Homemade Toffee Bits
Homemade toffee bits are buttery, sweet nuggets of crunch perfect for baking or snacking. They’re quick to make with just a few ingredients, and honestly they’re a game-changer in cookies!
About these homemade toffee bits
These crunchy, buttery shards add a delicious snap and rich caramel flavor to cookies, ice cream, brownies or whatever you fancy. Made with just butter and sugar they stay crisp once cooled and add both texture and flavor without any fuss.
I’m using a 1:1.5 ratio of butter to sugar for these toffee bits. This is the perfect ratio for toffee that breaks into crisp shards without feeling greasy or falling apart. Once the toffee reaches the hard-crack stage, I pour it onto a silicone mat to cool and harden, then snap it into bits that add delicious crunch and flavor to everything. Because it’s cooked to the hard crack stage, it means it doesn’t just melt and disappear when it added to baking. It gets soft and liquidy when it’s just been baked but once cooled it sets back up again into a lovely crunch.
I use them in these cinnamon toffee cookies!
Ingredients you’ll need
You can find the full ingredient amounts in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to make toffee bits
- Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat.
- Melt butter and sugar together in a saucepan.
- Whisk constantly over medium heat until the mix turns an amber color and reaches around 290-300°F.
- Quickly pour onto the silicone mat.
- Carefully tilt the tray a bit to spread out the toffee.
- Once hardened, break up the toffee into shards.
- Store leftover toffee bits in an airtight container to keep their crisp.
The stages of toffee
- Water evaporates: At first you see big, rapid bubbles as the water in the butter and sugar boils away. As that moisture disappears, the mixture becomes quick thick.
- Sugar melts and thins: Once most of the water is gone, the sugar begins to break down and caramelize. That melting sugar makes the mixture look more liquid again, even though it’s actually much hotter.
Things to watch for:
- Temperature. Toffee needs to reach the hard-crack stage, around 290–300 °F (150 °C) to set properly. A candy thermometer is the most accurate tool, but you don’t actually need one. Usually, once the mixture turns a deep amber brown and has cooked for about 6–7 minutes, it’s at the right stage. You can also use the cold water test: carefully drop a small amount of hot toffee into a cup of very cold water. If it hardens into threads that snap when bent, you’ve hit hard crack.
- Stirring. Stirring is essential to keep the sugar and butter evenly mixed. I use a whisk to keep the mixture smooth and prevent splitting. If your toffee splits, take it off the heat and whisk vigorously to bring it back together. Be careful you don’t splash any hot toffee on you. It’s extremely hot.
- Pan size. Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan that’s large enough to let the toffee to bubble up as it cooks. The thick pan bottom gives a more even heat so theres less chance of sugar burning.
- Color. As the sugar caramelizes, the mixture will go from pale yellow and very thick to deep amber brown that’s runnier. Once you see an amber color it’s usually ready to pour. Don’t let it go too dark or it might burn and get bitter.
- Speed when pouring. Toffee sets quickly once it hits a cold surface. As soon as it reaches the right temperature or color, pour it out immediately onto your mat and spread it slightly if needed.
Ways to use homemade toffee bits:
- Fold them into cookies or brownies.
- Sprinkle over ice cream for a crunchy topping.
- Use as a garnish for cakes and cupcakes.
Homemade toffee bits
Homemade toffee bits are buttery, sweet nuggets of crunch perfect for baking or snacking. They’re quick to make with just a few ingredients, and honestly they’re a game-changer in cookies!
Ingredients
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 100 g butter
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Line a baking tray with a Silpat mat.
- In a small to medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter and sugar with the salt over medium-high heat. 150 g granulated sugar, 100 g butter, Pinch of salt
- Whisk constantly as the mixture cooks. The sugar goes from pale yellow to an amber brown. It will start off quite thick but as it nears the end of cooking it will become runnier as sugar becomes more fluid the hotter it gets. Don't let it get too dark or it can be bitter.
- Once amber brown, remove from heat and pour onto the prepared tray. Carefully tilt the tray to its side slightly to help the toffee spread.
- Let it cool and harden completely.
- Once set, break into small shards.
Notes
Stirring
Stirring continuously is essential to keep the sugar and butter evenly mixed. I use a whisk to keep the mixture smooth and prevent splitting. If your toffee splits, take it off the heat and whisk vigorously to bring it back together, but be careful you don’t splash any hot toffee on you. It’s extremely hot.Temperature.
Toffee needs to reach the hard-crack stage, around 290–300 °F (150 °C) to set properly. A candy thermometer is the most accurate tool, but you don’t actually need one. Usually, once the mixture goes from being pale yellow and thick, and turns a deep amber brown and thins out again it’s at the right stage. You can also use the cold water test: carefully drop a small amount of hot toffee into a cup of very cold water. If it hardens into threads that snap when bent, you’ve hit hard crack.How to break the toffee into bits
- For big shards, use your hands: Snap the edges gently with your fingers to get irregular, rustic shards.
- Tap with a tool: I like to use the back of a tool like the handle of a knife or a rolling pin. Tap lightly or press down to break the toffee along natural lines.
- For smaller bits: Put the toffee in a zip-top bag and gently tap it with a rolling pin or meat mallet.
Nutrition
Serving: 10gCalories: 69kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 0.1gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 40mgPotassium: 2mgSugar: 6gVitamin A: 156IUCalcium: 2mgIron: 0.004mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Home made toffee bits, well that’s actually better than market one. Thanks for the above recipe. Such great work you people are doing by sharing such recipe.
Hope you love this recipe! 🙂