Say goodbye to stovetop hassles! This Easy Microwave Toffee recipe will transform your holiday treats in just 20 minutes.
This Easy Microwave Toffee is almost full proof and yes you make it in the microwave! You get all that buttery crunch from classic toffee without having to deal with the hassle of stovetop cooking.
It’s perfect for holiday dessert trays, Christmas gift-giving, or Santa’s cookie plate. Add this toffee to your treat plates along with some Gingerbread Cookies and Peppermint Bark.
Table of Contents
Reasons to Love This Toffee
- The combination of buttery caramel and chocolate is deliciously addictive.
- This Easy Microwave Toffee recipe requires minimal prep time, making it perfect for last-minute treats.
- Toffees look impressive and pack well, perfect as holiday gifts.
Recipe Ingredients
- Chocolate Chips: Smooth and luscious, chocolate chips melt on top form a glassy layer.
- Pecans: Toasted chopped pecans add a nutty crunch and a rich, buttery flavor and provide extra texture and depth.
- Corn Syrup: Prevents sugar crystallization while adding a subtle sweetness to the crunchy toffee.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
- Corn Syrup: Swap light corn syrup for dark corn syrup if you prefer a deeper flavor. While dark corn syrup includes molasses for added richness, light corn syrup is milder for a subtler taste.
- Chocolate: Use chocolate chips, choosing among milk chocolate chips, semisweet, bittersweet, or white. Ghirardelli is a favorite, but feel free to use store-brand chocolate chips for a more budget-friendly option.
- Nuts: Switch pecans for almonds, cashews, or macadamia nuts. If using macadamia nuts, try pairing them with white chocolate for a sweet, tropical flavor that’s light and buttery.
How to Make Easy Microwave Toffee
Step 1: Line your prepared baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper, and set it aside.
Step 2: In a large glass, microwave-safe bowl (4 quarts is best), combine the butter, sugars, salt, water, and corn syrup.
Step 3: Microwave for 3 minutes on HIGH.
Step 4: Then, stir in the chopped nuts.
Step 5: Microwave for 8-10 minutes on HIGH or until it reaches 300°F (149°C) on an instant-read or candy thermometer. Pause the microwave cooking every 2 minutes to stir and check the temperature. Do NOT overcook it, or it will burn.
Step 6: Quickly pour and spread the mixture onto a silicone-lined baking sheet in an even layer, about ⅛ inch thick.
Step 7: Next, add the chocolate chips on top and let them rest for 3 minutes to melt. Using an offset spatula, gently spread the melted chocolate over the top. Sprinkle on the nuts and sea salt.
Step 8: Chill until set, about an hour. Break into pieces.
Expert Tips
- Prepare Your Tools in Advance: Have your silicone mat, spatula, and any other tools ready before you start. Toffee sets quickly once removed from the heat, so being prepared will make spreading easier.
- Even Chocolate Layer: To achieve an evenly melted chocolate layer, distribute the chocolate chips uniformly over the top of the hot toffee. This ensures every piece of toffee has a good balance of chocolate when broken into pieces.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cook the toffee to the hard crack stage (300°F/149°C) and store it in a low-humidity environment to maintain its ideal crispiness.
Yes, you can use the cold water test. Drop a bit of the mixture into cold water; if it hardens immediately and cracks when bent, it’s ready.
Storage Info
STORE the toffee in an airtight container at room temperature, where it will stay good for up to two weeks. To FREEZE, place the toffee in a freezer-safe bag or container, separating layers with parchment paper. It will last up to 3 months frozen.
To REHEAT, let it thaw at room temperature and avoid microwaving, as it can cause the chocolate to separate and change the toffee’s texture.
More Homemade Candies to Try
Easy Microwave Toffee Recipe
Ingredients
For the base:
- 1 c. unsalted butter
- 1 c. granulated sugar
- 1/2 c. brown sugar - packed
- 1 tsp. coarse kosher sea salt
- 2 tbsp. water
- 1 tbsp. light corn syrup
- 1/4 c. chopped toasted nuts - pecans, almonds, cashews, macadamia nuts
For the topping:
- 6 oz. chopped chocolate or chocolate chips - milk, semisweet, bittersweet or white
- 1/4 c. chopped toasted nuts - pecans, almonds, cashews, macadamia nuts
- pinch flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Line your prepared baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper, and set it aside.
- In a large glass, microwave-safe bowl (4 quarts is best), combine the butter, sugars, salt, water, and corn syrup.
- Microwave for 3 minutes on HIGH.
- Stir in the chopped nuts.
- Microwave for 8-10 minutes on HIGH or until it reaches 300°F (149°C) on an instant-read or candy thermometer. Pause the microwave cooking every 2 minutes to stir and check the temperature. Do NOT overcook it, or it will burn.
- Quickly pour and spread the mixture onto a silicone-lined baking sheet in an even layer, about ⅛ inch thick.
- Add the chocolate chips on top and let them rest for 3 minutes to melt. Using an offset spatula, gently spread the melted chocolate over the top. Sprinkle on the nuts and sea salt.
- Chill until set, about an hour. Break into pieces.
Easy instructions and such a delicious result. I’ll be making this again soon.
This is a fabulous answer to cook it in the microwave, I tried it last year with my divinity recipe and it worked well, so I decided to look for a microwave recipe for my toffee recipe. I am thrilled to find yours. Yay! One question – where did you buy a 4 quart microwave safe bowl???
Joan
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PS I have a food blog for folks like me with IBS, so I often adapt recipes for IBS. I love your site and plan to return often
Hi Joan! Glad you like it! I have a large glass bowl I use for this in my microwave. You can find them most places that sell kitchenware. I love coming in contact with another blogger!
Great!
Made exact recipe. Followed directions exactly. Brought to 300. Candy looks great sitting in a pool of butter. The butter separated from the candy.
I followed directions and it totally burned. I am so angry.
I will use the saucepan method for next batch.
Hi Julia, so sorry to hear this. The only think I can think happened is that it got too hot. So, I have updated the recipe to stir every 2 minutes and check the temperature during the 8-10 minute cooking time.