This homemade salted dark chocolate almond toffee is completely over the top in the best way possible. Covered in rich salted dark chocolate, each sweet buttery bite is filled with crunchy toasted almonds.
Toffee. I’m all about it right now. I went on a major toffee kick for a few weeks, making batch after batch after batch. It was a little personal challenge I made for myself: master the art that is stovetop toffee making.
It’s all about salted dark chocolate now!
This salted dark chocolate almond toffee is completely worth every single second making it from scratch. It’s the kind of toffee that won’t break your teeth; rather, it’s on the crispy-tender side. Completely melting in your mouth as you chew. Not something you get with all toffee recipes. And that is why I call this one my favorite.
The dark chocolate and toasty almonds are an obvious addition to my butter toffee. I remember eating toffee exactly like this during the holidays when I was growing up, easily demolishing the entire batch over the course of a couple days. And as the weather starts to get cold, I crave salty sweet candy exactly like it. After one taste, you’ll begin to crave this ridiculous-in-the-best-way toffee too. I brought it along with me to a book signing last weekend and, naturally, people were going insane over it.
Old-fashioned, authentic toffee making takes some time, some practice, and some patience. Don’t be intimidated. You can absolutely do this if you have just a few special tools. These three items will make your toffee making experience easier, as well as guarantee toffee success. Sweet, sweet success.
Candy thermometer. There is no way you can make old-fashioned toffee with no sugar graininess, a hard yet soft texture, and a toffee bursting with the toasty caramelized flavors of properly cooked butter and sugar without this tool. I recommend a digital candy thermometer. The one I own is easy to hook onto my pot and very easy to read. No mistaking temperatures with this particular model. Don’t be scared of a candy thermometer! It’s literally just a thermometer telling you when your candy reaches certain cooking stages. Using a candy thermometer is so much easier and more accurate than using your eyes to detect doneness.
A heavy bottomed saucepan. Oh, the many batches of toffee I ruined from using a cheap saucepan. An ideal saucepan for making today’s candy is one that is deep and thick. Thin pans, which often have hot spots, do not withstand the heat needed for toffee to cook. I burned 1,000 batches of toffee before realizing this. Well, not really. But it sure as heck seemed like it. I have a few pans I use for making toffee: here and here.
Wooden spoon: Wood = high heat tolerance, strong, will not scratch your pan. Most importantly? It’s insulated. A wooden spoon guarantees you are not going to cause a sudden crystallization by sucking out a bunch of heat from your candy.
A silicone baking mat. This will make your candy making experience much easier. Why? Well, when you pour the toffee out onto a large baking sheet, it is so much easier to spread onto and remove from this slick silicone surface compared to a bare baking sheet, parchment, or aluminum foil. Not only this, I don’t bake my chocolate chip cookies (or any cookies) on any other surface! Always a silicone baking mat. I own 9 of them. I wish I was joking. I’m ridiculous.
Besides these three items, you’ll also need the ingredients and some self control if you plan to share it or gift it.
I really, really want you to make this. I sound like a walking (typing) advertisement for any and all things toffee. But really! I want your holidays to include homemade toffee and I want you to challenge yourself in the kitchen. Your family, friends, and absolutely anyone with tastebuds will thank you for this recipe. They will get down on their knees and praise your toffee making abilities. Or something like that.
Perfectly salty, sweet, chewy, crunchy, buttery, sugary, toasty dark chocolate toffee bliss.
PrintSalted Dark Chocolate Almond Toffee
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: about 1 pound
- Category: Candy
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This homemade salted dark chocolate almond toffee is completely over the top in the best way possible. Covered in rich salted dark chocolate, each sweet buttery bite is filled with crunchy toasted almonds.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (340g; 12 ounces) whole unsalted almonds*
- 1 cup (230g; 8 ounces) unsalted butter, cubed
- 1/2 cup (120ml; 4 ounces) warm water
- 1 cup (199g, 7 ounces) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon light corn syrup
- 8 ounces (224g) dark chocolate, finely chopped*
- sea salt for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Before you get started, review the information below the recipe card for helpful toffee troubleshooting tips.
