Homemade keto toffee is so easy but so satisfying. It looks and tastes like the expensive bark in fancy chocolate shops. My buttery walnut sugar free toffee candy has only 5 ingredients plus salt and takes minutes. Even if you've never made candy before you can make this.
99% of the time I make a recipe because there is something I want to eat. I love food. Since I don't have any healthy candy in the house I had to make something yummy (before I cave into the Snickers bars in the grocery check out).
When I first shared this back in 2016, I had my Facebook followers vote on which post I should share immediately and this one won by a landslide. I'm not surprised because it is so good I hid this homemade low carb English toffee recipe in the back of the fridge. And made another dessert for a party so I didn't have to share these.
Ingredients
Sweetener - I use a blend of xylitol, erythritol, and stevia in my recipes. Using either xylitol or erythritol on their own should work as well but I don't test all the possible combinations. Candies can be tricky so I do recommend using the sweetener listed in this.
Cream - Heavy cream or heavy whipping cream are needed for this recipe.
Butter - I use salted butter. The bit of salt in the butter helps balance the sweetness of the candy.
Nuts - Walnuts are the nut I use most often in this recipe but any nut will work.
Chocolate - Choose a sugar-free milk, semisweet, or dark chocolate that melts easily. 85% dark chocolate can also be used.
How to Make Keto Toffee
Toffee is fairly easy to make. If you've ever made any kind of cooked candy before you can make this!
First Step: You cook the sweetener, cream, and butter until it is thickened and golden brown. I add the nuts in the cooking stage so they get toasted right in the caramel. Pour the toffee on a greased foil lined pan.
Expert Tip: Cooking the sugar free toffee to the perfect point can be tricky! I highly recommend watching the video in this post before making this. It is only 1 minute long and very helpful!
Second Step: Cool the keto English toffee until it firms up, then pour on the melted chocolate.
Third Step (optional): If you want chocolate on both sides chill the toffee and then flip it over. Peel off the foil and cover the second side with more melted chocolate.
Fourth Step: Cut into squares and eat your toffee candy!
Storing Homemade Toffee
You can store sugar free toffee at room temperature for a day or two. At room temperature, it will be softer and more caramelly. For it to get crisp like a real English toffee chill it. You can see the difference between my video and photos. In the video, the toffee was room temperature. In these photos, it has been chilled first.
Tips for Making Sugar Free Toffee
I have had readers simplify this by putting the melted sugar free chocolate in a muffin tin with aluminum liners. Chill the chocolate, put the warm toffee on top, chill again, and then top with more chocolate. You get cute little circles that way and don't need to flip the toffee over or cut it. That method can also help with portion control.
Substitutions & Tweaks
This basic combination of cream, butter, and sweetener can be used to make all varieties of keto toffee.
Nuts: Any type of nuts work! We love this with pecans. With pecans, it tastes like cracker toffee aka Christmas crack. Almonds, macadamia nuts, and cashews are all great choices. Make it with peanuts and it tastes like snickers!
Coffee: Mix in a teaspoon of instant coffee when you add the final tablespoon of cream for a mocha flavor.
Seeds: If you can't have nuts pepitas (pumpkin seeds) give a nice crunch in place of the walnuts.
White Chocolate: Now that sugar-free white chocolate chips are more readily available go ahead and try some in place of the dark chocolate!
Cranberries: Add in some sugar-free dried cranberries with the last tablespoon of the heavy cream. They give a nice, tart contrast to the sweetness of the toffee.
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Keto Toffee
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup chopped walnuts or nuts of your choice
- 5 tablespoon heavy cream
- ½ cup Joy Filled Eats Sweetener (or see alternatives in recipe notes)
- pinch salt
- 7 oz sugar free or very dark chocolate***
Instructions
- Line a small baking pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.
- Melt butter over low medium until it starts to turn golden. Add nuts and cook for about five minutes until they are slightly toasted. Add 4 tablespoon of the cream and the sweetener. Cook until thickened and golden. This takes about 10 minutes. If it doesn't seem to be thickening you can turn up the heat to medium or medium high but stir constantly. It can burn quickly. Remove immediately from the heat and add the salt and reserved cream. Stir until smooth. Pour onto the foil lined tray and refrigerate until firm to the touch (about half an hour).
- Melt the chocolate. I do this in a glass bowl in the microwave stirring every thirty seconds. Add sweetener if needed. Pour half of the chocolate on top of the toffee. Put in the freezer for a few minutes until the chocolate is solid. Flip over the toffee bark and peel off the foil. Put the foil back on the tray and put the toffee on the chocolate side down. Pour the rest of the chocolate on top. Refrigerate or freeze until firm.
- The filling stays soft like caramel at room temperature but hardens like a toffee overnight or after refrigerating.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Looking for other easy keto candy recipes? Try my:
Salted Chocolate Almond Brittle Bark
Dark Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Bark
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bark
Originally Published August 19, 2016. Revised and Republished with video October 3, 2020.
Lori says
Love the recipe but I have a couple questions. I didn’t have xylitol (ordered some tho) I used erithritol and stevia in about the same proportions you had suggested.
I cooked to hardball stage. It came out the consistency of peanut butter fudge.
Tasty, but not toffee. I am also curious about the coolness on your tongue after you eat it. Like wintergreen without the mint. Is it the sugar alcohol? It’s a little weird. It tasted pretty good, not sure my stomach agrees.
I use stevia all the time, so maybe it the erithritol.
