The best toffee recipe EVER!
Sweet milk chocolate, crunchy pecans, and rich, buttery toffee – what’s not to love? This Better Than Anything Toffee is easy to make and makes the perfect treat OR gift year-round!
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The holiday season marks my favorite time of year. If you hadn’t guessed already, I’m a leeetle obsessed with food. Making good food for my friends and family is my happy place. One of my favorite things to do during the holiday season is make candy. I have a TON of candy recipes on my site. Some are super easy using only the microwave and a handful of ingredients like these M&Ms Marshmallow Dream Bars while others are more challenging but worth every second like these Buttermilk Pecan Pralines.
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I have my personal favorites that never fail to make an appearance each holiday season and this Better Than Anything Toffee recipe is one of those.
This recipe reminds me a lot of old school pound cake recipes in that the amounts are simple to remember. One cup of butter, one cup of sugar, one cup of pecans and one cup of milk chocolate chips. A pinch of salt and a little vanilla extract are optional but add a lot of flavor to this easy candy recipe.
Yes! I said easy! I know some of you guys are going to get a little freaked when you see that you need a candy thermometer for this recipe.
Don’t.
It makes candy making fun and fool-proof! This entire recipe takes about 20 minutes from chopping the pecans to spreading the chocolate on top. Then you just have to let it chill for awhile while you enjoy a steaming mug of Slow Cooker Peppermint White Hot Chocolate.
I’m gonna put this picture right here just in case you have any doubts that this recipe is absolutely worth your time…
That’s what I thought.
So, why do I love toffee so much? Because EVERYONE else does! I have given a lot of food gifts over the years but trust me, I take note of which ones get the biggest reactions. This Better Than Anything Toffee is one such recipe.
Top Tips for the BEST TOFFEE RECIPE:
- Use a quality candy thermometer like this one (best for large batches) or this candy thermometer (great for small batches AND large batches and it does a lot more). Digital is my favorite. You literally can’t mess it up. I give the range of 290F – 300F for this recipe. I have cooked it from one end of this range to the other and it’s all good. 300F is hard crack so the toffee will be more brittle the higher you go.
- There is a whopping 4 main ingredients in this recipe, 5 if you count the vanilla extract, 6 if you count the salt. Use the very best quality ingredients for the best quality toffee. I use Challenge butter it’s the brand I’ve used and trusted for years and years. Made with 100% real cream, it’s my butter of choice. And, for all you who thought it wasn’t in your market, it’s now available nationally. Find out where to buy it in your area here.
- I used milk chocolate chips for the top layer. You can use three Hershey’s bars in place of the chips if you prefer. The chocolate is a little softer and will melt faster as it’s being held but it is delicious.
- Not a pecan fan? Cool. Use what you want: almonds, walnuts, etc.
- Freaking out over the fact that I didn’t top the toffee with finely crushed and chopped nuts? This recipe doesn’t need it since there are so many nuts IN the toffee. If you still can’t handle it, feel free to top your toffee as you wish.
- Store toffee in airtight container so they don’t get sticky. That’s kind of annoying. Cool + dry = happy toffee.
- This recipe can be easily doubled. Use a 10 x 15 jelly roll pan instead of the 9-in square pan and you’ll be all set.
In the mood for candy making? Try these Peanut Butter Pretzel Truffles (easiest candy EVER), these Chocolate Mint Cream Cheese Buttons (always a crowd pleaser) or check out my 30 Last Minute Christmas Treats here. Lots of great recipes!
You can find all of my CHRISTMAS RECIPES HERE 🙂
How to Make Better Than Anything Toffee
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- 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
- 1 cup (2 sticks) Challenge unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips
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Spray a 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray and line with parchment paper.
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Spread the chopped pecans in a single layer on top of the parchment.
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Add butter, sugar, and salt to a heavy bottomed 3 quart pot
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Bring to a boil over medium low heat, stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar.
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Once the candy is boiling, stir occasionally, slowly and evenly, until the candy has reached 290F to 300F, or "hard crack" on a candy thermometer.
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Once the candy has reached 290F-300F, remove from heat and gently stir in the vanilla extract.
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Carefully pour the mixture over the chopped pecans.
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Let the candy sit for a few minutes, undisturbed, before sprinkling the chocolate chips over the top.
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Cover the baking dish with foil and let sit for 5 minutes or until the chocolate has softened.
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Remove the foil and gently spread the softened chocolate into an even layer. An offset spatula works best for this.
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Place the candy in the refrigerator and let cool completely. Give it at least 2 hours.
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Lift the parchment out of the baking dish and place the toffee on a cutting board or solid surface.
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Use a knife to gently break it into smaller pieces.
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Store in an airtight container in a cool place.
Try these other favorites!
No Bake Avalanche Popcorn Treats
Practically Perfect Peppermint Fudge
For all cookie recipes, go HERE.
For all dessert recipes, go HERE.
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Have a great day!
Disclosure: I was compensated for this post by Challenge Butter. All opinions are, as always, 100% my own. Thank you to my readers for supporting the brands that make Mom On Timeout possible!
Mags says
Hi, I love the recipe for choc walnut toffee, my question how much is 2 sticks of butter, I live in the UK. Thanks
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Yes! That would be 1 cup of butter.
KellyAnn says
What a wonderful recipe, ty you for sharing! Because of your complete and clear instructions, I made candy for the first time in my life…lol. And I’m 54! It turned out great.
Georgia says
I’ve made the same thing with saltines instead, and dark chocolate.
Shari says
Made this for Christmas, it was easy and soooooo good. Will make again. Thank you for the recipe.
JAWhiz says
Made this Christmas Eve day 2017 and did exactly what the recipe stated. I even let it go past 300 degrees a bit, just to make sure it got hot enough (read people kept having problems). Also, I noticed the cream was separating from the butter-another problem people had. I turned temp down lower (was mid than low) and it all came back together. You can’t make this faster by turning up the heat. Won’t work-do as she says! In the end, it turned out PERFECTLY!! Beautiful caramel color, broke in pieces easily, and chocolate stuck just fine on the toffee. Seriously, just follow the recipe LIKE SHE STATES and you’ll have no problem!! My mother-in-law immediately asked for the recipe! Thanks!!
Les says
Just made my first batch and it turned out fantastic. Only one change is that I added 1 TBS Lyle’s Golden Syrup (bought at Kroger on sale) and this really helped for the toffee flavor. I used a candy thermometer and also I put a few drops on ice to double check. Great recipe, this is a keeper.
Julie Proctor says
I just want to thank you for this recipe. It saved me this Christmas. Soooo easy and foolproof if quality ingredients are used, and you pay attention to the directions. I’ve made three double batches so far. The first I used semi-sweet (I didn’t have milk chocolate chips), second I used white chocolate and red and green food coloring swirled in for a festive look, and the third milk chocolate. Soooo goood!!!! My butter of choice is Kerrygold. Don’t be afraid, you too can be a candy maker. Thanks again!!