- Preheat oven to 300°F (149°C) degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. (Silicone baking mat is preferred.) Spread the almonds onto the sheet and bake for 15 minutes, stirring them around twice during that time. Toasting the almonds brings so much flavor to the toffee. Remove from the oven, allow to cool, and set 1 cup aside. Chop up the other cup of almonds nice and fine. Or pulse in a food processor a few times to break them up. These will go on top of the dark chocolate.
- Line a 12×17-inch jelly roll pan with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Set aside.
- Melt the cubed butter over medium heat in a 3-quart heavy duty saucepan. Stir occasionally (about every 2 minutes) with a wooden spoon as it melts. Once melted, add the water, sugar, salt, and corn syrup. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves, then brush down the sides of the pan with a water-moistened pastry brush. Attach a candy thermometer to the pan. Do not let it touch the bottom of the pan.
- Once dissolved, stir occasionally as you bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, stop stirring. Rapid bubbles, a thicker consistency, as well as a slightly darker color forms around 235°F (113°C). At the 265°F (129°C, hard ball stage) point, stir in the 1 cup of toasted whole almonds. The mixture may separate when you add the nuts. If it does, temporarily remove the candy thermometer and stir vigorously until it all comes back together. Carefully reattach the thermometer and brush off any candy on the side of the pan with the pasty brush. Cook and stir the candy until it reaches 290°F (143°C, soft crack stage).
- Turn off the stove, remove pan from the heat, and pour the toffee out onto the prepared jelly roll pan. Smooth into an even layer. The toffee should be thick and not spread all the way to the edges of the jelly roll pan. Allow the toffee to cool for 5 minutes. Sprinkle half of the chopped chocolate on top. Allow the chocolate to soften and melt from the heat of the toffee, then spread the melted chocolate into a thin, even layer. Sprinkle half of the crushed almonds onto the wet chocolate and press down gently with the back of a spatula to adhere them. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to set the chocolate.
- Once set, flip the toffee over as a whole. You should be able to just peel it off the silicone baking mat. Melt the remaining chopped chocolate in the microwave, in 10 second spurts, stirring after each until completely smooth. Spread over the toffee and top with remaining chopped almonds, pressing down gently with the back of a spatula to adhere them. Sprinkle the top with sea salt. Refrigerate toffee again to set the chocolate, about 20 minutes. Once set, slice with a sharp knife or break into pieces—as large or small as you want.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Store toffee in an airtight container at room temperature in a cool, dry place for up to 2 weeks. For longer storage, freeze up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Baking Sheet | Silicone Baking Mat or Parchment Paper | Heavy Duty Saucepan (like this one or this one) | Wooden Spoon | Pastry Brush | Candy Thermometer
- Almonds: I prefer unsalted almonds here; salted are just a little TOO salty for this toffee. Instead, I add a little sea salt on top of the finished toffee (which already has some salt in it). You have control over how much you’re adding this way.
- Chocolate: I prefer Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate. You can use quality semi-sweet chocolate instead, either Ghirardelli, Baker’s, or your favorite brand. If chocolate chips are more convenient, you can use semi-sweet or dark chocolate morsels instead—no need to chop them. Since they are not pure chocolate, they are not my first choice for candy making. Pure, quality chocolate tastes best.
- Can I make this plain? Absolutely. Feel free to skip the almonds and/or chocolate topping. Sometimes I make this with the almonds and 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Add the cinnamon when you remove the cooked toffee from heat.
Candy making is chemistry! And every ingredient serves an imperative role in the cooking process. Need some troubleshooting help?
Troubleshooting Toffee
When butter separates out of toffee. Toffee recipes contain a large amount of butter and in the course of cooking the candy, it is not uncommon for the butter to separate and create a slick, oily layer on top of the cooking candy or the finished candy. The causes? Temperature shifts; if the candy is heated too hot too quickly. Slow and looooow heating is best. And by low, I mean medium heat. Another culprit is a thin saucepan. Thin saucepans do not conduct heat evenly and may have hot spots where portions of the candy can be overheated. Another culprit I’ve experienced is not stirring often enough. Stirring is so imperative, so make sure you are stirring as directed in the recipe. And finally, humidity can cause the butter separate, so if your kitchen is very warm or humid, it’s not the best time for toffee.
