English Toffee is a classic holiday candy that’s buttery, nutty, and rich thanks to a combination of almonds, walnuts, and milk chocolate. Make it in a brownie bite pan to get the cutest toffee bites—perfect for gifting!
I love making candy every holiday to give as gifts and serve to guests. If you’re new to candy, start with our easy rocky road fudge, homemade turtles, and peanut butter cups.
Why You’ll Love This English Toffee Recipe
Thanks to one of my besties RHONDA (hey girl!), who shared this awesome English toffee recipe with me years ago. It became a tradition for us to have a holiday candy-making day with our oldest daughters, Natasha (on the left) and my daughter Alyssa (on right).
We usually gave the girls the job of rolling Peanut Butter Buckeyes and wrapping homemade caramels…you know, the “chores”!
Here’s what makes this English toffee one of my favorites:
- English toffee is typically made in an 11×7 pan, but a few years ago I found a silicone brownie bite pan and it’s all I use now. No more slicing toffee, just pop the toffee bites out and you’re good to go—easy, neat, perfectly portioned pieces!
- If you like Heath Bars, this homemade English toffee is like that, but so much better than store-bought. It’s rich, buttery, and much more nutty.
- Not everyone is a baker! If you struggle to get your Christmas cookies looking just right, switch to candy—it’s a lot easier to make, with fewer details to manage. No more struggling with icing or cookie cutters!
Important Ingredient Notes
- Unsalted butter – There are three dominant flavors in English toffee: butter, nuts, and chocolate. Spring for a good butter!
- Margarine – You may say, “CAN I USE ALL BUTTER?” The answer is yes. However, I find I get reliable results, with no separation of butter and sugar, when I use half margarine. The flavor is still amazing!
- Kosher salt – Salt is important for adding balance to this recipe. If you’d like, you can also sprinkle flaky sea salt on top of the melted chocolate.
- Vanilla extract – Aside from the butter, toffee is also vanilla flavored. Use a high-quality pure vanilla, not imitation. Our homemade vanilla would be perfect.
- Milk chocolate – Again, high-quality is important here!
- Nuts – You’ll need both unblanched whole almonds and finely ground walnuts.
How to Make Homemade English Toffee
Prep the Almonds: On a foil lined baking dish or in a silicone brownie bite pan, arrange the almonds in a single layer.
Make the Toffee Mixture:
- In a heavy pan, combine the butter, margarine, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract. Cook over medium-high heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the butter melts. Bring mixture to a rolling boil.
- Continue boiling and stirring for an additional 5-7 minutes, or until the candy turns the color of almonds (or reaches about 300 degrees, if you have a candy thermometer).
- Pour the toffee mixture over the almonds. (If you’re using the brownie bite pan, I use a small metal scoop to get toffee into each bite, working quickly!)
- Cool completely.
Finish: Spread the melted chocolate over top of the cooled toffee, then sprinkle with the ground walnuts. Once the chocolate sets, remove from the brownie pan or cut the English toffee into pieces.
Recipe FAQs
Using thin lined saucepans can cause butter to separate. A heavy bottomed saucepan can manage the heat better. The second reason may be from heating the butter and margarine too quickly. Keep the pan over medium to medium-high heat. Don’t crank the heat up for the sake of bringing it to a boil faster.
The reason I like to use half butter and half margarine when I make English Toffee is that I find I get more reliable results, without any separation of the butter and sugar. The flavor is still amazing! You can use all butter if you prefer.
This is most likely due to excess butter on the toffee surface. Before adding your chocolate, be sure to wipe the top of your toffee with a dry paper towel to absorb any excess butter.
If it still feels a little “greasy”, sprinkle a small amount of cocoa powder or crushed nuts to the top before adding your chocolate. This should help!
More Holiday treats
- Chocolate Peppermint Graham Crackers
- Peppermint Meringues
- Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti
- Peanut Butter Fudge
- Peppermint Bark
- Churro Toffee
- Divinity Candy
- Christmas Crack
- Sugar Cookies – perfect no-spread cut out cookies
Holiday Candy Recipes
See all Candy recipes
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English Toffee
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup margarine
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 12 ounce milk chocolate melted
- 1 cup unblanched whole almonds
- 1 cup finely ground walnuts
Instructions
- On a foil lined baking dish (11×7)- or in a silicone brownie bite pan (with 24 bites)- arrange almonds in a single layer. Set aside.
- In a heavy pan, combine butter, margarine, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract. Cook over medium-high heat with a wooden spoon until butter melts, stirring constantly. (REALLY STIRRING CONSTANTLY)! Bring mixture to a rolling boil.
- Continue boiling (AND STIRRING) an additional 5-7 minutes until candy turns the color of almonds (about 300 degrees). Pour over almonds. If using the brownie bite pan, I use a small metal scoop to get toffee into each bite, working quickly!
- Cool completely.
- When candy is cooled and set (about 2 hours), spread chocolate over top of toffee. Sprinkle generously with ground walnuts. If doing both sides, use only half of the chocolate and walnuts. Allow top to set before flipping over and doing bottom. When set, pop out of silicone pan and store in a airtight containers. OR cut into pieces. ENJOY!
