Try this quick “no candy thermometer required” recipe for Easy 10 Minute Toffee! It’s a must have holiday treat! I had avoided making toffee for years because I thought I would have to drag out the candy thermometer, or worry about soft ball stage, soft crack, hard crack, etc….but no! Just bring to a boil, set your timer for 7 minutes, stir constantly, and you’re done! So easy! Important Note: Depending on your cooktop, you may need to turn the heat down to medium for the 7 minutes. Holiday time can be busy, but I love finding time to make homemade candy. This fast and simple recipe will be a time saver for you! Please, please give it a try. I think you’ll be happy you did.
I like using toasted pecans, but this recipe is also delicious using chopped pistachios, or chopped almonds. Pistachios are really pretty around Christmas. This toffee makes the perfect little gift. A plate of homemade toffee makes an irresistible treat at a holiday party. Try making this for Santa this year instead of cookies!….I’ve heard he loves toffee just as much!
Just 4 Simple Ingredients: Nuts, Salted Butter, Brown Sugar, & Chocolate Chips. Tip: if you’re using unsalted butter, just add 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Keeping a neat & tidy workspace will make your candymaking experience enjoyable. Prepare everything you’ll need before getting started:
Prepare an 8 inch square pan. You can butter the pan, or just line with parchment paper. If you use parchment, you don’t need to butter the parchment. I find the parchment option works best for me, but both will work!
Chop 1 cup of toasted nuts, and divide: 3/4 cup will go in the bottom of your 8 inch pan, and 1/4 cup will be sprinkled on the chocolate at the very end. Evenly spread 3/4 cup chopped nuts across the bottom of the pan.
Measure a heaping 1/2 cup chocolate chips.
Have a baking sheet or pizza pan near by, large enough to cover your 8 inch square pan.
Melt your butter and brown sugar over medium to medium high heat. When mixture bubbles, set a timer for 7 minutes and stir constantly. No candy thermometer! Woohoo! Just boil and stir for 7 minutes! Remove from heat and immediately drizzle over chopped nuts. Spread evenly.
Sprinkle chocolate chips over hot toffee, cover with baking sheet or pizza pan, wait 2 minutes for chocolate chips to melt, remove pan, and smooth chocolate over the toffee with a spatula.
Working quickly, sprinkle remaining chopped nuts across the top of the toffee.
Now for the hard part: wait for the chocolate to set and toffee to cool down! You can put the toffee in the refrigerator for a few minutes to speed up the cooling process, just be sure not to store the toffee in the refrigerator. Store at room temperature.
Break apart and enjoy!
Divide 1 cup of chopped, toasted nuts: 3/4 cup for bottom of pan, 1/4 cup to sprinkle on top.
Spread chopped nuts evenly across the bottom of the prepared 8 inch pan.
Add 1 stick of salted butter and 3/4 cup packed brown sugar to saucepan.
Over medium to medium high heat, melt butter and brown sugar.
As soon as the mixture bubbles, set a timer for 7 minutes, stirring constantly.
The mixture will thicken as it boils. Make sure to keep stirring constantly.
The toffee will darken during the 7 minutes. I love the color of this toffee! Remove from heat and work quickly.
Pour hot toffee mixture over chopped nuts in prepared 8 inch pan.
Working quickly, spread the hot toffee mixture with a spatula.
Sprinkle chocolate chips over the hot toffee, and cover with a baking sheet or pizza pan to melt. This only takes a couple of minutes.
Spread the melted chocolate chips over the toffee. See video for how-to!
Top the chocolate layer with 1/4 cup chopped pecans. Chopped pistachios and almonds work well too!
Easy 10 Minute Toffee
Ingredients
- 1 cup toasted pecans, chopped (divided: 3/4 c. and 1/4 c.) (128 grams divided into 96 grams, and 32 grams)
- 1 stick salted butter (113 grams) (if using unsalted butter, add 1/4 tsp. salt - 1.5 grams)
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar (176 grams)
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips (heaping) (128 grams)
Instructions
- Chop toasted pecans, measure 3/4 cup and 1/4 cup and set aside.
- Prepare an 8 inch square pan. You can butter the pan, or just line with parchment paper. If you use parchment paper, there is no need to butter the parchment. The easiest 100% non stick guarantee would be using parchment!) Spread 3/4 cup of chopped pecans evenly across the bottom of the pan.
- In a saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar over medium to medium high heat. As soon as the toffee begins to bubble, set a timer and cook for 7 minutes. STIR constantly. NOTE: When toffee starts boiling, depending on your cooktop, you may need to turn the heat down to medium. Remove from heat and immediately drizzle the hot toffee mixture over the pecans. Quickly spread in an even layer over the pecans. Sprinkle chocolate chips over hot toffee and cover with a baking sheet or large flat pan. Wait 2 minutes, remove the pan, and smooth out the melted chocolate chips with a spatula. Right away, sprinkle on the remaining 1/4 cup chopped pecans. Cool until chocolate sets, break apart, and enjoy! (You could cool faster in the refrigerator, just be sure NOT to store in the refrigerator. Only chill long enough for the chocolate to set.) Enjoy!