Sea Salt Pecan Toffee is the answer to your snacking and sweet tooth dreams. The end. Do I exaggerate? Sometimes, yes. But right now? Not really.
There aren’t a whole lot of foods that I label as “The Best Ever” or “crazy insane amazingly delicious” but this toffee recipe is exactly that. All of those things. It is EVERYTHING.
Pecan Toffee
If you have never made candy or toffee or any hot sugary boiled treat, do not fear it. Because I have a wicked easy toffee making tip that you’re going to love. No candy thermometers are needed.
Want the toffee-making tip that you’ll never forget? Set a brown paper bag near the stove and let the mixture boil until it matches the bag in color. (You can also use a jar of peanut butter for color reference.)
I have never used a thermometer for making toffee. (Admittedly, at this point, I don’t need the paper bag any longer. I just eyeball it.) This takes between 18-20 minutes and I ALWAYS set a timer for 17 minutes.
Just in case I find myself distracted, the timer prevents me from letting the candy burn. It will go from perfectly amber colored to burnt in about 30 seconds, as soon as it turns light brown, pull it off the heat.
Once you’ve made this a few times, you’ll be able to smell when it’s done too.
Sea Salt Toffee
We’ve made this toffee at least six times since Christmas because everyone I shared it with has requested it again and again.
Three different people have called or texted to ask what the heck was in the toffee because they could not stop eating it.
I have already emailed the recipe out twice with promises that I would get it on the blog soon. One friend had me laughing with her text, “Is there ACTUAL crack in this? Drugs? What did you put in it? I can’t stop eating it!”
I have yet to meet anyone who can resist the salty-sweet combination in this salted toffee with pecans.
If you love salty-sweet combinations, like these Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies, this pecan toffee is going to make you very happy.
Few things say Christmas better than green and red M&Ms! Throw some into these perfectly chewy M&M chocolate chip cookies, and you have festive Christmas cookies that everyone loves!
Every Christmas our kids gather around with Cade and I and we make the most hideously decorated sugar cookies (link to cookies and royal icing) but even when I think they won’t care anymore, they absolutely go nuts if they don’t see me pulling out all the supplies for Christmas cookies.
However, as much as we love those sink-your-teeth-in sugar cookies, like seriously they are the perfect sugar cookie, just ask our readers, everyone needs a quick and easy Christmas cookie for the family party that won’t suck hours of your time.
And this is it.
In fact, we haunt the stores every holiday for different colored m&m’s and make them all year round. Hello, Easter Cookies… haha! We can’t stop! Yes, it’s the same recipe, but just trust me, you needed to be reminded that you can, and SHOULD make a Christmas version.
Ingredients for Christmas M&M Cookies
There won’t be any surprises here! You’ll need all the usual chocolate chip cookie ingredients plus some Christmas m&m’s. Here is a brief overview of what you will need:
- Unsalted Butter – using unsalted allows you to control the saltiness of the recipe and make sure it is softened
- Brown Sugar – you want fresh moist brown sugar for optimal texture
- White Sugar – just regular granulated white sugar
- Egg – gives structure to the cookies and helps hold everything together
- Vanilla Extract – adds to the flavor, and use the real stuff…no imitation vanilla
- Flour – make sure to measure the flour correctly so they come out chewy and soft and not dry
- Baking Soda – gives the cookies their rise and fluffiness
- Cornstarch – acts as a tenderizer that helps make the cookies stay thick but soft and chewy
- Salt – balances all the sweetness and enhances flavor
- Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips – use regular size or minis and you can use milk chocolate, dark, white…whatever your favorite is!
- Christmas M&M’s – regular or any holiday M&M’s can be used
The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post. You can also save or print the recipe from there.
How to Make M&M Cookies
The steps are simple, just like making regular batch of Read more
A perfectly soft molasses cookie recipe is essential for the holidays, but these white chocolate molasses cookies take things to a whole new level.
That’s right folks, these are not your typical holiday molasses cookie. I know that this is a pretty popular cookie, molasses or ginger snap, for this time of year, but that does not mean that it has to be completely traditional. These white chocolate chewy molasses cookies are actually an adapted recipe from my dad’s side of the family and is over 150 years old! I’ve been holding onto this recipe since I got it from my aunt last year just so that I could share it at the right time of year with all of you.
