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No Thermometer Needed Easy Toffee

December 8, 2015 by thedomesticrebel | 27 Comments

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easy toffee piled onto baking sheetI am SO EXCITED about this recipe today!

If you’re anything like me, candy thermometers kinda freak you out. Honey, I get you. I’m not a fan either. They’re too official and scary and cold and hard and heartless. (Can you tell I loathe them?) So if I can avoid using one at all costs, I’m on board.

But making candy at home often requires them, and toffee is usually no exception. However, this recipe is completely made with trust, love, and good old-fashioned perfect timing. It’s made in ten minutes – five to boil the mixture, and five to let it sit before spreading the chocolate – and then it just needs a couple hours in the fridge to set.

It starts with butter – two sticks – and 1 & 1/2 cups of brown sugar. Simply bring the mixture to a boil and boil, stirring constantly, for five minutes precisely. Pour the mixture into a greased and foil-lined baking pan and top with chocolate chips. Throw that sucker into the microwave (without turning the microwave on) and let it sit undisturbed for five minutes – this will help melt the chocolate. Spread the chocolate into an even layer, and top with whatever you like – I’ve topped mine with Heath chocolate toffee bits, but this would be great with chopped almonds or pecans.

Then simply let it set in the fridge for a couple hours before snapping it into pieces. It’s really as simple as that. No thermometers, no tricks, no jokes. Five minutes boiling, five minutes sitting, a couple hours setting. Done and done!

Now who wants some?!

toffee pieces piled onto baking sheet

Print Recipe
3 from 6 votes

No Thermometer Needed Easy Toffee

This Easy Toffee is a delectable holiday treat that's made without a candy thermometer! So simple, fast and foolproof.
Prep Time2 hrs
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time2 hrs 10 mins
Course: Candy, Dessert
Cuisine: American, Dessert
Servings: 4 -6
Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 1½ cups brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • About 2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • About 1/2 cup Heath milk chocolate toffee bits or chopped nuts - whichever you prefer

Instructions

  • Line an 8 or 9-inch square pan with foil, allowing the edges of the foil to hang over the pan. Grease the foil lightly with cooking spray. Set aside.
  • In a large saucepan, bring the butter and brown sugar together over medium heat, stirring to help melt the butter. Bring the mixture to a boil, and stirring constantly, boil the mixture for exactly five minutes. Mixture will be thicker and caramel colored.
  • Pour the toffee into the prepared pan. Immediately sprinkle with the semi-sweet chocolate chips and place the pan in the microwave so it can sit undisturbed for five minutes. Remove from oven and spread the chocolate into an even layer; immediately top with the toffee bits or nuts, if using. Allow toffee to come to room temperature before placing in the fridge to set for about an hour or two. Break into pieces.

giant chunks of toffee piled onto baking sheetMy family and I could not stop eating this delectable, decadent, crunchy toffee. I still wish we had leftovers!

Want more toffee goodness? Check out these other recipes!

Peanut Butter Toffee arranged on metal traySalted Peanut Butter Toffee

Toffee Tiramisu Brownies stacked on wooden surfaceToffee Tiramisu Brookies

Sticky Toffee Pudding Cookies arranged in a row on pink gingham fabricSticky Toffee Pudding Cookies

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

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Comments

  1. Liz says

    December 8, 2015 at 6:26 pm

    You’re a genius, Haley! This toffee looks amazing AND perfect AND easy! Love it!!!

    Reply
    • thedomesticrebel says

      December 8, 2015 at 8:49 pm

      Thanks a bunch Liz! I try 🙂

      Reply
      • corrina johnson says

        December 17, 2016 at 1:18 pm

        when do u add the vanilla

        Reply
        • thedomesticrebel says

          December 18, 2016 at 1:04 pm

          Hi Corrina, add the vanilla once the toffee has finished boiling.

          Reply
        • Earl Wilkison says

          December 11, 2021 at 10:20 pm

          when do you add the vanilla

          Reply
          • thedomesticrebel says

            December 13, 2021 at 10:09 am

            Hi Earl, at the end of the boiling time, right before pouring into the pan! Stir in the vanilla and mix in (careful, as mixture will bubble violently), then pour into the prepared pan.

  2. Erin @ Miss Scrambled Egg says

    December 9, 2015 at 3:42 am

    Every year we make gift baskets for my grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Throughout the year, my boyfriend and I do a lot of canning so that we can stuff these baskets full of delicious, homemade treats. I think we’re going to have to add toffee to this list.

