Best Christmas Toffee
One of my favorite Christmas desserts is homemade Christmas toffee candy! Christmas is that time of year to make mouthwatering buttery toffee with just a few simple ingredients right in your own kitchen!
This delicious Christmas toffee would make the perfect treat to share with your neighbors to help spread cheer this holiday season!
The best part about it, other than the delicious taste, is that it is super easy and quick to make!
You may want to make a double batch because it will be difficult for everyone to resist!
‘Tis the season for giving, so make up a plate of my Christmas toffee, along with my delicious chocolate chip cookies without nuts, best lemon bars with graham cracker crust, and best Hello Dolly bars to share with neighbors at Christmas!
What is Christmas Toffee
Christmas toffee is a delicious combination of nuts, butter, sugar, and chocolate, all combined together to make a delectable homemade toffee.
It’s also known as toffee bark, cracker candy, or Christmas crack recipe, although the recipes can vary slightly.
Toffee and caramel are similar candies, but toffee is made by caramelizing sugar and butter together until the mixture reaches 285-300 degrees.
It then hardens and after cooling can be broken into bite-sized pieces.
Caramel has a similar taste but has water and milk or cream in it, along with the sugar.
Caramel is also chewier than toffee’s crunchy texture.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This will easily become one of your family’s favorite holiday treats and they will beg you to make it every year!
- Christmas is the best time of the year to make this simple recipe because everyone is ready to celebrate the season!
- This is such an easy recipe, which makes it a good reason to write your ingredient list now so that you will have it on hand when you start your Christmas baking.
- This toffee recipe is one of my favorite recipes because it reminds me of my grandmother who loved baking and sharing her dessert recipes!
Tell Me About This Christmas Toffee
- Taste– Deliciously sweet and chocolaty, with a contrasting nutty flavor, makes the perfect combination for this delicious dessert!
- Texture– The toffee has a delightfully crunchy and crispy texture with a burst of flavor that makes your mouth water!
- Ease– You only need one large or medium saucepan to cook the ingredients in, and then you pour the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper so you can add the chocolate layer.
- Time– This easy toffee recipe only takes about 30 minutes from start to finish!
Ingredients for Christmas Toffee
- Pecans or Walnuts– Pecans have a sweeter taste than walnuts, but both have an almost buttery flavor. Either one works for this recipe.
- Unsalted Butter– Using unsalted butter brings out the true flavors in the other ingredients. Also, since you will be adding salt, you do not want to have too much salt in the recipe.
- Granulated Sugar– This ingredient provides sweetness to the dessert.
- Kosher Salt– Salt adds flavor but also helps to bring out the other flavors in the candy mixture.
- Vanilla Extract– This ingredient adds wonderful flavor to the toffee and a deliciously sweet smell.
- Milk Chocolate Chips– Milk chocolate chips contain milk and are sweeter than semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips– These chips are made of dark chocolate and do not contain any milk.
Steps for Making Christmas Toffee
- Make Butter Mixture– Combine the butter, sugar, and salt on medium heat. After the butter is melted, allow it to come to a boil. Use a candy thermometer and when the temperature reaches 285 degrees F, it is ready to pour onto the cookie sheet.
- Pour into Parchment-Lined Baking Sheet– Pour the butter toffee mixture into the baking dish and sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Spread them into a delicious chocolate layer over the top of the toffee. Sprinkle nuts on the top and place the dish in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.
- Break the Toffee– Break the toffee into bite-sized pieces once it’s hardened. Enjoy!
Variations for Christmas Toffee
- Sea Salt– You can sprinkle sea salt on top of your Christmas toffee for a tasty sweet and salty combination.
- Candy Canes– Crush up candy canes or peppermint candies and sprinkle them on top for extra crunch and deliciousness! Chocolate and peppermint complement each other beautifully!
- Christmas Sprinkles– Colorful Christmas sprinkles would add to the festivity of this dessert and kids love sprinkles!
- Peanut Butter– If you like peanut butter, you can melt about 1/3 cup with the chocolate chips in the microwave and then pour it over the butter mixture. Then you could sprinkle crumbled Reeces Peanut Butter Cups on top!
Tips for the Best Christmas Toffee
- Use parchment paper on the baking sheet to make clean up easier and for easy removal of the toffee.
- You will know when the toffee is ready when it reaches 285 degrees F and it turns a dark amber color.
- Try wrapping several pieces of toffee together in cellophane bags and tie it with festive ribbon to gift to neighbors, teacher, and friends.
- The first time you make it, make sure that you have a candy thermometer. Don’t be intimidated by it because it’s easy and necessary to cook it to the right temperature.
- Don’t forget to check out the full printable recipe!
How to Store Leftover Christmas Toffee
You will want to store it in an airtight container, whether it’s a glass container or zip-lock bag. You can keep it on the counter at room temperature for up to a week, or in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes it can! Cover and freeze it in a single layer on a baking sheet for a few hours. Then, place them carefully in a freezer safe bag or container for up to 3 months. When you are ready to thaw it, put it in the refrigerator for several hours.
Because you want to get it to the hard-crack stage. If you cook it to a higher temperature it turns a brown color and becomes more of a syrupy liquid which is used in different desserts.
Best Christmas Toffee Recipe
Best Christmas Toffee
Equipment
- 1 large saucepan
- 1 9×13 baking dish
- parchment paper
- 1 candy thermometer
Ingredients
- 1 cup pecans or walnuts chopped
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, combine butter, sugar, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture is melted together, which will take about 5 minutes.
- Line a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper. Make it large enough that it covers the ends of the dish for easy removal.
- After the butter has melted and everything is combined, allow the mixture to come to a boil.
- Cook the mixture, stirring 2 to 3 times while it cooks. You will know it's ready when it turns a dark amber color. Using a candy thermometer, see that it reaches 285 degrees F. This should take 20-25 minutes.
- Pour the butter toffee mixture into the baking dish. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top. Allow them to soften and then spread them into a chocolate layer with a rubber spatula.
- Sprinkle the chopped nuts on top and place the dish in the refrigerator. It will take 1-2 hours for the toffee to cure and harden.
- Once hardened, lift the toffee out of the dish and break it into serving sizes. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use parchment paper on the baking sheet to make clean up easier and for easy removal of the toffee.
- You will know when the toffee is ready when it reaches 285 degrees F and it turns a dark amber color.
- Try wrapping several pieces together in cellophane bags and tying it with festive ribbon to gift to neighbors, teacher, and friends.
- The first time you make it, make sure that you have a candy thermometer. Don’t be intimidated by it because it’s easy and necessary to cook it to the right temperature.
- Don’t forget to check out the full printable recipe!
Vanilla is listed as an ingredient, but it doesn’t say when to add it in the instructions. Is there a particular time?