Notes
- Tip- when I say stirring, I’m talking taking that wooding spoon and whipping it! haha!! I have an electric stovetop and turn my heat on 7…and it remains on 7 through the entire boiling process.
- If you choose to scoop into brownie bite pan vs. pouring into a baking pan, your butter might separate a little bit by the time you get to the 20th scoop! Don’t worry about it. I use my scooper to slightly stir as I take a scoop of toffee.
- Many will ask WHY DOES MY BUTTER SEPARATE? This can be from using cheaper, thinner lined saucepans. It could be from heating the butter and margarine too quickly.
- You may say, “CAN I USE ALL BUTTER?” The answer is yes. However, I find I get reliable results, with no separation of butter and sugar, when I use half margarine. The flavor is still amazing!
- If you’d like, you can add the chocolate and walnuts to both sides of the toffee. To do it this way, use only half of the chocolate and walnuts for the first side. Allow the top to set before flipping over and doing bottom.
- Oh, and breaking English toffee into pieces will leave you some shards on your cutting board. SAVE THESE. They are delicious on vanilla ice cream.
- See blog post for more recipe tips and tricks.
Hi, so the recipe said to let candy sit for 2 hours before adding chocolate but the video said only 5 mins. Just wanting to know which timing is better. Thank you!
I do the 5 minutes now if using the square silicone dish. If making a pan (11×7) I find waiting to add the chocolate is better, as it doesn’t fall off when you break it into pieces. Since the silicone dish you don’t have to cut pieces, you don’t have to worry about waiting. Hope that helps 🙂 Great question!
Hello , can I switch the vanilla extract with coffee extract? My husband loves coffee, it would be great to have coffee as sweet treats like this!
Sure give it a try, I’ve never used coffee extract!
I noticed after I commented, that my recipe is twice the size of yours, so If I made it like yours it wouldn’t set up so fast . . .
Just came across this while making a links roundup for National English Toffee Day (Jan 8!). I am going to include a link to these luscious bites – thanks for sharing!
I like the idea of using a bite pan – never saw one before. When I make this, I just use a buttered cookie tray and then break the pieces when they cool. I wonder if bite pans come in silicone? If so, you might be able to pour the candy into the pan quicker and then guide the extra into the pan? Easier than the unforgiving metal?
Mine is silicone and they pop right out 🙂
I’d rather not use margarine if I can help it – do you know if I could sub something like coconut oil instead?
Thanks! Looks like a wonderful recipe
You can use all butter.
Has anyone put these in little paper candy cups ( like cupcake wrappers? ) would they totally stick?
How long would this last in an air tight container? Do I leave it on the counter or in the fridge while being stored?
I leave it on the counter, and we usually make it the first weekend of December and it lasts all month 🙂 As long as it’s air tight!
This looks amazing! I just have a problem with an ingredient, the margarine. I was wondering if you had to use margarine? Could I just substitute more butter, or is there a specific reason for the use margarine?
Thank you so much!
I do use all butter when I make this now. However, just watch the color closely because it heats differently (but the flavor is amazing). ENJOY
Can you use a metal brownie bite pan?
I make mine with butter and corn syrup. My co-workers go crazy over this stuff! Like the idea with the sea salt. Giving it just a little tang. How about using ice trays in fun shapes?
I just found this recipe through Pinterest and I’m shocked that anyone is still using margarine. Margarine and other vegetable oils like soybean, canola, etc., are industrialized fake “foods” and are *terrible* for your health.
Switch to butter and see how much better you feel, how much energy you have, and how improved your digestion (and your fertility!) will be!!
Kelly
Thanks for you insight on this. However I am a big believer in “everything in moderation.” Eating a batch of toffee with all butter (instead of margarine) is not going to improve my digestion and fertility. Just sayin 😉
Just made this toffee and it was so easy and is so good!! I did tweak the recipe just a bit, I put chocolate chips on the top of the toffee after placing the it in the pan and let them melt with the heat from the toffee. After they were soft, I spread them into a thin layer of and added the ground nuts. YUM-O!!
This recipe is a keeper.
I can’t find your recipe for English toffee so I can share it on Facebook. I have the recipe but cannot get it to post. Can you please help me. I want you too get the credit because a bunch of people ask me for the recipe so I’ve don’t want to just type it in as a post
Do we have to put the almonds on the bottom? Not a fan. Will it ruin the integrity of the toffee?
Nope you can leave them out and it will still taste wonderful!
Sorry if someone has already asked this, but can this be made with all butter instead of half butter, half margarine? Looks delicious! Thanks!!
You mention pouring the chocolate over the hardened toffee, do you melt the chocolate with anything to keep it smooth. On a double boiler or in the micro? Would love to try this for a candy platter for sharing at work. Looks delicious, can’t wait to try it.
Looks delicious. Was wondering if I can use straight butter instead of butter/margarine combo?
Hi Aimee,
I was wondering if I can substitute the margarine for butter?
Thank you,
Lindsay