Almond Toffee Recipe
Posted Nov 18, 2020, Updated Sep 02, 2024
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The best homemade almond toffee recipe! This almond toffee is made from scratch with 8 ingredients, and is the most delicious holiday treat, perfect to give as gifts to neighbors and friends!
This almond toffee recipe is the most delicious toffee, and makes a perfect holiday gift for friends and neighbors.
This is, hands down, the best homemade toffee recipe ever. Every bite is perfectly buttery & sweet with rich notes of vanilla and a nutty almond crunch.
My neighbors and friends love receiving this almond toffee as a gift for the holidays, along with our favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes. It’s also gluten-free, so your loved ones with food sensitivities can enjoy this festive treat.
Almond Toffee: Ingredients and Substitutions
I do not recommend any substitutions. Here are a few notes on the ingredients:
- Almonds. Be sure to use blanched, slivered almonds (no skins, shaped like little spears).
- Butter. Salted butter is recommended, but unsalted can be used as well.
- Light corn syrup. do not make substitutions for corn syrup.
- Semisweet Chocolate. Use your favorite chocolate – dark, milk, etc. I suggest chocolate chips because they’re easy to spread, you can also use chopped chocolate bars or melting discs.
- Toppings (optional). Dress your toffee up with some toppings like crushed almonds, sprinkles, sea salt, etc.
How to Make Almond Toffee
This recipe requires your undivided attention. You have to stir the almond toffee for 45 minutes without distractions. Follow the step-by-step photos below and don’t forget to watch the video to ensure your success.
Begin this almond toffee recipe by heating all the ingredients (except vanilla and almonds) together in a large saucepan until the butter is melted.
As soon as the butter is melted add the almonds. Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring constantly with a spatula (that can withstand high heat) for about 45 minutes. When the almond toffee reaches 265 degrees F add the vanilla extract and mix thoroughly.
Use a Thermometer
This toffee needs to be cooked to just about the soft crack stage (265 to 270 degrees F). There are certain ways to tell you’re getting close to the end, but monitoring the temperature is the surest way to know the toffee is ready. I use my instant read thermometer every time I make candy.
Indicators Toffee is Done
- The toffee becomes firm enough to form a shape when stirred with the spatula. (i.e. it doesn’t immediately rush back to the sides of the pan like a liquid does).
- Both the mixture and the almonds become a darker brown, a roasted golden color.
Once the toffee is done, spread the mixture onto your buttered cookie sheet as quickly and evenly as you can with a buttered or greased spatula.
Pour the chocolate chips on top of the warm toffee. Let them sit for 5 minutes to melt, then spread them evenly over the almond toffee.
Set for 24 hours
One the chocolate is evenly spread over the top, let the pan of homemade toffee sit at room temperature for 24 hours or overnight.
After 24 hours, break the toffee into pieces with your hands or cut into pieces with a sharp knife and enjoy. It’s best served at room temperature.
You can also chop it into very small pieces (or use the crumbs) to make these delicious toffee cookies!
How to Store Toffee
Store toffee in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Since this recipe keeps so well, it’s a great gift to give to neighbors and friends. Simply wrap it in a cute bag or put it in a holiday box and deliver it with a smile!
Almond Toffee Recipe FAQs
Salted butter is better for making toffee because the salt helps stabilize the candy mixture so it doesn’t separate during the cooking process.
English toffee is made without nuts, while “regular” or American toffee usually contains nuts – most commonly almonds like in this recipe.
Yes, this toffee recipe requires constant stirring. Just be careful not to splash the mixture on the sides of the pan to prevent sugar crystalization.
Toffee can be chewy for a few reasons. 1) It wasn’t cooked long enough. Please use a thermometer to ensure it reaches the proper temperature. 2) Humidity – if there is a lot of moisture in the air the toffee will absorb it as it cools overnight and it will be chewy. Make sure to store it in a cool, dry place. 3) The chocolate didn’t completely coat the top of the toffee. The chocolate creates a barrier between the toffee and the elements (like humidity) that contribute to chewy toffee. So be sure the entire top of the candy is coated.