All is not lost! If your toffee does separate, you can sometimes fix it. Briefly remove the pan from the heat and stir vigorously to bring the candy back together. Unfortunately, if you notice the separation after the toffee has been poured out of the pan onto the sheet, it is too late. You may *try* dabbing any excess butter off with a moist paper towel. If you find the toffee is too hard (because of the lost butter), you can chop your toffee up and use the toffee bits in baking recipes like cookies.
When toffee is too soft and sticky. Soft and sticky toffee is a result of too much moisture in the candy, which can be caused by humidity in the air, undercooking the candy, or using too much corn syrup. Soft toffee cannot be hardened after the candy making process. Avoid cooking toffee in a high humidity environment and make sure you are following the recipe and proper temperature readings.
When toffee is too hard and brittle. It’s been cooked too long. If you find the toffee is too hard, you can chop your toffee up and use the toffee bits in baking recipes like cookies.
When toffee is gritty and sugar crystals can be tasted. This is why corn syrup—no substitutions—is used. Also, make sure you are stirring as directed in the recipe. And as you stir, make sure you aren’t scraping the sides of the pan. If there is crystallized sugar on the side of the pan (if you did not brush with a wet pastry brush or butter as directed in the recipe), you will bring this crystalized sugar back into the boiling mix which can turn your entire batch into a grainy, coarse mess.
Instead of almonds and sea salt, sprinkle the dark chocolate almond toffee with festive sprinkles during the holidays! I admit, I didn’t spread chocolate on the bottom of this batch. I used it all on top.
recipe. It’s something you want more of. It was not hard to make but mine separated when I put the almonds in but still turned out great. How can that separation be prevented? I have made 3 batches and they all separated. Love this recipe and will continue to make it. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Wendy, if you remove the pot from heat and vigorously stir in the almonds, the mixture should come back together. Give it time, and keep mixing. Removing from heat helps.
Lovee your recipes and am looking forward to trying this but have a quick question…can you substitute brown sugar for white sugar and will the measurement change?
Hi Marie, I don’t recommend that swap in this particular recipe. Candy can be so finicky and even the slightest change can spell disaster. You don’t want the extra moisture from brown sugar.
Great recipe.. looks delicious.. I tried making it.. the chocolate started melting after 10 minutes.. what must have gone wrong u think.. how do I correct it
Hi Naina! Did the chocolate melt after sitting out at room temperature? Was it particularly warm? It’s best to store in the fridge if the chocolate seems to melt at room temperature.
I’ve made this recipe many times, and it turns out better every time I make it! It always disappears within 2 days though Thanks for this! It is delicious
Hi Sally,
The recipe is super simple but as a first test batch, I halved it and by the end of it the butter had split entirely from the toffee.. as I was about to pour it over the silicon mat it just became like 2 different mixes in the same pot! 🙁
Could you help me with what I might have done wrong?
Thanks heaps! x
Prachi
Hi Prachi! It could be a few things – here’s a post from The Spruce Eats that goes into a lot more detail than I can here – hope it’s helpful to you: https://www.thespruceeats.com/why-did-my-butter-separate-when-making-toffee-or-caramel-520448
I love Sally’s recipes, but this one did not work out. There’s just no way you can add cold almonds to hot candy and NOT have it break. Why would you need to anyway, you’ve already toasted the whole almonds. My suggestion: DON’T stir the candy as it cooks, and DON’T add the whole almonds…the temperature drop will cause the oil to separate. Instead, wait until you reach 290F, then add the whole as you pour the hot candy on to your silicone mat. Also, I suggest using lightly browned ghee (clarified butter) for this recipe, as it really deepens the toffee flavors. Cheers!
