Toffee Barsrn

Name: Toffee Bars
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 cup unsalted butter, (room temperature); 1 cup light brown sugar; 1 large egg yolk; 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract; ½ teaspoon salt; 2¼ cups all-purpose flour; 2 cups milk chocolate chips; ½ cup English toffee bits, (Heath brand)

a close up shot of Toffee Bars stacked on top of each other

These homemade toffee bars are loaded with crunchy toffee bits sprinkled over a layer of rich chocolate and a crumbly shortbread base.

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Table of Contents

Toffee Bars Ingredients
Substitutions and Additions
How To Make This Toffee Bars Recipe
How To Serve
Storage
Why We Love This Recipe
Frequently Asked Questions
More Recipes You’ll Love
JUMP TO RECIPE
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Discover a match made in dessert heaven with our mouthwatering toffee bars. These bars boast a buttery shortbread crust, a luxurious layer of milk chocolate, and a delightful sprinkle of toffee bits.

Toffee Bars Ingredients

Toffee Bars raw ingredients that are labeled

English toffee bars feature butter and brown sugar in the soft crust for a rich base with a hint of caramel.

The milk chocolate chips are melted to create a smooth and velvety chocolate layer, while the English toffee bits contribute a delightful crunch and a buttery toffee essence.

You’ll need:

1 cup of unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup of light brown sugar
1 large egg yolk
1½ teaspoons of vanilla extract
½ teaspoon of salt
2¼ cups of all-purpose flour
2 cups of milk chocolate chips
½ cup of English toffee bits (Heath brand)

Substitutions and Additions

UNSALTED BUTTER: For a hint of savory complexity, swap unsalted butter with salted butter. Remember to omit the additional salt in the recipe.

LIGHT BROWN SUGAR: Exchange light brown sugar with dark brown sugar for a deeper molasses undertone.

MILK CHOCOLATE CHIPS: Experiment with semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips for a more intense cocoa flavor in this easy dessert recipe.

ENGLISH TOFFEE BITS: If you can’t find toffee bits, finely chop a Heath brand candy bar for a delicious alternative.

How To Make This Toffee Bars Recipe

These decadent chocolate toffee bars come together in a few easy steps, from creating the crust to the chocolatey later and caramel topping.

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 baking pan lightly with baker’s spray. Set aside.

OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

Keep in mind that you will get a different shape and depth of corner bars depending on the baking pan you are using. If you are using a baking pan with rounded corners (usually glass), your corner pieces will not come out quite so defined, while metal pans tend to have clean-cut corners that will give you better-formed corner bars.

STEP TWO: In a large bowl with a hand mixer on medium speed, cream butter, and the light brown sugar until light and fluffy.

butter and brown sugar blended together until fluffy

STEP THREE: Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract and mix until the egg yolk is fully incorporated.

STEP FOUR: Add the salt and all-purpose flour to the butter mixture. Mix on low speed just until the dough comes together.

salt and flour added to the butter mixture

This will be a very thick dough. You may need to switch to a wooden spoon to mix all the flour into the dough.

STEP FIVE: Spread the dough into the prepared pan in an even layer. You may need to use your hands to get the dough spread out and flattened.

STEP SIX: Bake for 22-25 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

PRO TIP:

Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your toffee bars at the lower end of the recommended baking time.

STEP SEVEN: As soon as you take the toffee bar crust out of the oven, sprinkle milk chocolate chips evenly over the surface of the hot crust.

Return the pan to the oven for an additional 1-2 minutes. You are only looking to soften the chips slightly.

chocolate chips sprinkled over the dough

STEP EIGHT: Gently spread the melted chips to create a smooth surface using a small offset spatula.

STEP NINE: Top with the English toffee chips sprinkled over the entire surface of the melted chocolate.

toffee chips sprinkled on top of the melted chocolate

STEP TEN: Allow the bars to cool completely on the counter and the chocolate to firm up before slicing and serving these toffee bars.

