I call this Christmas Candy Crack and when you take one bite you’ll know exactly what I mean. It’s addictive!! The crunch of the butter and sugar, the smooth chocolate, and sprinkle of nuts will send you into candy heaven in a heartbeat!
This simple, time-tested, and beloved recipe will bring squeals of delight from every happy recipient; I guarantee it! I’ve been making this for more than 30 years, and it is my most requested goodie at Christmas time. If you make it, please leave a comment and let me know how it comes out.
I found the recipe 25 years ago in a tattered old copy of Yankee Magazine. Let me tell you, those Yankees know what they’re doing when it comes to making candy. And forget about sugarplums, you’ll have visions of Chocolate Almond Butter Crunch dancing in your head!
Chocolate Almond Butter Crunch is like a Heath Bar or an Almond Roca only, you made it yourself, and you can use really good chocolate, which takes it from incredible to fabulous!
Add the sugar to the melted butter.
Add the chopped almonds to the butter and sugar.
Chocolate Almond Butter Crunch all dark and beautiful and ready to pour into the pan.
Chocolate Almond Butter Crunch poured into the pan. Tilt the pan to help it spread.
Scatter the chocolate chips all over the butter crunch. They will melt and then you’ll spread them all over.
See how the chocolate melted? It’s even better now that you’ve sprinkled the chopped pecans onto it.
There you go. You are a star and a candy-making ninja!
Chocolate Almond Butter Crunch
If you are new to candy making, here are a few tips:
- A good Candy Thermometer is a must-have. This is the one I use for candy and jam-making.
- The ingredients will be VERY hot. Keep small children out of the kitchen.
- Work quickly, as this will begin to harden pretty soon after you pour it.
- 1½ cups room temperature salted butter (do NOT substitute margarine, it won’t turn out)
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1 cup chopped almonds
- 1½ cups good quality Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Chips
- ½ cup finely ground pecans or walnuts
- Melt the butter slowly over very low heat in a heavy saucepan. Do not let it boil.
- Add the sugar. Now bring it to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring slowly but frequently, until the candy thermometer registers 260 F.
- Add chopped almonds and continue to cook, stirring constantly. The mixture will be very thick, and the candy will become a dark caramel color.
- When the thermometer reaches 305 F, pour the candy into your lightly greased jelly roll pan or rimmed baking sheet. Work quickly. Spread the candy thin with the back of a wooden spoon. The candy should just about fill the pan. You can also tilt the pan to let gravity spread the candy. The pan will be HOT, so wear oven mitts.
- Spread the chocolate chips evenly on top of the candy. Wait a couple of minutes and let them melt. Spread chocolate evenly across the surface of the candy. I use a small offset spatula to do this.
- Sprinkle candy with finely ground pecans or walnuts while the chocolate is still melted.
- Allow to harden for several hours. I put mine in the fridge, uncovered, for about an hour.
- Break into pieces.
Kate’s Tips
- Be aware, whenever you’re making candy, make sure to make it on a dry day. Humidity will cause it to separate and you’ll have a big mess. Ask me how I know 🙂
- Once you add the sugar and nuts, it will boil quite vigorously. Keep stirring, but stir slowly.
- You don’t want it to burn. Sugar can go from cooked to ruined very quickly, so keep a close eye on your thermometer.
- I like to use Guittard semi-sweet chocolate chips and buy them in the 4-pack from Amazon. They are out of this world!
- A heavy saucepan is a must so the butter won’t separate. Also, if you are getting impatient and turn the heat too high, you’ll shock the toffee causing it to separate.
- If you find that your toffee is still separating while cooking, try this: add a bit of hot water, one tablespoon at a time, not to exceed ¼ cup of water per cup, and 2 sticks of butter. Adding water lowers the temperature and restores moisture that may have evaporated too quickly. If you add water, stir slowly, and be very careful since the water can splash out of the pan and burn you.
- I store this in the refrigerator once it’s made. You don’t have to, but I have to hide it from my husband because he goes crazy over Chocolate Almond Butter Crunch! I break it up into lovely little pieces and keep it in a Tupperware. Then it’s ready to be put in cute bags for gifts.
- The recipe can easily double. Use a bigger pot for cooking it in, and use 2 1/2 cups of butter and 2 jelly roll pans.
- If the buttercrunch still remains separated when you pour it into the pan, you can soak up the butter with a paper towel. Let it cool, then crunch it up and use it as a hard topping for ice cream or other treats.
- Don’t eat it all yourself, although you’ll be tempted to, in the spirit of the season, share with the ones you love!
- This has always been my go-to neighbor or hostess gift during the holidays 🙂
- When the pot you used to cook this in has cooled, just put hot water in to melt any hardened candy. It will melt right off, and you can clean your pot.
Why I love this recipe:
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Everyone LOVES it, (unless you don’t like chocolate)
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It makes a perfect gift for the holidays
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It’s got amazing crunch and flavor
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