specified amount of salt. That said, if all you have is salted butter, I would recommend reducing the salt content by 1/2 teaspoon per 1/2 cup (stick) of butter. I hope that helps!
Hi tessa…. I tried making the toffee and I stopped cooking when it reached 300 f… but my candy has a slight burnt flavor.. I was wandering if its right.. I followed all the steps exactly kept whisking it except when I had to see the temperature.. heat could have gone wrong,?
Hi Rabia! This toffee definitely should not taste like that! It’s difficult to know what went wrong here without having made this toffee alongside you, but perhaps your saucepan has a thinner base? That would make sense as to why it may have a bit more of a burnt taste. A thicker-based saucepan will protect the toffee from scorching as it cooks. You also could have had your heat up too high, which also could have scorched the bottom a little. I would try it again in a thicker-based saucepan, and try lowering the heat slightly, taking care to stir well and scrape the bottom of the pan frequently while cooking. I hope that helps!! 🙂
Wow, this is very delicious toffee! I made a double batch with no issues thinking I would need it. One batch was actually just enough for a double batch of my cc cookies (around 5 dozen, using 2oz scoop). It took awhile but I stuck 3 little pieces of toffee onto each scoop of dough and they baked beautifully with pools of toffee, which is the look I was going for. I have made toffee with white sugar before but this is hands down way better!!
Yay! So happy to hear you loved this toffee Camille – and your cookies sound terrific! Bonus – now you get to snack on the leftover toffee 😉 That’s my favorite part haha!
When would you add toppings like chopped nuts or melted chocolate to the top of the toffee if you want to eat it like candy?
Hi Beth! We haven’t tried that, but if you want to add nuts, I would suggest mixing them in immediately before pouring the toffee onto the prepared pan, and then wait until the toffee has completely cooled before pouring or drizzling on some melted chocolate. Again, we have not tested this, so I cannot guarantee it will work perfectly, but it should be worth the experiment! Let us know how it goes 🙂
Why do you use fine sea salt instead of coarse kosher salt?
Hi Brissa! Kosher salt is too coarse for a lot of baking, as it won’t melt as evenly as fine salt. Tessa also just prefers the flavor of sea salt, over regular table salt! Hope that helps 🙂
I live in Europe and can only get European butter…is there anyway to make this recipe work?
Hi Mikayla! Unfortunately, it likely won’t work unless you can find butter with closer to 80% butterfat. You can always experiment, though, and it still could be delicious – it just might not set properly at stay kind of soft … or it may separate and not work at all. There’s no way for me to predict from here, unfortunately; it all just depends on the specific butter you can find. We always encourage experimentation, though! You never know how it might work for you unless you try! Good luck 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing this! I often see delicious recipes that call for toffee bits. I would just buy them, but the only ones I can find have almonds in them. My daughter is allergic to tree nuts… so I can’t use those. I’ll try your recipe and then I can put your toffee bits in all those other recipes!
So happy your daughter can now enjoy toffee bits and baked goods made with toffee bits, Erica!! 🙂
Brilliant! Just made it to avoid a trip to the grocery to make your toffee cookie recipe. It was easy and turned out perfect. And is delicious…. But now I need more brown sugar for the cookie dough, so need to go to the grocery. Lol. Thank you!
Yay! So excited to hear that you loved these toffee bits! I’m sorry you still had to go to the grocery store, though!
I can’t thank you enough for this recipe! As a mom to a nut allergy child, store bought toffee often contains almonds. So using this recipe helps me to use toffee in more recipes now without my son being left out of the deliciousness!!
So excited you love this toffee recipe, Trish! Glad your son can now enjoy more baked goods 🙂
Hi,
I know you say it’s best not to refrigerate or freeze the toffee. But, does that apply if I want to mix up my cookie dough and place it in the refrigerator for a couple of days before baking?
Thanks
Hi Madeline! No, that rule doesn’t apply if the toffee is in cookie dough 🙂 We recommend most of our cookie doughs be refrigerated (24-72 hours) before baking (including this delicious recipe, which uses the homemade toffee bits!), so you can absolutely do that with these homemade toffee pieces mixed in 🙂
This is such a great recipe. I recently used it in a batch of cookies for a bake off and it worked amazingly. Strongly recommend!
1. You may have to stir VIGOROUSLY if your sugar and butter separate.
2. It can sometimes be salvaged by adding water one tablespoon at a time to a max of 1/4 cup, then slowly reheating. The water melts the sugar again.
BUT BE PATIENT. ONE tablespoon at a time because it may take only one, stir like crazy on low heat, and the second the sugar and butter combine again snatch that puppy of the stove and pour it out to cool.
Hope this helps someone!
Your suggestion with the water SAVED my toffee!! It kept separating but with a little water and vigorous stirring it came back together!! THANK YOU!!
