Skip to content

Better Than Anything Toffee — Buttery, Chocolate-Topped & Perfect for Gifts or Snacks

Why You’ll Love It

  • 🥜 Simple but irresistible: only a few basic ingredients — butter, sugar, pecans, chocolate — but delivers a crunchy, buttery toffee with a silky chocolate top that melts in your mouth.
  • 🍫 Perfect balance of sweet & nutty: rich caramel toffee + crunchy pecans + creamy chocolate = dessert-meets-snack bliss. Great for holidays, gifts, or just cozy nights.
  • 🎁 Easy to make and gift: comes together in ~25 min + chill time, and stores well — ideal for homemade gifts or treat boxes
Denize J

Better Than Anything Toffee

A classic buttery toffee with crunchy pecans and a silky chocolate topping — easy to make, perfect for gifting or snacking.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 24 pieces
Course: Candy, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 167
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
  • 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
  • 1 cup milk chocolate chips (or semisweet / chopped chocolate)

Equipment

  • Heavy bottom saucepan (3 qt or larger)
  • 9 square baking dish + parchment paper
  • Candy thermometer (optional but recommended)
  • Offset spatula or spatula
  • Refrigerator (for chilling)

Method
 

  1. Line a 9" square baking dish with parchment and spray lightly. Spread pecans in an even layer.
  2. In a heavy pot, melt butter over medium-low, then add sugar and salt; stir until dissolved.
  3. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring gently, until mixture reaches 290–300 °F (hard crack).
  4. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring gently, until mixture reaches 290–300 °F (hard crack).
  5. Wait ~1–2 min, sprinkle chocolate chips over top, cover with foil for 5 min until chips melt.
  6. Remove foil, spread melted chocolate evenly with spatula.
  7. Chill in fridge at least 2 hours until set.
  8. Lift parchment, break toffee into pieces, serve or store.

Notes

– Pecans can be swapped for almonds, walnuts or other nuts.
– Use semisweet chocolate for deeper flavor.
– For thinner brittle toffee, use a larger pan.
– Add sea salt or chopped nuts on top for texture & flavor contrast.

🧾 Ingredients

  • 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
  • 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional but recommended)
  • 1 cup milk chocolate chips (or semisweet, or chopped chocolate bar)

🍳 Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to — actually, you don’t bake this. Instead, line a 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking spray. Spread the chopped pecans in a single even layer at the bottom.
  2. In a heavy-bottomed pot (3-quart or larger), melt the butter over medium-low heat, then add sugar and salt. Stir frequently until sugar dissolves.
  3. Bring mixture to a roll/boil, then cook — stirring gently/occasionally — until temperature reaches 290 °F–300 °F (hard crack stage). If you don’t use a candy thermometer, watch for deep amber color. Be patient — this is key for crisp toffee.
  4. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla extract. Immediately pour the hot toffee over the pecans in the prepared dish, spreading gently if needed.
  5. Let sit a minute or two, then quickly sprinkle the chocolate chips on top of the hot toffee. Cover the dish with foil and let sit ~5 minutes to allow chocolate to soften from residual heat.
  6. Remove foil and use an offset spatula (or similar) to spread the melted chocolate into a smooth, even layer.
  7. Transfer to fridge — let toffee chill and fully set (at least 2 hours).
  8. Once set, lift parchment, place on a cutting board and break toffee into bite-sized pieces.

💡 Notes, Tips & Variations

  • ✅ You can swap pecans for almonds, walnuts, or mixed nuts — the recipe works the same and flavor remains delicious.
  • 🍫 Prefer darker chocolate? Use semisweet or bittersweet chips instead of milk — gives deeper chocolate flavor and nice contrast with sweet toffee.
  • 🧊 For a thinner, crispier brittleness, use a larger baking dish/pan (e.g. 10×15″) — toffee spreads thinner and cracks into finer shards.
  • 🎄 For a festive twist: after spreading chocolate, sprinkle flaky sea salt or crushed nuts/candied nuts on top — salt + sweet toffee is excellent balance.
  • 🎁 To gift: break into pieces, separate with parchment paper layers and pack in decorative bags or tins — classic homemade candy gift.

📦 Storage & Freezing

  • ✅ Store toffee in an airtight container at room temperature (cool, dry place) for up to 2 weeks.
  • ⚠️ Keep away from heat and humidity, as toffee can soften and lose crunch.
  • ❄️ For longer storage: place in a cool dry spot or fridge (depending on climate) — chocolate stays stable better when cool.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




© 2024 All Rights Reserved | Powered by Themuffinpost.com