PRO TIP:

When cutting the bars, spray a chef’s knife with cooking spray and wipe with a paper towel. This prevents the bars from sticking to the knife.

How To Serve

Indulge in these toffee cookie bars as a sweet ending to any meal, either on its own or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy with a cup of coffee or latte for a delightful afternoon pick-me-up, or satisfy cravings with a bar or two during your midday break with a cold glass of milk.

Cut into smaller squares for a delectable addition to your dessert spread, along with our sugar cookie bars and lemon pie bars.

For even more easy desserts, you should also check out our Twix bars and Snickerdoodle cheesecake bars.

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Storage

If you have any leftovers or want to plan ahead, we have a few tips for you.

MAKE AHEAD: Prepare the crust ahead of time, refrigerate, and add the chocolate and toffee layers just before serving.

IN THE FRIDGE: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.

IN THE FREEZER: Freeze tightly wrapped bars for up to two months. Thaw in the fridge before enjoying.

Why We Love This Recipe

FLAVOR HARMONY: The contrast of buttery shortbread, velvety chocolate, and crunchy toffee is an explosion of flavors.

CUSTOMIZATION: You can tweak the chocolate and toffee ratios to cater to your taste preferences.

CROWD PLEASER: These bars never fail to impress guests and are a guaranteed hit.

a close up shot of Toffee Bars stacked on top of each other with one having a bite taken out of it

These easy toffee bars are a decadent blend of buttery goodness, creamy chocolate, and delightful toffee crunch. Whether you’re treating yourself or sharing with loved ones, these bars are sure to become a favorite in your dessert repertoire.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted?

You can use salted butter, but remember to omit the additional salt in the recipe.

Can I substitute dark brown sugar for light brown sugar?

Absolutely, but note that the crust might appear slightly darker due to the increased molasses content.

Can I chop my own toffee bits?

Finely chop a Heath brand candy bar as a substitute for toffee bits.

How do I achieve a perfectly even chocolate layer?

Let the residual heat from the crust melt the chocolate chips, then spread with a spatula.

Can I use margarine instead of butter?

While possible, butter provides the best flavor and texture for these bars.

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Toffee Bars

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These homemade toffee bars are loaded with crunchy toffee bits sprinkled over a layer of rich chocolate and a crumbly shortbread base.

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Servings

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Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg yolk
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 cups milk chocolate chips
½ cup English toffee bits, Heath brand

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish lightly with baker’s spray. Set aside.
In a large bowl with a handheld mixer on medium speed, cream together the unsalted butter and light brown sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract and mix until the egg yolk is fully incorporated.
Add the salt and all-purpose flour to the butter mixture. Mix on low speed just until the dough comes together. This will be a very thick dough. You may need to switch to a wooden spoon to mix all the flour into the dough.
Spread the dough into the prepared 9×13 baking dish in an even layer. You may need to use your hands to get the dough spread out and flattened.
Bake for 22 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
As soon as you take the toffee bar crust out of the oven, you will sprinkle the milk chocolate chips evenly over the surface of the dough. Return the pan to the oven for an additional 1-2 minutes. You are only looking to soften the chips slightly.
Gently spread the melted chips to create a smooth surface using a small offset spatula.
Top with the English toffee chips sprinkled over the entire surface of the melted chocolate.
Allow the bars to cool completely on the counter and the chocolate to firm up before slicing and serving these toffee bars.

Notes

Keep in mind that you will get a different shape and depth of corner bars depending on the baking pan you are using. If you are using a baking pan with rounded corners (usually glass), your corner pieces will not come out quite so defined, while metal pans tend to have clean-cut corners that will give you better-formed corner bars.
Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your toffee bars at the lower end of the recommended baking time.
When cutting the bars, spray a chef’s knife with cooking spray and wipe with a paper towel. This prevents the bars from sticking to the knife.

Nutrition

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Proudly Prepared by the Spaceships Kitchen

This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

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