What is the difference between hard and chewy toffee?

The difference is the cooking temperature. Hard toffee is cooked to hard crack stage (154°C) and snaps when you bite it. Chewy toffee is cooked much lower, to firm ball stage (around 120°C), so it keeps more moisture and stays pliable. Treacle (bonfire) toffee is also a hard, brittle toffee, cooked to hard crack at around 150°C (149-154°C) so it sets with a glass-like snap.

Why does golden syrup matter in toffee?

Golden syrup is an invert sugar that prevents crystallisation during cooking. It keeps the toffee smooth and glossy rather than grainy. Replacing it with more granulated sugar would increase the risk of the toffee going grainy.

How do I stop toffee sticking to the tin?

Line your tin with baking parchment and lightly oil it before pouring in the hot toffee. Alternatively, pour the toffee onto a silicone baking mat. For individual pieces, wrap them in cellophane or greaseproof paper as soon as they are cool enough to handle.

How long does toffee keep?

Stored in an airtight tin or jar at room temperature, toffee keeps for 2-3 weeks. Wrap individual pieces in greaseproof paper to stop them sticking together. Toffee absorbs moisture from the air, so keep it well sealed.

Can I add nuts or chocolate to toffee?

Yes. Scatter chopped nuts over the surface of the toffee immediately after pouring it into the tin, pressing them in gently. For a chocolate topping, scatter chocolate chips over the hot toffee and spread once melted. Add these after the toffee has reached temperature.

Toffee Calculator — Free Online Tool

How We Calculate This

This calculator scales a traditional toffee recipe based on your desired batch weight and type. The cooking temperature determines whether the toffee sets hard, chewy, or brittle.

Toffee is essentially water-free, so boiling drives off only minor moisture and the finished weight is close to the weight of the ingredients. The base recipe below totals 600g of ingredients and makes roughly 600g of finished toffee, so quantities are scaled directly against your batch weight.

Base Recipe (per 600g toffee)

Sugar: 400g granulated or demerara sugar
Butter: 100g unsalted butter
Golden syrup: 100g

This is an approximate traditional butter-toffee ratio (sugar-led, with golden syrup as an invert sugar to stop crystallisation). Branded recipes such as Lyle's Golden Syrup toffee vary in their exact proportions; adjust to taste.

Target Temperatures

Chewy toffee: Firm ball stage, around 120°C (kept lower to stay pliable)
Treacle (bonfire) toffee: Hard crack stage, around 150°C
Hard toffee: Hard crack stage, 154°C

Hot sugar reaches temperatures well above boiling water and causes severe burns — use a sugar thermometer, keep children and pets away from the pan, and never leave boiling toffee unattended.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Last updated: February 2026

All calculations are based on standard ratios and conversions. Results may vary with specific ingredients, equipment, and conditions.