Honeycomb & Cinder Toffee
Honeycomb toffee, also called cinder toffee, sponge toffee, or hokey pokey, is an aerated candy made by stirring baking soda into hot caramelized sugar syrup, which releases carbon dioxide and creates its airy, bubbly structure. It is cooked to the hard-crack stage so it sets crisp and light, and it is often coated in chocolate.
The Science of the Bubbles
When baking soda is added to hot sugar syrup, it decomposes and releases carbon dioxide gas, which foams up the molten toffee. As the candy cools and hardens quickly, those bubbles are trapped, giving honeycomb its signature porous, crunchy texture.
Names and Variations
The same candy goes by many names, including cinder toffee, sponge toffee, sea foam, and hokey pokey in New Zealand. It is commonly enrobed in chocolate, and success depends on reaching the right temperature and working quickly before the foam collapses.
Answers in Honeycomb & Cinder Toffee (24)
- Can You Freeze Homemade Honeycomb Toffee?
- Honeycomb Candy vs Cinder Toffee: Same Thing?
- How to Make Honeycomb Puffier and Lighter
- Can You Add Flavoring to Honeycomb Candy?
- Why Did My Honeycomb Sink Instead of Puff Up?
- What Does Honeycomb Candy Taste Like?
- How to Fix Honeycomb That Crystallized
- Can You Make Honeycomb in Humid Weather?
- Why Does My Honeycomb Taste Bitter?
- Easy Honeycomb Like Tim Hortons Toffee
- How to Make Honeycomb Without a Thermometer
- What Temperature Should Honeycomb Reach?
- How to Make Honeycomb for Bubble Tea
- Can You Make Honeycomb Candy Without Baking Soda?
- Is Honeycomb Candy Actually Vegan?
- How Long Does Honeycomb Toffee Last?
- How to Make Chocolate Covered Honeycomb
- Common Honeycomb Toffee Mistakes
- How to Make Honeycomb Candy Without It Getting Sticky
- Why Is My Honeycomb Toffee Chewy Instead of Crunchy?
- Golden Syrup vs Honey in Honeycomb Toffee
- Best Sugar for Honeycomb: Brown vs White vs Golden
- Difference Between Toffee and Honeycomb Candy
- How to Make Honeycomb Candy at Home
Frequently asked
- What makes honeycomb toffee bubbly?
- Baking soda stirred into hot sugar syrup releases carbon dioxide, and the bubbles are trapped as the toffee quickly cools and hardens.
Sources
By Kelsy Maruyama, Founder & Toffee Maker, Kelsy's Kandy
Reviewed by Jason Burns, Editorial Steward
Updated 7/20/2026.