Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
TASTE: Full of rich chocolate goodness with nutty bursts throughout, thanks to the toffee.
TEXTURE: Chewy, gooey, fudgy brownies with delightfully crunchy bits from the toffee pieces and chocolate chips.
EASE: So easy! You don’t even need a mixer for this recipe.
PROS: A quick, delicious brownie recipe.
CONS: None.
WOULD I MAKE THIS AGAIN? I’ve already made these brownies SO many times!
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Though I’ve published more than 50 (!!!) brownie recipes in the past 15 years, I still find inspiration to develop new flavors.
Little did I know just how popular this new recipe would be!
I originally published this Toffee Brownies recipe in 2013, but it needed a overhaul. So, I went to the kitchen! After a few tweaks, I sent a batch to Joe’s workplace, only to receive an empty pan with unanimous feedback demanding another round of “taste testing.”
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I’m not exaggerating – I’ve made these brownies over 10 times since creating the recipe because people keep asking me to make them.
And I don’t mind one bit. These brownies are everything I want in a dessert!
They’re quick and easy to make. They’re chocolate-forward (a definite win in my book). They’re rich and chewy with crunchy toffee throughout – aka texture heaven.
Give these brownies a try the next time you need a chocolate fix (so, right now, right? 😉). You won’t be disappointed!
Sprinkle of Science
How to Make Toffee Brownies
The Chocolate Chips
Semi-sweet is my favorite, but feel free to fold in any variety of chocolate chips you prefer. Whatever you do, don’t skip the chocolate chips! They help to develop that shiny crust on top of brownies. Learn more about the shiny crust on brownies here.
The Toffee
You can use store-bought or homemade! For extra gourmet brownies, use my Homemade Toffee Bits recipe. You can also use Heath brand English toffee bits (as pictured below), available in supermarkets by the chocolate chips in the baking aisle.
Butter + Oil
- With any cocoa powder-based brownie recipe, we need quite a bit of fat to prevent the cocoa powder from drying the brownies out and making them crumbly.
- These brownies use a combination of melted butter and oil for the best balance of taste and texture.
- I typically use vegetable oil, but any flavorless oil should work – just make sure your oil is fresh to avoid a rancid flavor.
- Check out my side-by-side baking experiments comparing Butter vs. Oil in Baking here.
Why is There Cornstarch in Brownies?
I have found that adding 1 tablespoon of cornstarch makes brownies thick and chewy, like box mix brownies, and improves the shiny crust on top – so don’t skip this ingredient. Learn more about that shiny crust on the top of brownies here.
The Sugar
We’re using a combination of granulated sugar and light brown sugar in this Toffee Brownie recipe. This creates a flavorful brownie with plenty of moisture, without adding too much moisture. It also complements the caramelized toasty flavors of the toffee perfectly.
Can I Reduce the Sugar in These Brownies?
- Don’t reduce the amount of sugar in Toffee Brownies unless you want dry and crumbly brownies.
- Reducing the sugar will also result in a dull (not shiny) crust.
- The sweetness will mellow as the brownies cool and set.
- If you’re worried these brownies will be too sweet for your preference, simply use dark or bittersweet chocolate chips to help balance the sweetness without ruining the texture of the brownies.
- Learn more about sugar’s role in baking brownies here (spoiler alert: sugar does so much more than just sweetening!)
What’s The Best Pan for Baking Brownies?
I highly recommend using a light-colored metal 8×8-inch baking pan like this one, lined with foil or parchment paper. Do not use glass, silicone, or ceramic pans for baking brownies. Learn why in my Glass vs. Metal Baking Pans article here.
Can I Double This Toffee Brownie Recipe?
Yes – simply double all ingredients and bake in a light-colored metal 9×13 metal pan, adding a few minutes to the bake time.
How to Cut Toffee Brownies for Clean Slices
For perfect slices, allow brownies to cool fully (chilled is even better!). Use a sharp knife and run it under hot water, carefully wiping it off in between each cut.
