Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Sweet, nutty, and delicious.
Texture: Perfectly crunchy with a slight candy chew.
Ease: Just 3 ingredients and 15 minutes prep and cook time.
Pros: Such a fun DIY!
Cons: None.
Would I make this again? Absolutely, I like to make a double batch and sprinkle them on everything I bake for weeks.
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I adore toffee.
Like butterscotch, toffee seems to be caramel’s forgotten cousin. To me, it deserves as much adoration as caramel. Maybe more!
As much as I love a buttery toffee recipe on its own, my favorite is when it’s added to something already delicious.
It’s the perfect addition to a chocolate chip cookie, blondie, brownie or even banana bread. Or sprinkle the toffee on cupcakes, French toast, or ice cream. Plus, you likely already have the simple ingredients on hand to make it from scratch.
Bonus: this toffee recipe is also a great treat for giving as delicious holiday gifts during the holidays or Christmas!
Sprinkle of Science
What is Toffee?
Toffee is a crunchy, sweet, buttery, cooked sugar candy, similar to caramel and butterscotch. These three classic dessert components seem very similar – so how do they differ?
- Caramel: Based on white granulated sugar. Typically, butter, milk/cream, and vanilla are added for flavor and to produce a thick, creamy caramel. Caramel can be heated less for a sauce consistency, longer for a chewy soft caramel, or even longer for a crunchier hard caramel. I have a recipe for caramel sauce here.
- Butterscotch: Similar process to caramel, but made with brown sugar instead of granulated white sugar. Cream and vanilla are also often added. I have a recipe for butterscotch sauce here.
- Toffee: Just like butterscotch, toffee starts with brown sugar – but the difference between butterscotch and toffee is the temperature it’s heated to. Toffee is cooked longer to a much higher temperature – all the way to the ‘hard crack’ stage. This means that toffee will harden completely as it cools, and can then be cut or broken into pieces, to be added to other delicious desserts, or simply enjoyed by itself!
What are Toffee Bits?
Just what it sounds like! Bits of crunchy sweet toffee, chopped or broken into pieces about the same size as chocolate chips.
Can’t You Just Buy These?
Yes, you can buy them in the baking aisle under the Heath brand. However, they can be difficult to find in some regions and stores. Additionally, many stores only carry chocolate-covered toffee bits, which you may not always want.
But trust me, this homemade toffee recipe is even tastier than the Heath version! Plus, no preservatives or artificial flavors in these homemade sweet morsels!
Only 3 Ingredients:
- Butter (more on this below)
- Light brown sugar
- Salt
Why American-Style Butter?
European-style butter (such as Kerrygold) contains a higher butterfat percentage, compared to American-style butter. This lack of water content in European-style butter results in the toffee separating, and/or refusing to set fully. Any butter over 80% butterfat will cause these issues unless you add in 1-2 tablespoons of water to the melting butter.
Step by Step:
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Then, add the sugar and salt and whisk until combined. Continue whisking for about 10 minutes, or until the mixture looks like melted peanut butter (reference the picture below). Make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan or pot.
- Pour the toffee onto the prepared baking sheet pan, allowing it to spread. Let cool for about 20 minutes.
- Use a mallet, rolling pin, or heavy object to crack the batch of toffee into small bits.
- You can now use your toffee pieces to amp up the flavor in cookies, brownies, streusel toppings, sprinkled on top of vanilla ice cream, you name it!
Tips for Making Toffee:
- Before you start the recipe, line a rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. It’s best to do this first because you will need to pour the finished toffee onto the prepared pan immediately.
- Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Pans with thinner bottoms will heat too aggressively and may cause separation or scorching.
- Never step away from the toffee while it’s on the stove. It can burn quickly.
- Do not try to touch or taste the sugar while it’s cooking, as it will be extremely hot.
- Separated toffee can sometimes be saved by removing the saucepan from the heat and whisking vigorously until it comes back together into a smooth mixture. You may need to add a tablespoon of water to re-emulsify.
- A candy thermometer is so helpful in making toffee. This is my favorite candy thermometer.
- Make sure to let the toffee cool completely before you break it into bits and store it.
- If the toffee is flexible instead of hard, it wasn’t cooked long enough. You can break into pieces, return to the stove, and re-melt and cook to 295-305°F.
How to Store Toffee Bits
Once cooled and cut or broken into pieces, freeze in an airtight container or zip-top bag for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw at room temperature before enjoying or adding to cookie dough, streusel or other baked goods.
Try Next: Dutch Apple Pie With Caramel Streusel Topping
Homemade Toffee Bits
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Ingredients
- 1 stick (113 grams) unsalted American butter*
- 1 cup (200 grams) light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Prepare your pan first: Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. This will make it easy to pour and cool the toffee later.
- Melt the butter: Place butter in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat and let it melt gently. Heating over high heat may cause the mixture to separate.
- Add sugar and salt: Once the butter is partially melted, stir in the brown sugar and salt, then use a whisk to whisk vigorously for 1 full minute until smooth and evenly combined. The sugar won't be fully dissolved yet—that's normal.
- Cook carefully: Keep the pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, including the edges to scrape up any sugar that sticks. The mixture will bubble, thicken, and look like smooth, melted peanut butter.⚠️ Important: Don't leave the pan unattended or stop stirring, even for a moment. Toffee can burn very quickly if ignored.
- If the mixture separates: If the butter and sugar split at any point (see Notes), remove the pan from heat and whisk vigorously until smooth. Return to medium heat, stirring constantly, to finish cooking.
- Check for doneness:*With a candy thermometer: 295°F-305°F (about 8-10 minutes)*Without a thermometer: Watch and smell closely. The mixture is ready when all three of these happen: the mixture is very smooth and glossy, the color turns a deep golden-brown, and a rich, toasty caramel aroma fills the air.
- Pour and spread: Immediately pour the hot toffee onto the prepared pan and use a spatula to spread evenly. Be careful, it's very hot! Let cool and harden, about 20 minutes.
- Break into pieces and store: Once hardened, crack into small pieces with a mallet, rolling pin, or heavy object, or cut with a sharp serrated knife. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Recipe Notes
- Butter: American-style butter gives the best texture and flavor. If using European-style butter ( 82% or more fat), add 1 tablespoon (14 g) of water as it melts to compensate for the lower water content. Cook to 300°F. The resulting toffee may be slightly greasier and is best used immediately.
- Salt: Don’t skip it! Salt helps stabilize the mixture and enhances the flavor overall.
- Pan: Heavy-bottomed pans distribute heat evenly. Avoid thin-bottomed or cheap pans, which can create hot spots and cause separation or burning.
- Heat: Keep medium heat consistent. Avoid abrupt changes or cooking on higher temperatures to speed up.
- Timing: Cooking time depends on your pan and stove. If separation happens within the first few minutes or your toffee cooks much faster than the time listed, your heat is likely too high. Always rely on sensory cues — texture, color, and aroma — rather than the clock alone.
- Toffee not hardening? If your toffee hasn’t set and is bendy, it likely didn’t cook long enough. To fix it, simply return the mixture to the pan over medium heat and cook while following the three sensory cues listed in the recipe — texture, color, and aroma — to know when it’s ready.
Recipes Using Toffee Bits:
Photos by Ashley McLaughlin. Recipe instructions updated in December 2025 for clarity.
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?