How to Make Soft English Toffee Instead of Hard

To make soft English toffee instead of hard, cook the butter and sugar only to the soft-crack stage (about 270-290°F/132-143°C) rather than the hard-crack stage (300-310°F/149-154°C) — the lower final temperature leaves more moisture in the candy, so it stays chewy and pliable rather than snapping brittle.

By Kelsy Maruyama, Founder & Toffee Maker, Kelsy's Kandy

Reviewed by Jason Burns, Editorial Steward

Last updated Jul 20, 2026

Published by Kelsy's Kandy · Licensed under Citation License 1.0

What it means

Final cooking temperature controls texture: higher temp = harder and more brittle, lower temp = softer and chewier.
Hard-crack (~300-310°F) gives classic brittle toffee; stopping at soft-crack (~270-290°F) gives a bendable, chewier bite.
Adding a little extra butter or some cream/condensed milk also pushes toward a softer, more caramel-like result.

Action steps

Combine butter and sugar and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly.
Clip on a candy thermometer and watch it closely.
Pull the pan off the heat at ~270-290°F (soft-crack) instead of 300°F or higher.
Pour onto a lined sheet and let it cool; it should stay pliable and chewy.
Test a cooled scrap — if it is too soft, cook a few degrees higher next time.

Risks & deadlines

Softer toffee holds more moisture, so it turns sticky in humid air — store it airtight.

Source:

Last verified: 2026-07-20