I will never buy toffee bits again. This was so easy! I was skeptical at first because when I poured the mixture on to parchment paper, it didn’t spread very well. I used a spoon to help it spread and waited 20 minutes to check on it. It tasted so good, and had the perfect consistency of not too hard, and not too soft. Can’t wait to add it to the brown butter chocolate chip toffee cookie recipe!
So happy you tried this recipe out! I agree, it’s hard to stop eating them! 🙂
Have you used this recipe to make peanut brittle?
We haven’t, but please let us know how it goes if you give it a try!
Just made this toffee (will be using it for the browned butter chocolate chip cookie recipe tomorrow). First time ever making toffee and it went really well! Directions were east to follow and the little piece I tasted of it is amazing! Cannot wait to try this in the cookie recipe tomorrow! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
So happy you love this recipe! Enjoy your cookies 🙂
Thank you for sharing this recipe. It turned out perfectly.
So glad you loved them!
I used this toffee recipe for some salted caramel browned butter cookies. It worked so well in the dough. The toffee tastes so good! I’ve been snacking on the extra toffee pieces!
I think that’s the best part of this recipe…the leftovers haha! So glad you love them 🙂
Ive tried this but I can’t get it to come put crunchy. It turns out more like chewy caramel.
Hi Leslie! I’ve actually had that happen to my toffee in the past, and it was because I didn’t boil the mixture long enough. Did you use a digital thermometer to verify temp or just use the visual indicator (referencing Tessa’s pics in the pink box above the recipe)?
I recently tried to make King Arthur’s English Toffee and my butter and sugar separated terribly. I ended up pouring off a puddle of butter after it hardened but luckily it was still yummy. Their recipe instructed to not stir at all after initially stirring in the sugar…my question is: is your recipe equivalent to a butter crunch toffee for making English toffee? And then: Any idea why that recipe required no stirring while Tessa instructs to continually stir? I’m so confused! Haha. And would really love to perfect my toffee game. Thank you for any insight!
Hi Amber! Our recipe is not equivalent to a butter crunch toffee. Sorry to hear your English Toffee recipe didn’t work out well! One thing I love about King Arthur Baking is that they typically include a blog post separate from their recipes that goes into more detail regarding the process. I’m linking theirs HERE. I checked it out, and they do note that if your syrup mixture is boiled too quickly, the butter and sugar can separate. Any time you’re working with a recipe that includes caramel, or toffee in this case, stirring can actually be detrimental to the recipe as it can cause the sugar mixture to splash onto the sides of your pan, causing the liquid to evaporate, which allows the sugar to form back into its crystal form. I hope that helps! I’d recommend reading through the comments on their recipe to see if anyone else experienced that issue, or commenting yourself for some help. They’re pretty good at responding 🙂
I used a candy thermometer and the temperature wouldn’t go beyond 260. I made the mistake of leaving the toffee on the heat and it started to separate. I took the pot off the heat as stated in the recipe and stirred vigorously. Things went from bad to worse; almost all the butter separated out and I landed up with a blob of toffee mess.
Sorry to hear you had some issues, Lorraine! What kind of butter did you use? Also, what heat setting did you have your pan on? I wonder if your candy thermometer wasn’t working properly as to why it wouldn’t go higher than 260°F? You do want to leave the butter, sugar, and salt mixture on the heat for about 10 minutes (might be less or more, depending on your stove), making sure to stir the entire time. Hopefully we can figure out what happened, I’d love for you to try this recipe again. This toffee is so delicious, and I’d love for you to enjoy it!
Whether I buy them or make them, I need toffee bits that will not go bad for AT LEAST a couple of weeks, and which do not need refrigeration. How long will the bits stay good and safe to eat after making? And do they require refrigeration?
Hi there! These toffee bits do not require refrigeration. We recommend storing them in an airtight container for up to 1 week for best results.
I’m still a little confused about how long these can be stored. The recipe note says, “Would I make this again? Absolutely, I like to make a double batch and sprinkle them on everything I bake for weeks.” So does that mean they can be stored much longer than one week?
Hi Heather! It may last longer than a week, but it all depends on your weather and environment. It may start to get soft after a week or so if it’s very humid and/or hot where you live. We just like to be cautious when giving shelf-life estimates, and err on the side of caution. You can try storing the toffee bits in an airtight container in the freezer if you need them to last longer! Let us know what you think if you give this toffee a try!
How do I know if a butter is American or European styled?
Hi Sarah! European butter is butter with 82% butterfat content or higher. It normally states on the front of the packaging the percentage if it’s a European butter. I’ve never seen the butter percentage (anything below 82%) listed on an American butter. Our favorite American butter brand is Challenge or Land-o’-Lakes. I hope that helps!
Are you able to freeze these?
Hi Mayi! We don’t suggest placing this toffee in the fridge or freezer as that will soften the sugar in the recipe. You’ll want to keep it at room temperature in an air-tight container once hardened.
