This recipe for easy homemade toffee is naturally gluten-free and contains only 3 ingredients.
While this base no bake recipe is a plain toffee recipe, you can add an assortment of toppings to really take this butter toffee to the next level!
Keep reading for this old fashioned toffee recipe with topping and decorating ideas.
Are you new here? I also have the following posts to help you live gluten-free without the stress!
- How to eat out SAFELY when you’re gluten-free
- How to make ANY recipe gluten-free
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The gluten-free guide below is based on personal experience and research. Always be sure to discuss any medical changes with your doctor for your personal medical needs. Additionally, this post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. My full disclosure isn’t that interesting, but you can find it here.
Why you’ll love this homemade toffee recipe
- This is an easy no bake and naturally gluten-free treat that everyone will love
- It only takes 3 ingredients that you can find at your local grocery store
- You can eat this toffee plain or decorate it any way you wish (check out the images of my unicorn-style toffee! So cute.)
Ready to take back control of your meals and love your gluten free life? Take the 45 second quiz to get a personalized plan with the guide you need to thrive!

Is toffee gluten free?
While this is a 100% gluten free toffee recipe, many store-bought toffees are not gluten free due to adding gluten-containing ingredients as stabilizers.
What ingredients do you need to make your own toffee?
To make this super simple recipe you only need 3 ingredients that you probably already have on hand at home:
- Butter
- Sugar
- Water
That’s it!

However, you may want additional ingredients to add on top of you toffee to decorate it and add an extra layer of tasty fun (literally)
You can see those suggestions below.
How do you make homemade toffee?
First, you simply add all three ingredients to a saucepot and bring to a boil over medium heat.

You need to whisk constantly and keep your heat even to prevent toffee from separating or burning!
As the water evaporates your mixture will begin to caramelize and become darker. Keep whisking until it reaches a beautiful golden brown!
Simply pour onto your prepared baking sheet and let it cool.

You can break it apart and enjoy it as is, or you may choose to add some fun toppings to change up the taste and flavor of this easy homemade toffee.
What to add to gluten-free toffee to jazz it up?
There are so many ways that you can customize toffee! You can literally top it with almost any sweet thing!
I find lots of these ingredients at Thrive Market. If you’ve never tried Thrive Market you can get 25% off your order AND a free gift by clicking here!
Before the toffee is completely cool (so it adheres to the toffee) you could add:
- Chocolate chips (check out my guide to gluten free chocolate chips here)
- Chopped nuts
- Gluten-free sprinkles (Check out my full guide to gluten free sprinkles here! You could also make your own sanding sugar)
- Crushed gluten-free pretzels (like Glutino)
- Cinnamon sugar
If your toffee is already cooled, you can still top it with melted chocolate. Either spread it across the top of you cooled toffee or drizzle it. From there you can add any of the previous toppings to the melted chocolate for an even MORE complex flavor!
Want colored chocolate like mine? Simply add a few drops of gluten-free gel food coloring to melted white chocolate and fill piping bags to drizzle it.

(and of course, then top with sprinkles for the ultimate homemade unicorn candy—can you tell I have two daughters? Lol!)
How to store homemade toffee
This toffee should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
Note: if it’s a hot and humid summer, your toffee might get sticky…
How long does homemade toffee last?
Homemade toffee can last about a week, but it is better to enjoy it quickly. Over time it can become sticky.
Toffee Troubleshooting Tips
Why is my toffee chewy?
If it’s very hot and humid, your toffee may not set. It’s best to make toffee in a cool and dry environment.
Why is my toffee soft and grainy?
If your toffee is soft, you likely didn’t cook it long enough. Be sure that it becomes golden brown (almost like a paper bag). If it’s grainy, your sugar likely didn’t dissolve. Whisk, whisk whisk!
What did you think of this easy homemade toffee recipe?
Be sure to share it to social media or Pin it for later using the social sharing buttons. Also, be sure to come back and rate this recipe!
Scroll down for the printable recipe and take the FREE quiz to discover your personalized gluten free plan to claim back your love of food!
Ready to take back control of your meals and love your gluten free life? Take the 45 second quiz to get a personalized plan with the guide you need to thrive!


Easy Homemade Toffee Recipe with Only 3 Ingredients [gluten-free]
Equipment
- sauce pan
- parchment lined baking sheet
- whisk
Ingredients
- 2 sticks butter
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup water
Instructions
- Add all 3 ingredients to sauce pan and heat over medium heat while whisking constantly.
- Continue to cook and whisk while boiling until the color darkens to a rich golden brown (about the color of a paper bag)
- Pour onto a parchment lined baking sheet
- Let cool and harden for about an hour before breaking and enjoy!
- optional: add desired toppings
Notes
- Step by step preparation images
- specific brand equipment and ingredient suggestions
- decoration ideas
- storage and troubleshooting tips
- and more!

Jenn
Friday 19th of August 2022
This is sooo buttery and delicious! I can't believe it's taken me this long to make it from scratch!
Lara
Saturday 4th of June 2022
We made this for a fun project and it came out great! So easy to make and so tasty!
lynn
Saturday 2nd of April 2022
This was so delicious! My whole family loved this recipe!
Relle
Sunday 20th of February 2022
Homemade is so much better. Loved it.
Heidi
Friday 21st of January 2022
I loved how easy and delicious this recipe was! I added nuts and chocolate chips to the top while it was still hot and they melted into it. It was perfectly crunchy!