These Toffee Bars are a delicious combination of cookie bar and toffee candy. Buttery shortbread, gooey toffee filling, melted chocolate, and toffee bits.
Ok, so Toffee Bars might seem like a fall/winter/holiday type of recipe, but, I couldn’t keep these from you until then. These bars are a delicious combination of cookie bar and toffee candy that can (and should) be enjoyed year round.
These Toffee Bars join some of my other favorite bar recipes – Snickerdoodle Bars, Sugar Cookie Bars, Oatmeal Fudge Bars, S’mores Bars, and Peanut Butter Bars. This recipe serves as a reminder that bars are one of the easiest and most delicious desserts you can make.
Ingredients needed
- Butter
- Brown sugar
- All purpose flour
- Salt
- Toffee bits (I use Heath Bits o’ Brickle toffee bits)
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Milk chocolate chips
Why this recipe works
Layers of sweet and buttery flavors make these Toffee Bars absolutely addicting. Here’s what makes up this recipe:
- Brown sugar shortbread crust: This is the same crust as my Pecan Pie Pie Bars. It’s a simple shortbread crust that is tender, buttery, and just barely sweet. It comes together in minutes, and it serves as the base of this recipe.
- Gooey filling: A combination of sweetened condensed milk, melted butter, and toffee chips create a sticky-gooey layer on top of the crust.
- Chocolate: A layer of melted chocolate pairs perfectly with the toffee flavors. The melted chocolate also acts as “glue” for the toffee bits that adorn the top of the bars.
- Crunchy toffee bits: The final layer is a generous sprinkling of toffee bits which add a sweet and buttery crunch to every bite.
Serving and storage
- Allow several hours for the bars to cool and set up before cutting and serving.
- Serve at room temperature.
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge up to 4 days or freezer up to 2 months.
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Recipe
Toffee Bars
Ingredients
Crust:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1-¼ cups all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Topping:
- 1 cup toffee bits*, divided
- ⅓ cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips
- flaky sea salt, optional
Instructions
Crust:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8 square baking dish with foil or parchment paper, grease and set aside.
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and brown sugar until smooth and combined. Add flour and salt and beat until combined (the mixture will be crumbly, but should hold together if you press it between two fingers).
- Dump the crust into the prepared pan and use the bottom of a measuring cup to press the crust into a flat even layer. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the edges are just beginning to turn golden brown.
Filling:
- Immediately after removing the crust from the oven, sprinkle the top with ¼ cup toffee bits. Combine the sweetened condensed milk and melted butter, then evenly pour it over the top of the toffee chips (I pour it in a zig-zag/back and forth motion so that there is even coverage).
- Return to the oven and bake for another 7-10 minutes, until the mixture is bubbling.
- Remove from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top. Wait 3-5 minutes for the chocolate chips to soften, then gently spread the softened chocolate chips using a small offset spatula. Be careful not to push down too hard with spatula, you only want to spread the chocolate, not the toffee layer underneath. Immediately top with ¾ cup toffee bits, and a sprinkling of flaky sea salt (if desired).
- Allow the bars to continue to cool until they are room temperature. After cooling you can move them to the refrigerator briefly to firm up the chocolate (if necessary).
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
Brenda
Very good! Will definitely make again.
Allison
That’s great to hear! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Jenn
This recipe is the “BEST”! I make it frequently and it’s always a huge hit!
Allison
I’m so glad! Thanks for stopping by.
Jillian
Hi! I’m going to make these for Thanksgiving. If I want to double the batch, what pan would I use? Two 8×8 pans, or a 9×13? Could I use disposable pans, to help with clean-up? Thinking about drizzling nutella on before final toffee brickle, as opposed to chocolate chips. At least for one of the 3 batch I’m making 🙂
Allison
Hi, Jillian. You could do either two 8×8’s or one 9×13. The 9×13 might produce bars that are a bit thicker. I would assume disposable pans should be ok although I have never baked in them. You can try the Nutella but I’d recommend using some chocolate chips along with the Nutella just to help it firm up a bit after it cools. Enjoy!
Jen
I call these crack bars, they’re so good!
Allison
Glad you enjoyed them!
Devon
Could I cut up a heath bar if I can’t find the the bits?
Allison
That should be ok. Heath bars will be covered in chocolate so the final product will look a bit different than mine.
Andrea
These sound delicious! I’m wondering if adding in some homemade salted caramel would work?
Allison
Sure! I’d probably just drizzle it over the top after baking. Enjoy!
Barbara S Barnett
These were a complete hit. Beautiful, rich and delicious!
Allison
I’m glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Steph
I made these exactly as directed and the middle didn’t seem cooked (more soft rather than a shortbread cookie consistency). Very tasty but I hope the flour was cooked.