A little sweet, a little salty, a little crispy, a little chewy, these Toffee Crunch Cookies are all delicious.  If you love your cookies thin, chewy in the middle but crispy on the edges, and like the salty-sweet flavor combination, you need to make these, ASAP!

I’m here today to share the second cookie in for The Sweetest Season Cookie Exchange.  If you missed my post on Monday (Chewy Chocolate Mint Cookies), I’m participating in a cookie exchange with a group of other food bloggers.  We’re helping to raise funds for Cookies for Kids’ Cancer, a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising funds for research to develop new, improved, and less toxic treatments for pediatric cancer.

If you missed my post on Monday, CLICK HERE to learn a little more about the organization, my own research background in pediatric cancer, and why you should consider donating to this great charity!

Because I’m a crowd-pleaser, I’m bringing you three different cookies this week.  One soft and chewy, one thin and crispy, and one jumbo sized and cakey.

How do you like your cookies? Thick or thin? Chewy or crisp? Chocolate or non-chocolate?  Sugary sweet or a little bit salty? Everyone has totally different preferences when it comes to cookies.  My husband loves thick, soft chocolate chip cookies.  While I respect his decision, I… disagree.

I like my cookies thin, crisp on the edges and chewy in the center, and a little bit salty because I love the salty-sweet combination.  If your cookie preferences are at all like mine, make these toffee crunch cookies.  Right now. Leave work immediately and go make these, because you will love them.

These cookies spread just enough that they get a little bit thin, meaning the inside stays nice and chewy, but the outside gets just a little crisp.  Combine the buttery cookie dough with the crunchy, salty toffee and you have my ideal cookie.

I don’t have a huge sweet tooth, so I’m usually one-and-done when it comes to cookies.  I have my cookie, I enjoy it, and I’d rather save the rest for another day. Except with these easy toffee crunch cookies, apparently.  I can’t stop/won’t stop. Two cookie minimum.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Butter: Use cool room temperature butter – it should register approximately 65°F.
• Sugar
• Eggs: Make sure the eggs are also at room temperature
• Vanilla Extract
• Flour: Use all-purpose flour, or to keep the cookies gluten-free, substitute in a 1:1 gluten-free baking mix containing xanthan gum.
• Salt
• Baking Soda
• Chopped Toffee: Any sort of hard toffee works here – homemade, chopped Health bars, the Bits O’ Brickle toffee baking bits, etc. You want the bits to be small enough that they don’t overwhelm the cookie, but large enough that you still get a little crunch. 

How to Make Toffee Cookies

1. Preheat and Prepare: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the room temperature butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs, one a time, beating well after each addition, followed by the vanilla extract.
4. Add Dry Ingredients: Slowly add in the dry ingredients, mixing only until just combined and no large streaks of flour remain. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tough cookies.
5. Fold in the Toffee: Gently fold in the toffee bits, evenly distributing them throughout the cookie dough.
6. Chill the Batter: Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes, until firm.
7. Scoop and Bake: Using a cookie scoop or tablespoons, drop rounded dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving enough space between each cookie. 
8. Bake to Perfection: Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges start to set but the center is still soft.
9. Cool and Enjoy: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

You’ll notice that there’s a step in here for chilling the batter – don’t skip it! I know the goal is to go from making cookie dough to eating cookies in a little time as possible, but chilling the dough is so important for these cookies! It’s all about the kitchen chemistry!

Kitchen Chemistry

Chilled cookie dough spreads less during baking. When the dough is cold, the butter in the dough solidifies. As the cookies bake, the fat takes longer to melt, resulting in less spreading. This is especially crucial for recipes that call for thin, crispy edges and a chewy center.

Toffee Cookie Variations

While these cookies are delicious on their own, this is also the perfect base recipe to modify with your favorite additions. The toffee cookie possibilities are endless! Here are a few of my favorites:

1. Chocolate Chip Toffee Cookies: Add dark or milk chocolate chips to the toffee cookie dough.
2. Salted Caramel Pecan Toffee Cookies: Swirl in some gooey salted caramel sauce and add chopped pecans to the cookie dough.
3. Espresso Toffee Cookies: Add a kick of espresso powder or finely ground coffee.
4. Coconut Toffee Cookies: Mix in shredded sweetened coconut for a tropical twist.
5. White Chocolate Macadamia Toffee Cookies: Use white chocolate chips and chopped macadamia nuts.
6. Maple Pecan Toffee Cookies: Replace 4 tablespoons of the granulated sugar with pure maple syrup and fold in chopped pecans.
7. Gingerbread Toffee Cookies: Spice things up by adding ground ginger, cinnamon, and molasses to the cookie dough.

Recommended Tools to Make Toffee Cookies

• Stand Mixer: I’ve been using this trusty stand mixer for 15+ years!
• Cookie Sheet: Use a light colored cookie sheet to prevent the bottoms of the cookies from getting too dark.
• Parchment Paper: Line your cookie sheets with parchment paper to prevent the cookies from sticking.
• Cookie Scoop: Use a cookie scoop to ensure even-sized cookies.
• Cooling Rack: This stackable rack folds down flat for easy storage.

Tips and Tricks for the Best Toffee Crunch Cookies

1. Room Temperature Butter: Allow your butter to come to cool room temperature before use — if you test with an instant-read thermometer, you’re looking for the center of the butter to be 65°F. If your butter is too cold, creaming together the butter and sugar doesn’t result in proper aeration, but if the butter is too warm, the cookies feel greasy.
2. Don’t Overmix the Dough: Mix just until combined – overmixing results in a tough cookie texture.
3. Chill the Dough: Especially if your kitchen is warm, chill the dough for 30 minutes before scooping onto baking sheets. This helps prevent excessive spreading during baking. 
4. Use a Cookie Scoop: For evenly-sized cookies, use a cookie scoop to portion the dough.
5. Cool on Baking Sheets: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. This helps set the cookies and retain the chewy center.
6. Store in an Airtight Container: Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to a week or freeze for up to 3 months.

More Cookie Recipes:

• Lemon Sugar Cookies
• Black and White Cookies
• Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies
• Chocolate Sprinkle Cookies
• Lemon Thumbprint Cookies
• Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons
• All Cookie Recipes ≫