Family Holiday Traditions
My mom would spend hours in the kitchen baking the holiday recipes that had been passed down through the generations like this one just so we could deliver them to neighbors and families that my parents would find who were in need. Often the treats to those families included a little extra cash, gifts or toys for the kids.
In fact, sometimes my dad would even dress up as Santa so that the families wouldn’t know who he was when he dropped off the goodies. This white chocolate molasses cookies recipe is one we can use to pass on the same tradition which means that I feel like I should do as my mom did and teach my children. It’s hard sometimes. Some of the cookie dough got so squished and squashed that the white chocolate was sticking out everywhere and it looked like quite the mess but I’m so grateful for the memory of helping a 7 year old discover the magic of making cookies for the holidays to give to neighbors and friends and spread Christmas cheer.
Ingredients for White Chocolate Molasses Cookies
I am an avid cookie lover! I’ll choose a cookie over almost any other dessert (except pie, good golly I love pie!), but not all cookies are created equal. I love a thick and chewy cookie that is perfectly baked. I love them a little crispy around the edges and nice and chewy in the middle. These molasses cookies check all the important cookie boxes and the melty white chocolate in the middle is the best surprise. Here are the ingredients you will need:
- Butter, Shortening, or Lard – we usually do half and half
- Light Brown Sugar – adds sweetness and even more molasses flavor
- Egg – adds structure to the cookies
- Molasses – adds sweetness and perfect molasses flavor, Grandma’s brand is our favorite
- Flour – just regular all pur
Welcome to the weekend, my friends! I’m in Buffalo, NY today to see Rowan Lindamood dance in The Nutcracker and I couldn’t be more excited! My oldest son is here with me and we’ll be enjoying the ballet tonight along with all the tasty foods that we can cram into the weekend.
ON THE BLOGS THIS WEEK:
Baked Parmesan pork chops are tender and juicy with a crispy Parmesan crust. Pair them with a quick rice pilaf and some sauteed asparagus for a dinner everyone will enjoy. When I can make the whole dinner in 40 minutes or less, that’s a win in my book!
The sweet heat of honey sriracha Brussels Sprouts will have everyone devouring these little bites before they make it to the table.
Spiced ground beef, black beans, and cheese top these stuffed sweet potatoes to combine sweet and savory flavors in the best possible way. Each bite of these Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes blends the creamy, sweet potato with the boldness of a beefy taco, creating a delicious, wholesome fusion of Southwestern-inspired goodness.
Crisp and buttery on the outside, fluffy on the inside, this easy waffle recipe is perfection. Included are loads of options for sweet or savory waffles, plus all the toppings you could ever desire.
How many waffle toppings can you think of off the top of your head? My family has a well-established weakness for waffles and with that comes a weakness for all the awesome ways that you can top a hot crisp freshly made waffle.
In each scoop of this chocolate chip ice cream, the delightful crunch of chocolate creates a fun contrast against the smooth vanilla backdrop. This ice cream has been a kid-favorite in our home ever since I first churned it.
With miniature chocolate chips swirled through every bite of this ice cream, the tiny bursts of chocolate will have you coming back for “just one more bite” until it is gone.
Ice Cream with Chocolate Chips
Do you love chocolate chip ice creams as much as we do? There’s something extra special about bites of chocolate that create a contrasting texture and different flavors in creamy sweet homemade ice cream.
Whether it’s chocolate Nutella swirls or chocolate flakes that melt on your tongue, or chunks of chocolate chip cookie dough, they all have a place in our freezer.
This recipe starts with a creamy sweet vanilla base (no eggs or cooking required). Just stir the base together in a bowl and pour it into your ice cream maker.
Ice Cream Ingredients
Please note that this recipe calls specifically for miniature chocolate chips. This isn’t negotiable. If you add full-size regular chocolate chips to ice cream and then put it in the freezer, each bite is going to feel as if you are chewing rocks.
Double-check your ingredients and make sure you have teeny tiny mini chocolate chips for this ice cream before you add them to the churned ice cream. For an unexpected treat, try adding some toffee bits for a fun new ice cream combination.
That chocolate chip and toffee ice cream has been one of my favorites for several years. And almost every time I make it my youngest son asks me to PLEASE make it with just the chocolate chips for him next time.
So, here you go, kiddo. Your own favorite ice cream. Enjoy!
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