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.
In this free 5-day email series learn all my tips for incorporating a low-carb lifestyle into the life of your family.
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.
Like what you see? Follow me on Facebook! Love this recipe? Leave a comment & 5-star rating right here! Make sure you don’t miss new recipes by getting email updates!
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.
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.
P. Wise says
Worst keto recipe ever tried. It would not thicken and when I turned it up like suggested, it still didn’t thicken, it just burnt. Wasted a whole cup of walnuts along with other ingredients.
Taryn says
Which sweetener did you use? Did you stir constantly once you turned up the heat?
This recipe has gotten dozens of 5-star reviews. I'm surprised it failed for you. Every stove is different and you really have to turn it up very slowly to find the sweet spot on your own stove top.
May kikgore says
How much of each sugar substitute do I mix together. Is it equal of each sweetener? Thanks
Taryn says
No, you only use a bit of stevia. The recipe is linked in the post, recipe card, and can be found here: joyfilledeats.com/sweetener
Franklin Kathy says
I haven’t tried this recipe yet but the one I make doesn’t use cream.. mine always comes out gritty and I wonder if I cook too high heat. I only boil about 1-2 minutes I only use stevia as sweetener as well. I’ve used sugar free bars and sugar free chocolate chips
Taryn says
If you try this recipe please lmk what you think 🙂
Judy says
Just wanted to know if you can use keto chocolate chips instead and if so how much do you recommend?
Taryn says
Yes, sugar-free chocolate chips are fine. It would still be 7 ounces. That is about 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 cups.
Liesl says
This is a favorite candy in my holiday tins. I managed to overcook one batch and forgot the last tablespoon of cream in the second, but it still turned out. The cooling sensation from the sweetener takes a little getting used to, but I love having some of this around to keep me from eating the sugar-laden stuff!! Great recipe!
Heather says
Just wondering if making this in a silicone pan would work? That’s how I make fudge and it’s so easy.
Taryn says
I think a silicone pan would work. But I would grease it just in case.
Gwen says
Can you use ghee instead of butter?
Taryn says
I haven't tested that but I think it would work.
Leah says
Can this recipe be made dairy free? Maybe with coconut cream in place of heavy cream?
Taryn says
I have had readers use coconut milk and coconut cream successfully but I haven't tried it myself.
Jenny says
Hi Taryn, do you have a temp to cook this too? With candy making it seems that would be the most accurate. I appreciate your guidance as I LOVE toffee!
Taryn says
Sorry, Jenny, I haven't temped this. I go by color, consistency, and smell. You can watch the video in this post to see this. It pops up right under the first photo.
Paula Bruening says
I don't know what I did wrong. Followed recipe to the t.. Turned out oily, and with clumps of nuts.
Taryn says
Which sweetener did you use? Sometimes the butter can separate if the heat is too high.
Jenny says
I LOVE this recipe. I've made it twice now and may need to limit how much I make it--it's that good. This is an excellent candy to have on hand. I have made it with chocolate only on the top as I prefer that ratio of toffee to chocolate. Thanks so much! This is super!!
Johnna says
What size pan did you use? Has anyone tried making it in foil pans for gifts?
James W Leinart says
Can you suggest what size pan i should use?
Taryn says
The pan in my photos is a 7 x 9 toaster oven sized pan.
Belinda says
Wondering g why line the pan with foil instead of parchment paper. I’m used to using paper for these types of recipes?
Taryn says
I have always used foil for candy recipes. Parchment is fine too.
Kay Thompson says
Using foil will allow you to go up the sides of the pan easier...and virtually NO cleanup. I sometimes even use BOTH, lining my baking sheet with foil, then placing a pre-cut to size parchment paper. I get them directly from King Arthur Flour/Baking Co..
Michelle Ross says
I'm looking for the video that was recommended in the article and can't find it. LOL, I'm sure I must have scrolled right through it. If you could link it that would be helpful.
Have a lovely Thanksgiving!
M
Taryn says
Hi Michelle, it's actually at the top of the page right under the print and jump to recipe buttons. I can't link right to it, unfortunately. If you reload the page just give it a minute to load and you should see it.
Anna says
I can’t find it, even after refreshing the page.
Taryn says
Do you have an ad blocker on? It is served through my ad network so may not appear if you have an ad blocker turned on.
Here is a link to it on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoyFilledEats/videos/771157476793598/