How to Store Toffee Brownies?
Toffee Brownies taste best the day they are baked but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature or up to 5 days in the fridge. When chilled, they become even more fudgy!
Can You Freeze Toffee Brownies?
Yes! Brownies freeze beautifully. Freeze the whole slab or individual slices by wrapping in plastic wrap and storing inside a freezer bag or an airtight container for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or for a couple of hours at room temperature before serving.
More Recipes You’ll Love:
- Best Ever Chewy Brownies
- Peanut Butter Stuffed Brownies
- Malted Brown Butter Brownies
- Browned Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Peanut Butter Toffee Chocolate Chunk Bars
Toffee Brownies
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Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons (71 grams) unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk, cold
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup (74 grams) vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup (75 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder1
- 1/2 cup (63 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3/4 cup (128 grams) semisweet chocolate chips2, divided
- 1 cup (170 grams)
toffee bits3, divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line an 8 by 8-inch metal pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, add the butter. Microwave for about 1 minute, or until the butter is melted. Whisk in the sugars then let cool to just warm. Whisk in the eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla. Whisk vigorously for 30 seconds. Whisk in the oil and cocoa powder.
- Using a rubber spatula, stir in the flour, cornstarch, and salt until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and toffee bits, reserving a handful of each.
- Spread the brownie batter evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with extra toffee bits and chocolate chips. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the brownies are set and a cake tester inserted into the center has moist crumbs attached. If you prefer a less fudgy brownie, bake an additional 5-7 minutes, or until cake tester inserted into the center has only melted chocolate attached. Let cool completely before cutting and serving.
- Brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days at room temperature or up to 5 days in the fridge.4
Recipe Notes
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This recipe was originally published in 2013 and updated in 2024 with a new and improved recipe, photos, and more baking tips. Photography by Joanie Simon.
These turned out great! I doubled it for a larger pan. Everyone at work loved them and had several requests for the recipe. The box was empty at the end of the day (alwasy a sign of a well loved sweet).
These are incredibly rich and fudgy, and they are delicious. I had to bake for 35 minutes for them to cook through, so definitely would advise erring toward the longer side of what your oven typically needs. My only other disappointment was that I thought the toffee bits would hold a bit more crunch inside the brownie, but they got pretty melty. Still delicious, just not exactly what I expected. Would make again!
They turned out great and they are very rich so had to share with my family as I couldn’t eat them by myself. It wouldn’t let me load a picture but it turned out great.
We all loved these brownies! The homemade toffee was the perfect complement to the wonderful richness! Yummmmmmmmmmm!
These are so rich and delicious! I took them to work and they were gone in 1 day. This recipe is very easy, but budget yourself some extra time if you plan to make the homemade toffee, which is worth it!
These brownies were so fudgy and delicious and pretty easy compared to other recipes! I will be making them again!
ABSOLUTELY DIVINE!! These brownies are so decadent and delicious. I purchased the baking tray that was recommended in the recipe to make these brownies and they turned out perfect. I will definitely be making these again!
Yummy! Beware though if you are making Tessa’s toffee too. I almost ate too much before making this superb brownie recipe.
haha SO true! Every time I make a batch of toffee, I eat at least 1/4 of it within the first 30 minutes. We should probably make a double batch 😉 Your brownies look AMAZING!
These turned out super fudgy and delicious. Ended up making the toffee from scratch and was well worth it, as you can keep some shards a bit larger for on the top decoration/more concentrated toffee flavor and crunch. Convection baked at 350 for 30 min and it could’ve gone a little longer, but I like them slightly under and in the fridge.
So rich & fudgy!
I do need to still work on getting that crinkly skin on top.
Thanks for sharing!😊
This recipe is a keeper!! My whole family loved these brownies!
Decadent! I made a 9 x 13 pan, and they needed about 8 more minutes, and the center was almost set, but still a little gooey. I’ll make them again when I need to take them somewhere, because if they stay in my house, hubby and I would eat them all very rapidly!