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Homemade Almond Toffee Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup water
- 2 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups salted butter
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 cups blanched, slivered almonds
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups chocolate chips (12 oz)
Instructions
- Grease a large baking pan with butter, set aside.
- Grease one side of a spatula with butter, set aside.
- Add water, sugar, butter, corn syrup and sea salt into a large, deep saucepan or pot (4 quart minimum capacity). Heat over medium heat until the butter is melted.
- As soon as the butter is melted add the almonds.
- Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring constantly with a spatula (that can withstand high heat) for about 45 minutes.
- As it cooks, the mixture will bubble and begin to thicken. You must stir constantly (i.e. do not leave the stove for 45 minutes).
- You will know your toffee is done when a few things happen: *The toffee becomes firm enough to form a shape when stirred with the spatula. *The mixture turns a darker brown *The almonds turn darker brown *The best way to check if the candy is done is using a thermometer to be sure it has reached 265 to 270 degrees F.
- As soon as your toffee reaches 265 degrees F add the vanilla extract and mix thoroughly.
- Once the toffee is done, QUICKLY dump the mixture onto your buttered cookie sheet and spread it evenly with your buttered spatula.
- Pour the chocolate chips on top of the warm toffee. Let them sit for 5 minutes then spread evenly.
- Let the pan sit at room temperature for 24 hours or overnight.
- After 24 hours, break the toffee into pieces with your hands and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Almonds. Be sure to use blanched, slivered almonds (no skins, shaped like little spears).
- Butter. Salted butter is recommended, but unsalted can be used as well.
- Light corn syrup. do not make substitutions for corn syrup.
- Semisweet Chocolate. Use your favorite chocolate – dark, milk, etc. I suggest chocolate chips because they’re easy to spread, you can also use chopped chocolate bars or melting discs.
- Toppings (optional). Dress your toffee up with some toppings like crushed almonds, sprinkles, sea salt, etc.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoyed this recipe. My toffee was done after like 20-25 minutes. Thank goodness for a thermometer my hand was hurting from stirring
I have a lot of whole roasted almonds could they be used in the this recipe? I’m making cinnamon roasted almonds now. Thanks for your recipes.
You really need blanched, slivered almonds for this recipe.
You can actually sprinkle some toasted almonds in the bottom of your pan and pour toffee mixture over top. I also use some on the top of the chocolate. Then you don’t worry about blanching nor over cooking them.
I have a high altitude question, I am in Colorado Springs and 6500 ft. Do I change this temp to accommodate the altitude? Is this recipe at sea level? Thank you. Love all your recipes made several cookies all divine…thank you so much
Hey Karen! I live at 5000 ft and make the recipe as written.
Saw your recipe post on instagram and i read that absolutely no subs. But is it possible to replace corn syrup with something else? Honey or something?
We don’t get it here in Lebanon and to be honest, I don’t like to use it
Hey! I have only tried this with corn syrup! I know it’s not the best for you but really this candy is just too good to tamper with! And a special treat every now and then never hurts! I have never tried another sweetener but if you do please report back and let me know!
Yes, let us know how it is with honey because I was thinking the same way.
I have sub in several candy recipes Liles golden syrup for corn syrup with no problem sometimes i even mix the 2
Sorry its Liles Golden syrup …
I just love Toffee, this will be delicious! Thanks so much for sharing your awesome recipe with us at Full Plate Thursday! Hope you are having a wonderful week and hope to see you soon!
Miz Helen
Looks yummy. I too love toffee. You say to use a large baking pan – what size do you use – like a sheet cake pan?
Yes Marcy! A sheet cake pan! 🙂
This is a holiday recipe that I think of making every year, and then for some reason never do it. Yours looks so perfect and uncomplicated – I need to try it!
Thank you Alisa! And making homemade chocolate ensures that the recipe is completely dairy and refined sugar free!
This looks amazing! Totally with that 45 minutes of effort!
You can say that again! 😉
I love these! The chocolate on top is perfection!
When in doubt, add chocolate! 😉
This homemade almond toffee looks so delicious! The chocolate on top is the perfect finish!
Homemade is always the best!