I just made this recipe and it went to 300 degrees in less than 5 minutes on medium heat. At points it smelt like it was burning but I took it off the heat, poured into onto the prepared pan, and put it in the fridge.
It looks and tastes delicious and did not separate. I know candy making can be very particular and maybe my stovetop runs hot. I live in Toronto, Canada so it is currently 2 degrees Celsius outside (35 degrees Fahrenheit)
My question is what is more important- the length of cooking time or the temperature it comes to? I’m wondering if the texture is different than what it should be given the short cooking time? If length of cooking time is just as important as the temperature, should I be cooking it at a lower temperature?
I just want to make sure I can perfect this recipe to make the delicious Toffee Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies!!!! 🙂
Hi Roni! So glad your toffee bits turned out great! When cooking/baking, it’s actually most important to follow the sensory indications (and especially the temperature given) over the written recipe’s timing. As everyone’s stoves/ovens are different, timing can be different for everyone. You’re more than welcome to lower the temperature a bit next time, but honestly, if your toffee turned out perfectly, I wouldn’t worry about it 🙂 Did your toffee turn out like the photos in this recipe’s post? How did it taste?
I’m so excited to try this recipe! Just one question: would this recipe still work if topped with chocolate? I know a silly question, just want to make sure!
Ooo we haven’t tried that, but I bet it’d be amazing!! Let us know if you give it a try! Can’t wait for you to enjoy this toffee, it’s addicting!
This recipe is so easy. The toffee is delicious. Thank you!!
Hello
I only have european butters available to me.. can I still make the toffee?
Really eager to try the whole recipe as is…
Hi Zeina! You’re welcome to give it a try, though my toffee split as I was making it last time I used European butter, and I had to throw it out (mine was 82% butterfat). Try to find a lower butterfat content if possible! Please let us know how it goes, this recipe is amazing, I really hope it works for you!
Hi Tessa, i made this recipe last night and i left it aside overnight to set. I forgot about it and only remembered about it this afternoon, the top of the toffee seems to have melted. I followed your recipe to a T, i even used candy thermometer. What went wrong? Can i still fix it or is it totally unusable? Is it because the weather is extremely hot where i live?
Hi Githa! Bummer, I’m sorry to hear that! Tessa doesn’t live in a humid climate so she hasn’t come across this issue before, but I do and have had the exact same thing happen to me. My toffee pieces were sticky and super bendy. Personally, I threw mine out and started over. You are welcome to experiment with trying to reheat the toffee, melt, and then pour it out and cool again, but just know we haven’t tried that. If you do, let us know how it goes!
Can this recipe be tripled if you’re trying to make a large batch?
That should be fine, Alexis, just be sure to use a large enough pan. We’ve doubled this recipe with no issues 🙂 Enjoy your toffee!
Thanks so much, Emily! I will try this! ☺️
Easy recipe and tastes good
So yummy! At first my toffee would not harden. To make matters worse I tried to harden it in the freezer which I learned is a NO NO. Tessa told me it haden’t reached hardening temperature.of 295-305°. Time to get a candy thermometer.
Decided to experiment with putting it in the over at 350°. IT WORKED! Sorry, I didn’t time it since I wasn’t shure it wouldl work. I can tell you that my meat thermometer indicated that it was 190° the first time Ichecked. So I put it in again and left it for maybe 20 minutes? It was a little flexible when it cooled some, But I was able to break it into pieces with my hands. Thanks Tessa, for filling me in on what I did wrong.
Interesting! I’ve never heard of someone making toffee in the oven before, I’m glad to hear you found what worked! I’d still recommend that candy thermometer for next time though 🙂 Enjoy your biscotti!
Incredible! Total game changer and so easy!
Hooray!! I’m so happy you loved them!
Delicious and BETTER than store bought. Great recipe.
I found it took longer than 10 min, more like 17-18 to get to the 300 degrees (used a very thick ceramic pot, so that’s probably why). Definitely rec a candy thermometer so you ensure it cooks properly, I’m sure medium heat and all our pots vary 🙂
Hooray!! Your pot does sound like the “issue” you had, but other than that, I’m thrilled this recipe turned out great for you! Candy thermometer is a must for sure 🙂
Where has homemade toffee been all my life!!! It’s legal crack is what it is. Take a lesson from me…I screwed up my first batch by heating too hot, too fast. Second batch perfect. Make this. Hide this. Eat this. Repeat.
Yes, heat is key to this recipe for sure! I’m so happy you finally had success with this toffee, and I agree 100% that it is. SO. GOOD!!
Thank you so much for a GREAT recipe. For years I’ve been using the 1 cup white sugar 1 cup butter posted on other sites. Today was the end of that. 1 to 1 ratio has inconsistent results to say the least today it was burned separated mess preparing the same as always. Most of the time it is a buttery separation. Found this recipe and thrilled; color is beautiful and consistency couldn’t be better! Thank you again!!!