I love your recipes and have been following them for years! I went vegan a few years ago and live at a high altitude so I often have to make some substitutions. I am not as experienced with candy making, so I was wondering if this could still turn out well if I used vegan butter instead?
Hi Yvonne, We have not tested this with a vegan butter, but let us know if you try it!
My attempt was a disaster! The sugar burnt, even though the candy thermometer was only at 100 (C) and it wasn’t touching the bottom. I panicked, added the almonds and mixed. Poured it on a baking sheet and the butter separated…it ended up hardening, but tasted a little bitter and was swimming in butter! I messed up big!
Sorry; forgot to rate earlier. 5+ stars
Made this recipe for the first time yesterday and it was spot on! I left out the whole almonds because (for me) the outer crushed almonds provide enough almond flavor.
Can’t wait to make multiple batches of this for holiday snacks & gifts.
Thanks for a perfect and easy-to-follow recipe!
Delicious! My first time making toffee.
Have you ever considered tempering the chocolate to make it last longer and prevent bloom?
Sure have! You can definitely use tempered chocolate on top.
Hi! This is the third year I’ve made your toffee and it has always been a hit! For the past two years we’ve been at high altitude and the recipe still works. I’ve gotten so many compliments and I owe them all to you. Thank you!!!
YAY! You are so welcome, Kathryn!
Hi Sally! Found this recipe through google & tried it last night. I was nervous making toffee for the first time, but it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be! The flavor turned out AMAZING. One thing I’d like some help with – when you first bite into the toffee it breaks very easily & the texture is wonderful…it seems like it will melt in your mouth, but then the toffee gets into a ball and gets super sticky (like sticking to teeth). What would prevent this? I did let the heat get up to the listed temp, but wondering if it needed to be cooked longer or something? I also noticed when I poured it on my silicone mat it spread pretty thin (it did go to the edges of the pan in some parts). Thanks for any help!! I definitely want to try my hand again at this delicious recipe 🙂
Hi Sally:
Did you ever make this with peanuts so it’s more like a peanut brittle? I am wondering if that is yummy too? PS Have you ever made your almond shortbread without the almonds? I’m looking for a plain shortbread.
Thanks.
Peanut brittle is much different from toffee (I have my peanut brittle recipe in my cookbook!) but you can absolutely sub in peanuts for the almonds here. Should be SO good!
If I want to make regular toffee, could I leave out the almonds? Looks amazing!
Yep! Just leave them out.
Anxious to make this. Would like your opinion please. Last Christmas an acquaintance gave us some toffee. It was nice because it was not break your teeth hard. You mentioned this is a softer bite. Is that because of the small quantity corn syrup? I like the almonds on top, but not in the toffee. Is it ok to leave them out without affecting the texture? Oh….the friend would not share the recipe!! . thank you
Cooking the toffee longer (to a higher temp) would make it harder like a brittle. This temperature is just right. You can leave out the almonds in the toffee, yes. Enjoy!
Sally my family is not fond of almonds. Could I use pecans in place of the almonds? Also could a person use milk chocolate morsels instead of the dark chocolate?
Pecans work (same amount) and milk chocolate works (same amount) Enjoy!
Hi Sally, I want to make this with pecans as well. Do I still toast them? Thanks!
Hi Linda, yes, you can use pecans in the same amount. Toasting them prior will add lovely flavor!
I finally took the plunge and made my first batch of toffee today with my new jelly roll sheet, saucepan and silicone sheet! Despite some weirdness with my candy thermometer it came out amazingly well!! I’d planned to take in the bulk of it to work and give some to friends, but considering the amount I’ve consumed already, I’m going to need about three batches to do all that! Thank you for the detailed instructions!
One thing though, the chocolate was very melty as I tried to break up the pieces and later too. Is there a way to prevent this?
Krithika, I’m so glad you tried and loved the toffee! There’s no way to really prevent the chocolate from getting melty. It does for me sometimes too! Did you refrigerate the toffee to set the chocolate?
What is the purpose of light corn syrup? I don’t have it, can I skip it?
Helps prevent crystallization in the candy. Do not leave it out.
