Elevate your desserts with homemade toffee bits. They’re easy to make, free from artificial colors and flavors, and add a rich, crunchy layer to cookies, muffins, ice cream and more.
Table of Contents
- Easy toffee bits recipe
- Homemade Toffee Bits Recipe
- Ingredients for homemade toffee bits
- How to make toffee bits
- How to serve toffee bits
- Storage
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More dessert recipes
- Latest Recipes
Easy toffee bits recipe
These homemade toffee bits take about 15 minutes from start to finish and taste far superior to most store-bought varieties. They’re perfect broken into small pieces for baking or left in larger chunks for snacking. For a twist, dip cooled pieces in chocolate for chocolate-covered toffee.
Begin by combining butter, sugar, water and a pinch of kosher salt in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then continue cooking until it caramelizes and turns a deep golden brown. Do not stir once it starts boiling—stirring can cause sugar to crystallize and make the toffee grainy. Aim for 300°F on a candy thermometer so the toffee will set firm when cooled.
Pour the hot toffee onto a lined baking sheet and let it cool completely before handling. Be careful: the mixture is extremely hot immediately after cooking. Once hardened, break into bits with a rolling pin, can, or measuring cup inside a sturdy plastic bag.
Use the bits to add crunch and buttery caramel flavor to cookies, muffins, brownies, pancakes or ice cream. Packaged in a pretty jar, they also make a welcome homemade gift.
Homemade Toffee Bits
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tbls water
- pinch kosher salt
Instructions
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Boil: Combine butter, sugar, water and a pinch of kosher salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat (about 5 minutes).
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Cook: Continue cooking for about 8 more minutes, until the mixture reaches 300°F and begins to brown.
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Pour: Pour the hot toffee onto a Silpat- or parchment-lined baking sheet and spread thin.
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Break: Let cool until firm. Place in a plastic bag and break into bits with a can, rolling pin, or measuring cup.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
Ingredients for homemade toffee bits
- Butter: Unsalted butter works best.
- White sugar: Creates sweetness and hardens into toffee; brown sugar can be used for deeper flavor.
- Water: Helps dissolve the sugar and control the cooking.
- Kosher salt: A pinch enhances the buttery caramel taste.
See the recipe card above for exact measurements and servings.
How to make toffee bits
- Boil: Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat (about 5 minutes).
- Cook: Continue cooking about 8 more minutes, until the mixture reaches 300°F and turns a deep golden brown.
- Pour: Pour the hot toffee onto a Silpat- or parchment-lined baking sheet and spread thin.
- Break: Let cool completely, then break into pieces inside a bag using a can, rolling pin, or measuring cup.
How to serve toffee bits
Use toffee bits to add texture and caramel flavor to pancakes, brownies, cookies or ice cream. They pair well with chocolate and nuts, and can be mixed into batters or sprinkled on top as a finishing crunch.
Storage
Store cooled toffee bits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week, in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks, or frozen for up to one year. Keep them dry to preserve the crisp texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Toffee is a buttery confection made by caramelizing sugar with butter. It becomes hard and brittle when cooled and is often enjoyed plain or added to desserts. Nuts are sometimes included for extra crunch and flavor.
Yes. This recipe contains no flour, so the toffee bits are gluten-free. Always check added ingredients if you plan to serve them to someone with celiac disease or severe intolerance.
Yes. Double the ingredients and prepare in the same way. You may need an extra baking sheet to pour the full batch.
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- Caramel Fudge Brownies