Hooray! I’m so happy you love this toffee recipe and that it turned out perfectly for you, Lenal!
I just finished making these – it was so easy and the toffee bits are so delicious ! Added bonus is that the house smells fabulous ! Next I’m making the Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Toffee cookies to give to my sister-in-law for her birthday.
So glad to hear that! Hope those cookies are a hit!!
Tessa, this toffee recipe is so easy and so delicious! It’s a definite game changer for my chocolate chip cookies. Thank you!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed these toffee bits!
So easy, and so good! Thanks for the simple recipe!
Wonderful to hear this!
Yay! So glad you enjoyed!
YUM!!! I literally just made this and it’s so easy and delish!!! Has the perfect crisp crunch not tacky at all. I used salted butter and dark brown sugar because that was all I had…one of the many COVID lessons. I just used a little less salt. I’m not sure if it’s because of the subs, the elevation (7k), or high heat but it was more like 3-4 minutes not 10 until 300 degrees. Thanks for making toffee so easy!!!
So glad you tried this recipe out!
Easy and delicious! Great to add as a topping for the Ultimate Cheesecake…(along with anything else)! They are supposed to last 1 week in an airtight container – as if they’d still be around then! Will certainly be using this recipe again and again.
Can we use dark brown sugar?
That should work!
So I made this recipe but my toffee didn’t harden after it cooled. Any advice on what happened?
Basically had the same problem as Ann. I love the taste of this toffee, but I have a problem. I put the tray in the freezer to harden faster, but when it came out it was still soft. Is there anything I can do to fix the problem? I want to use it in a biscotti recipe.
If you’re having trouble with the toffee hardening, that’s usually due to it not quite reaching the hardening temperature of 295-305°. I wouldn’t recommend putting it in the fridge or freezer as that will soften the sugar in the recipe. You’ll want to keep it at room temperature in an air-tight container once hardened. Did your mixture combine ok? I know I’ve tried using European butter in this recipe, but it never combined/set due to it containing too much butterfat. Hope this helps, and I really hope you try this recipe again! It would taste incredible in biscotti!
These were delicious! I’m planning on using them to bake with the brown butter toffee cookies. I think I’ll have more leftover than I expected. Do you think they would freeze well?
I was so excited for this as toffee bits aren’t available where I live. However, both my attempts ended up with separated butter and sugar (I followed the direction of taking it off the heat and whisking the *second* it looked like it might be separating.
Since brown sugar is hard to come by here (though available, unlike toffee bits), not sure I’m willing to risk a third attempt.
Hey! This recipe looks absolutely incredible. Cant wait to try it. Just one question. Can i fold these bits into your butterscotch cake recipe before baking it?
I haven’t tried that out! Let me know how it turns out!
Made these with the intention of putting them in the chocolate chip toffee cookie recipe but…. THEY’RE SO GOOD THERE MAY NOT BE ANY LEFT TOMORROW!!!!! So good. Amazing what butter and sugar (and salt) can create.
Haha! This makes me so happy. So glad you enjoyed these toffee bits!!
The 1st batch I burned but after that I successfully made it 3 times! Once for toffee chips to put in cookies, once to make toffee popcorn and the last time for homemade almond roca. Very easy to make and it’s delicious!
I bet your kitchen smells amazing!! I’m so glad you tried this recipe out.
Really adored this recipe! I made it in preparation of the Brown Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip cookies on the blog! The toffee is delicious and took less than 10 minutes so it is definitely easy to make.
So thrilled you enjoyed this recipe!
Super easy to make and they taste so much better than store bought! Made a batch this morning and then made the dough for Tessa’s Browned Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies. Can’t wait to bake them off with these toffee bits!
I made this today, and it’s delicious! However, it’s quite chewy…did I do something wrong?
3 ingredients definitely works! 15 minutes maybe even better nice not to have a long baking recipe this time of year, thank you!
So glad you tried this toffee recipe out!
This stuff is like magic! It can’t together so easily but tastes incredible.
Question: when I smashed it up in a bag it created a lot of toffee dust can I use that in the cookie recipe? Don’t want it to go to waste!
Thanks for your guidance
Hi Nevena, the toffee dust should be fine to use in the cookies!
Donna D
I just finished making this! Omg, super easy and my home smells incredible! I’m making your Toffee and Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe!
SO happy to hear that, Eliza! Can’t wait to hear how your cookies turn out.
I just made these and they are amazing! Super easy. I don’t have a thermometer but it still turned out really well. I just let it bubble while whisking every so often for 10 minutes. I can’t wait to try them in the browned butter chocolate chip toffee cookies recipe!
YAY! Can’t wait to hear how your toffee cookies turn out!