Toffee
Updated November 5, 2025
- Ready In
- 30 min
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Ingredients
¾ packed cup/165 grams dark brown sugar
6 tablespoons/85 grams salted butter (see Tip)
Nutritional analysis per serving
27 grams carbs; 30 milligrams cholesterol; 206 calories; 3 grams monosaturated fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 11 grams fat; 99 milligrams sodium; 27 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Line a large (13- by 18-inch) sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Step 2
In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan set over medium-high heat, melt the brown sugar, butter and 2 tablespoons of water, stirring constantly until the sugar begins to dissolve. Bring to a boil and continue cooking, swirling the saucepan occasionally, until the bubbles slow considerably and the mixture reaches 290 degrees on a candy or instant-read thermometer, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce the heat as needed to avoid smoking.
- Step 3
Immediately pour the sugar mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and let cool completely until hard and brittle, at least 15 minutes. Using a large serrated knife, cut the toffee into ½-inch pieces and set aside. Toffee will keep, covered at room temperature, for up to a week.
Salted butter helps yield very evenly seasoned toffee. If using unsalted butter, add ¼ teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) when melting the butter, brown sugar and water in Step 2.
Private Notes
Comments
I make this every xmas to give out to friends and neighbors as gifts. As soon as I pour the toffee from the pan, I sprinkle milk chocolate chips on top which melt into a smooth layer, then sprinkle toasted chopped pecans on top.
@Juliet soft ball stage for fudge hard ball stage for divinity soft crack for nougat hard crack for toffee My grandma made a loooooot of candy :)
Over 60 years ago when I was growing up in England, my mother used to make toffee and she did not have a sugar boiling thermometer. Instead, she tested a little of the toffee by putting a drop of it into a glass of cold water. Toffee goes through different stages which (if I remember correctly) were called something like "soft", or "hard crack". You might mention this for those who would like to try making toffee but don't have the thermometer.
I just made this using light brown sugar and vegan butter. My thermomador only goes to 220 so I used the hard crack method. I tested it right after the bubbles subsided. Poured 3/4 into a prepared pan, the rest I spread on a couple of rice cakes. Yum! My new go to guilty unhealthy snack pleasure!
I made three different toffee recipes from the NYT and had a family taste test. This was by far the least favorite, primarily because of the texture from heating the toffee to only 290 degrees. It was too soft and didn't have the satisfying crunch of toffee that was cooked longer. Also, we weren't fans of using brown sugar.
it's delicious. My first time making candy and burned it just little bit - still tasty. Unfortunately, however, I broke a tooth eating it. My dentist advised freezing it before eating.