What's the Difference Between Toffee and Brittle?

Toffee and brittle are both hard-crack candies, but toffee is a rich butter-and-sugar candy (often with almonds and a chocolate coating), while brittle is a thinner, glassier sheet made mostly of sugar and corn syrup with a heavy load of nuts, usually little or no butter, and baking soda for a lighter texture.

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

Both are cooked to the hard-crack stage (about 300-310F / 149-154C) and shatter when broken.
Toffee relies on a high butter content for its rich, buttery flavor and a slightly denser snap.
Brittle is typically made with sugar and corn syrup, gets baking soda to aerate it, and carries a large proportion of nuts such as peanuts.
Toffee is frequently coated in chocolate; brittle almost never is.

Also asked as

Toffee vs Brittle
English Toffee vs Brittle

Source:

Wikipedia: Toffee (hard-crack stage 149-154C / 300-310F)

Last verified: 2026-07-20