    Reply
    • thedomesticrebel says

      December 9, 2015 at 11:28 am

      I want to be part of your family, Erin! Sounds so sweet and awesome 🙂

      Reply
  3. Julie @ Julie's Eats & Treats says

    December 9, 2015 at 7:37 am

    YES! No candy thermometers for the win! I can make this too now 🙂

    Reply
    • thedomesticrebel says

      December 10, 2015 at 7:18 am

      🙂

      Reply
  4. Nicole says

    December 9, 2015 at 12:47 pm

    I love candy recipes that do not require a thermometer. I have the worst luck with thermometers!

    Reply
    • thedomesticrebel says

      December 9, 2015 at 7:10 pm

      I haven’t even used mine yet! 🙂

      Reply
    • Phyllis Woods says

      December 6, 2020 at 6:01 pm

      1 star
      I followed the recipe precisely but the toffee was soft and didn’t harden. What a disappointment, it looked lovely but was soft unfortunately. I think a candy thermometer may actually have helped!

      Reply
      • Sue says

        December 17, 2020 at 6:27 pm

        2 stars
        Same thing happened to mine! So sad….

        Reply
      • Sandy says

        January 5, 2021 at 10:02 pm

        4 stars
        I haven’t made this yet, but the main problem I see is the cooking instruction “cook for exactly 5 minutes.” Liquids boil at 212 degrees at sea level, but the temperatures go down about 2 degrees per 1000 ft. as you go up in altitude, so cooking to a certain time doesn’t usually work out. If your toffee didn’t set, try cooking another minute or 2 and see how it comes out. I live at high altitude (8500 ft) and would cook it an additional 2-4 minutes. You may have to experiment a little, but it’s toffee! Worth it!

        Reply
  5. Jocelyn @BruCrew Life says

    December 11, 2015 at 6:58 am

    I love simple and easy recipes like this!!! Toffee doesn’t last long around me though…I know I would eat this entire batch too!

    Reply
    • thedomesticrebel says

      December 11, 2015 at 7:26 am

      I totally agree Jocelyn! Toffee is NOT safe around me! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Kay says

    December 19, 2015 at 6:20 pm

    Hi, Should I add the vanilla at the beginning while I’m cooking it, or at the end after it’s off the heat but before I pour it into the pan. It looks terrific–this is my sister’s favorite type of candy–I can hardly wait to try it.

    Reply
  7. Jaime says

    November 15, 2016 at 10:59 am

    1 star
    I tried this, and even though I boiled it for five minutes exactly, it didn’t work.
    I think that there’s an element of luck to this recipe that you can eliminate by using a candy thermometer (unfortunately for me)!

    Reply
  8. John says

    December 16, 2016 at 10:32 pm

    Why do I have to put the pan in a microwave?

    Reply
    • thedomesticrebel says

      December 18, 2016 at 1:05 pm

      Hi John, just to help the chocolate melt. You don’t have to, but I like to so it isn’t disturbed and so the microwave traps the heat to melt the chocolate.

      Reply
  9. corrina johnson says

    December 17, 2016 at 1:25 pm

    this looks so good but when do you add the vanilla

    Reply
  10. Sharon says

    November 13, 2017 at 7:08 pm

    Can you put nuts in the toffee after you boil it for five minute.

    Reply
    • thedomesticrebel says

      November 14, 2017 at 7:29 am

      Sure!

      Reply
  11. Nancy says

    March 23, 2019 at 5:03 pm

    5 stars
    I ended up adding the vanilla at the same time as the butter. Was that correct? It turned out fine anyways, but the recipe doesn’t say when to add it.

    Reply
  12. Lucid says

    February 26, 2020 at 1:36 pm

    5 stars
    Wow, that was easier than I expected! Success on the first attempt, and I just about never make baked goods or confections. It’s good toffee.

    I did however make a few intuitive changes to the recipe (it’s a habit);

    I used salted butter, and melted it over low heat before adding the sugar. As for the sugar I used 1 cup brown/ 0.5 cup white. I substituted Vanillin for the real thing (for just about all things, except ice cream and the like, it’s indistinguishable).Last, I spread the concoction over parchment paper on a baking sheet. I didn’t add chocolate or toppings. Tip: I used a light non-stick aluminum sauce pan as opposed to a less forgiving heavier one (retains heat longer) and never went above medium on the stove.

    Reply
  13. Pam says

    December 18, 2021 at 10:49 am

    What a waste of time and money. I boiled this for 8 minutes while stirring and poured in a pan and the sugar wasn’t even melted. It just tasted like sugar. Back to the thermometer.

    Reply

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About me

Welcome to The Domestic Rebel! My name is Hayley and I am the 31-year old writer, photographer, recipe developer, taste-tester and creator of this blog. I’m so glad you’ve stopped by my little slice of sprinkly, butter-laden heaven on the interwebs. If it wasn’t apparent, I like to bake… a lot. Read More…

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