Sally…can’t wait to try this! I’m making toffee to sell at a Christmas market. Can this recipe be doubled or tripled and still receive the same results? Thanks, Jeff
Do not double or triple this toffee recipe. The extra volume prevents the candy from cooking properly.
My first batch was an Epic Fail. It was no fault of your recipe, but of the brand new digital thermometer I had just bought! I ended up putting my old and new thermometer in the next batch and the longer the toffee boiled the new thermometer had readings that were WAY to low. Grrrr, $$$ down the drain! Luckily my old thermometer worked like a charm and this batch came out excellent!! I do have a quick question, I have had toffee that came out chewy….is that from under cooking or over cooking? Thank you for providing wonderful recipes Sally! I have your cookbook and look forward to ordering the candy edition!!
Hey Krissie! Glad you used your trusty thermometer for the 2nd batch and you liked the toffee! Chewy toffee is from undercooking.
Hey Sally!
I tried making this toffee this morning. I used a candy thermometer and everything but it never turned amber. I continued nonetheless and when I added the almonds the mixture separated. I stirred constantly until 290 and then took it off. It just didn’t work! Any tips?
Hey Carley! I’m surprised your cooked sugar never changed color? Even reaching such high temperatures. Did you change anything about the recipe at all?
What is the size of the baking sheet that you use to spread the toffee out?
17×12
Made this the other day and absolutely have fallen in love with this recipe. I will be making it more than once that is for sure. I appreciated your step by step instructions and feel like I would have taken it off the burner much earlier if it weren’t for your pictures. I added a few Christmas sprinkles on top of the chocolate for a festive look. The texture of the toffee was absolutely perfect. Thanks for the amazing recipe!
I’m very unfamiliar with candy making. Tried the recipe, employing your techniques and using digital thermometer, heavy-bottomed pan & silicone mat. It was good ( especially liked the toasted almond flavor), but after initial crunch, became somewhat chewy. Not pull your fillings out sticky, but not the desired crunch/melt-in- your- mouth at all. I wondered if my thermometer was a bit off. Maybe next time cook to 292? Or leave at 290 for a minute or 2? I removed pan from fire immediately upon reading 290.
Also, could you recommend a minimum amount of sea salt to add at end? I didn’t put enough on at all. ( can’t add salt after it’s set, can you?)
Many question/comments:
Slicone mats. Found 2 at BB&B, but one was too large for even a jelly roll pan and the other seemed too small for a larger pan. Does your mat fit pan exactly? Do you find them online in standard pan sizes?
1.) Can you specify a temperature for the melting the sugar phase ( as long as the thermometer is in anyway)? I was very worried about burning the butter. ” Medium high” is too vague for this newbie.
Hi Nancy! The toffee is definitely supposed to be a little chewy. However, it should hold its crunch. If you decide to make again, you can heat to 292 as you mentioned. The sea salt amount is up to you, I usually add about 1/8 teaspoon. So, not too much but that’s just based on my tastebuds. Add more if you’d like! I suggest measuring your pans and buying the silicone baking mats that fit. They do come in all different sizes, yes. Are you looking for a temperature marking when the sugar is completely dissolved? I don’t know that off the top of my head, unfortunately. I just look to see when it is dissolved.
This toffee is absolutely delicious! Every recipe I’ve tried from your blog has been awesome. I was intimidated by the challenge of working with sugar, but your directions were clear and easy to follow! I love, love, love the final product. Thanks for a great recipe!
I made this for Thanksgiving with the in-laws. It turned out FANTASTIC!! You’re description of the tempature changes were spot on. I was initially intimidated but the toffee turned out great and received a lot of praise. Thanks for the great direction! Dark chocolate + sea salt + toffee=perfection
Hi, I made this today and it came good but it didn’t become an amber color. Instead it looks sort of white/light yellow and it’s pull your fillings out chewy, not crunchy and melt in your mouth. Any ideas why this happened?
Did you use a candy thermometer to measure the temperature? It sounds like your toffee was not boiled long enough if it never changed color.