Treacle Toffee
Dark, brittle and wonderfully bitter-sweet: the traditional bonfire toffee of the north of England, and a perfect homemade gift.
AI assistance: the introduction, ingredient list, method, tips and FAQ on this page were drafted with an AI writing tool, working from long-established traditional methods. Named editor who reviewed it: owner to supply How we work
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 1 hr 25 min
- Makes
- 20 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Course
- Snack
- Cuisine
- English
Treacle toffee, also called bonfire toffee or plot toffee, is the dark, glassy slab toffee of northern England, sold around Bonfire Night and Halloween. Black treacle gives it its colour and a deep, almost liquorice flavour.
Traditionally it is set in a tin and broken up with a little toffee hammer. Wrapped in cellophane, it makes a good Christmas gift.
Ingredients
- 450 g demerara or soft brown sugar
- 115 g butter, plus extra for the tin
- 115 g black treacle
- 115 g golden syrup
- 4 tbsp water
- 1 tsp vinegar
Equipment
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- Small saucepanHow to chooseShop on Amazon(affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
- 20 cm square cake tinHow to chooseShop on Amazon(affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
Method
- 1
Butter a 20 cm square tin well.
- 2
Put everything in a large, deep, heavy saucepan over a low heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved and the butter melted.
- 3
Turn up the heat and boil steadily, stirring only occasionally, until the toffee reaches 150°C on a sugar thermometer (hard crack), about 15 minutes. A drop in cold water should snap.
- 4
Pour into the tin and leave to cool for 10 minutes, then mark into squares with an oiled knife if you want neat pieces.
- 5
When completely cold and hard, turn out and break into pieces with a toffee hammer or the end of a rolling pin.
Photo: Qwfp (talk) via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped
Tips
Safety: sugar at 150°C causes serious burns. Use a deep pan and keep children well away.
A clip-on sugar thermometer makes it easy. For a lighter, airier toffee, try Northern Ireland's yellowman.
If it goes wrong
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Toffee is chewy, not brittle | Not boiled hot enough | Boil to 150°C (hard crack) |
| Toffee is sticky after a day | It has absorbed moisture from the air | Store in an airtight tin between sheets of baking paper |
Frequently asked questions
What temperature is hard crack?
About 149–154°C (300–310°F). At 150°C the toffee sets hard and brittle.
How long does treacle toffee keep?
Up to 2 weeks in an airtight tin, layered with baking paper. Damp air makes it sticky.
Can I make it without black treacle?
Without treacle it becomes a plain butterscotch-style toffee: lighter in colour and much sweeter.
Sources
- Candy making: stages of sugar cooking, Wikipedia. Checked 5 October 2026.
Guides for this recipe
Some of these guides contain shop links, which are affiliate links (disclosure).
Buying guide
How to Choose Sandwich Tins for Victoria Sponge
How-to
Essential Equipment for British Baking
Buying guide
Baking Trays and Bun Tins: What You Need
Buying guide
Springform and Deep Cake Tins: A Guide
Kitchen design
Copper Pans in the Kitchen: Cooking, Display and Care
Buying guide
Saucepans: Stainless, Non-Stick or Copper?
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Card photos: A round, deep cake tin, Douglas P Perkins via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0, cropped; Small cakes cooling on a wire rack, James Petts from London, England via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped; Mince pies baked in a bun tray, Jeremy Keith via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, cropped; A strawberry pie in a springform tin, W.carter via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0, cropped; Copper pans and a kettle on an old kitchen range, Silar via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; A small stainless steel saucepan with a lid, Cooks & Kitchens from Darlington, UK via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, cropped; A steak and ale pie served with gravy, broccoli and carrot, Andy Li via Wikimedia Commons, CC0; A golden, crimped Cornish pasty on a plate, David Johnson [1] via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped; Homemade mincemeat being stirred with a wooden spoon, Stuart Caie via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, cropped. All credits: image credits.