Taryn says
The cooling is from the erythritol. If it's fudgy it's possible you didn't cook it long enough. Chilling it can help it firm up more. Sugar alcohols crystallize when chilled.
Taylor Comeau says
This toffee is so rich & yummy + relatively easy. Unfortunately, I think I may have done something wrong since the toffee stuck to the foil and remained very soft. Still tastes wonderful, just have to eat it differently!
Taryn says
You may have needed to cook it a bit longer. You can try popping it in the fridge. The sugar alcohols will crystallize and harden it. 🙂
Ande Joel says
I have been trying this for sometime now and its incredible.
Lori says
Did you make any alterations?
Louise says
The chocolate didn't stick to the caramel and when I cut the bars the chocolate separated top and bottom.
Taryn says
Hi Louise,
I'm so sorry your chocolate didn't stick to the toffee. May I ask which sweetener and what chocolate you used? I'm always happy to help troubleshoot. I've never heard of this happening before.
Does it still taste good? You could chop it and use it as an ice cream topping. Or inside brownies or cookies.
Joy Antonucci says
This Toffee is so good. I cures a "sweet tooth" without the guilt. My husband & I love it. Not hard to make. I used a candy thermometer and brought it to 300 degrees, as I would do with regular toffee. I added one teaspoon of vanilla and I used the amount called for using Trivia. Since we like toffee a bit thicker I used an 8" square pan so the carb count might be off but so worth it! I melted Lilys dark chocolate chips for the topping and the second time I made it I only coated one side of the toffee vs. both sides. Awesome recipe. Thank you!
Lily says
For the nutritional facts, is that per piece or for the whole recipe?
Taryn says
1 piece assuming you cut this into 24 pieces.
JRC says
For a sweenter, can I use the equivalent of splenda or Monk Fruit?
Corena says
I used half xylitol, half erythritol and it never hardened, so I don't think Splenda would work either. Not sure about monk fruit. It has to be something that will crystallize. It does make a tasty 'soft caramel' , though.
Tara says
Its the xylitol. Xylitol stays at a soft stage and doesn't crystallize which is why its used for ice cream (allulose too). The monk fruit and erithrytol will crystallize and splenda too
Nicole traini says
Can I use a different milk instead of hwc?
Taryn says
Half and half can work but you need to cook it longer. I have not tried non-dairy milk in this.
Christy says
Delicious recipe that truly has great flavor and different from a lot of the other keto desserts!
Beverly Reimann says
I made this but the last layer of chocolate wouldn't stick to the toffee. I also used hazelnuts and sprinkled some flakes of salt on top....yummy!
Grace says
This looks really good! Would it work for me to use honey or maple syrup as the sweetener? Thanks!
Taryn says
I'm sorry but I have no idea. I'd suggest looking for a toffee recipe that does use honey.
Jana says
I haven’t tried this recipe yet but do you have to refrigerate it after making it. What is the shelf life? Thank you
Taryn says
These are fine at room temperature for a few days. They last for up to a month in the fridge.
Marilyn says
Have not yet made this recipe as I need to shop 1st.
Favor: Can you please put the serving size and servings per recipe on the nutrition label? I know it is at the beginning, but when I am researching (for my diabetic husband's needs) it would be SO handy to have it there too. (Store-bought food nutrition labels always have the serving size & servings per container listed at the top. Thanks!!!
Taryn says
It is listed. It is near the top of the recipe by the cooking time.
Monique says
Do you use powdered or granular sugar for this recipe?
Taryn says
I use granulated.
Monique says
Thank u
Haley says
Hi I am highly sensitive to milk and I was wondering what I could use in replace of the heavy cream and butter... would coconut oil and milk work? Thanks!!
Taryn says
I would try butter flavored coconut oil and coconut cream. BUT I haven't tested it yet so I'm not positive it will work. I'd try half a batch just in case it doesn't.
Judy says
I used canned coconut milk instead of cream and it was yummy.
Jenny says
Could I make a toffee layer and top with chocolate without adding the second chocolate layer? I guess I'm asking if this approach would be bad due to the consistency or if it could be ok. Thanks for all your great recipes!
Taryn says
Yes. Enjoy!
Amanda says
I know you said refrigerate, but can I freeze these if I make them ahead of time for for my assorted Christmas cookies & treats or will it affect taste/consistency? I usually make about 10 types of sugar filled goodies, but I'm currently in ketosis and want to stay in for the holidays. I try to make 1 or 2 types of treats per week and freeze them starting now.
Taryn says
These are good in the fridge for months. If you freeze them the chocolate might bloom. I'd just refrigerate.
KELLY says
COULD I MAKE THE TOFFEE SOFTER AND NOT HARD?.
Taryn says
Try this recipe: https://joyfilledeats.com/salted-caramel-cups/
Michelle says
What size pan did you use?
Taryn says
It's 7 x 10.
Nancy says
So happy to find this recipe!! Haven’t tried it yet, but I have a recipe I’ve made for many years now, for the chocolate I would shave Hersey candy bars, sprinkle that on the bottom, then pour toffee mix on top, then another sprinkle of shaved chocolate...it all melts nicely adhering together!!
Here’s my questions ... will that method work with this toffee?? I don’t see why not!! I’ll try it and see, soon!! What I know is this stuff doesn’t last too long in the house...I usually only make it at Christmas for a special treat!!! But sugar free...that’s going to be the bomb!!!🙌🏽🙌🏽 Thanks again!!
Taryn says
Shaving the chocolate sounds like a great idea! Let me know how it turns out.