Butter Toffee Recipe (Buttercrunch)

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Sweet, buttery toffee coated in milk chocolate and ground almonds make this Butter Toffee recipe one of the best holiday treats ever. This melt-in-your-mouth buttercrunch is absolutely AMAZING and perfect for gifts (if you can stand to give it away)!

This recipe was originally published in December 2018. It has been updated for content and photos. 

My mom has been making this Butter Toffee recipe for as long as I can remember and it's always been an all-time favorite of mine. I used to get so disappointed as she packaged it up to give it away as gifts. So sad.

But FINALLY I learned to make it on my own during as recent trip out to visit my parents in Anna, TX. And I am so excited. Because this stuff is the best guys.

THE BEST. So buttery and chocolaty and extra special with the almonds, and my own touch, just a sprinkle of sea salt on top....mmmmmm. I'm so excited to be sharing this with you guys.

And even with my lack of baking skills, I am able to make this. The key is to pay attention to what you're doing and follow all the steps. It's definitely not hard.

**If you're looking for more gift ideas, try these Chocolate Covered Orange Peels or this Pistachio Baklava**

What is Buttercrunch?

Buttercrunch is not technically toffee, but really, you can call it toffee (i.e. butter toffee, as it has also been called). It has a slightly softer texture than toffee as it is made with slightly less butter. I would describe it as a softer toffee mixed with almonds and topped with melted chocolate and crushed almonds. AKA, the best thing ever.

The Ingredients

All easy to find ingredients guys. Get them at the grocery store, or buy them through the below Amazon links (affiliate links) if you don't feel like getting off the couch (I feel you - that's how I always feel LOL).

• Salted butter
• Sugar
• Corn syrup
• Almonds
• Milk chocolate chips
• Coarse sea salt

For the almonds, you can buy raw or roasted, but if you buy raw you will need to toast them to use them in this recipe. Personally, I prefer buying them toasted so I can skip the extra step. NOTE: it's ok (even preferred) if they are lightly salted.

Step By Step Instructions

First, grease a 9x13" baking sheet with butter. Melt the butter in a 2 quart saucepan over low heat. In a separate bowl, combine the corn syrup and water and stir to dissolve fully.

Turn the heat to medium and add the sugar, stirring constantly until sugar fully dissolves, about 3-5 minutes. Add the corn syrup and water mixture.

Turn the heat to medium high and continue stirring the mixture constantly until it reaches a temperature of  300 degrees. Mixture will be bubbly and start to thicken.

SIDE NOTE: When I make this recipe, I use a Thermapen MK4 from Thermoworks. This is literally my favorite thermometer ever. It takes only 3 seconds max to give you an incredibly accurate reading. It eliminates the stress of monitoring temperatures for recipes. Note in the photo a Thermopop is being used....I shot these photos at my mom's house to show the process and she uses a Thermopop, which is also a great product from Thermoworks!

Remove from heat and quickly mix in the chopped almonds.

Pour the candy mixture on the greased baking sheet and let it spread out. It should be about ¼" thick.

Pick up the pan and shake gently back and forth to help the mixture more evenly.

Before it starts to cool, sprinkle the top with the chocolate chips and let them melt for 2-3 minutes.

Spread the melted chocolate with a knife in an even layer over the buttercrunch. OPTIONAL: Sprinkle the top with ½ teaspoon of coarse sea salt.

Then sprinkle the top with the ground nuts and gently pat on.

Let the chocolate and butter toffee cool and use a knife to break into pieces.

To speed up the cooling, I typically place it in the fridge for 15-20 minutes. Just be careful not to leave it in there too long or the chocolate will become too hard and separate from the toffee.

Tools Used

- Thermapen MK4
- 2 Quart non-stick saucepan
- 9x13" baking sheet
- Wooden spoon

Expert Tips

1. Make sure to stir the toffee continuously so it doesn't burn.
2. Be sure to melt the butter on low heat - higher temperatures can cause it to separate.
3. Once the toffee starts to brown (about 10 minutes in), the temperature will rise quickly, so be ready with your thermometer.
4. When you pour the toffee on the pan, it should spread to about ¼" thick. Pick up the pan and shake it lightly to help the toffee spread if necessary.
5. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on as soon as you pour the toffee on the baking sheet. You want to toffee to be warm enough to melt the chocolate so it can be easily spread.
6. Don't let the toffee sit in the fridge too long before you break it into pieces, otherwise the chocolate will start to separate from the toffee.
7. Store the butter toffee in a covered container in a cool place or the fridge if you live in a hot climate.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How to store toffee? Store the butter toffee in a covered container in a cool place or the fridge. My house tends to be on the warm side, so I store it in the fridge. But I also live in San Diego where it is always hot, so if you live in a cooler part of the country, you can probably just leave it on the counter.
2. What's the best kind of chocolate to use for toffee? I find any kind of milk chocolate is great for this recipe. Obviously higher quality chocolate will taste better on the final product.
3. Why is my toffee sticky? If you didn't cook it to the correct temperature, it can cause your toffee to be sticky. Also, more humid temperatures can cause your toffee to be stickier.
4. Why did my butter separate? If you cook the butter on high heat, it can separate which will ruin your toffee. Make sure to melt it on low before adding the sugar and turning up the heat. It can also separate if you didn't stir the toffee enough - make sure to constantly stir. Using unsalted butter instead of salted can also cause issues with stabilization.
5. How do you know when toffee is done? It is done cooking when the temperature has reached 300 degrees. Typically, toffee takes about 30 minutes to harden fully after it's done cooking.
6. Can you freeze toffee? After breaking it into pieces, it can be store in a airtight container in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw it in the fridge or at room temperature.

More Christmas Gift Ideas

• Chocolate Covered Candied Orange Peels;
• Pistachio Baklava;
• Candied Pecans;
• Homemade Apple Chutney or Cranberry Chutney (will require refrigeration);
• Dark Chocolate Truffles (will require refrigeration after a period);
• Candied Cherries or Candied Lemon Slices.

Favorite Holiday Desserts/Treats

• Caramel Apple Galette;
• Pecan Pie Bars;
• Pumpkin Pie Bars;
• Sweet Pumpkin Souffle;
• Brown Sugar Sweet Potato Pie from Sally's Baking Addiction;
• Roasted Chestnuts from She Loves Biscotti.

Did you make this recipe? Rate the recipe and leave a comment to let me know how it turned out!