Are you looking for the best Almond Roca candy recipe? This is it! Perfect every time. The rich caramel covered with smooth chocolate and smashed almonds is delicious and contains no corn syrup.
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Homemade Almond Roca Recipe
Are you looking for the best Almond Roca recipe? This. Is. It! It’s taken years to perfect it, and we’re so thrilled to be able to share the recipe with you because it’s soooo good and always gets rave reviews. And, more than a few requests for more!
You can make your candy toffee and put it in this Chocolate Trifle, it’s amazing!
What is Almond Roca? In case you don’t know, Almond Roca is a delectable chocolate-covered, almond butter crunch, hard toffee with a coating of crushed almonds.
If you haven’t tried making homemade Almond Roca before, you DEFINITELY should. This candy is packed incredible flavor and texture – with its hard caramel crunchy middle that’s coated with creamy milk chocolate and topped with little pieces of smashed almonds, and it’s delectable.
Almond Roca Ingredients
It only takes a few simple ingredients to make a batch of Almond Roca Candy.
- Butter (the better the quality, the better your end flavor)
- Sugar (white sugar)
- Smashed Almonds (or crushed to your liking)
- Chocolate (semi-sweet, dark or milk chocolate will do)
Did you know if you make sure to use chocolate that doesn’t have any gluten, this candy recipe is gluten-free and incredibly addictive!
Tips for How to Make A Good Batch of Almond Roca Candy
- We like to use salted almonds (because of that salty-sweet thing), but you can use unsalted if you prefer.
- Other recipes may call for chopped or blanched almonds. We prefer to smash the almonds because you get a good mixture of larger and smaller pieces for the topping.
- We have not used a candy thermometer for years, although it’s smart to use one the first several times you make Almond Roca, to make sure you get it just right.
- Some readers use Hershey’s chocolate candy bars for the top. It’s so rich, crunchy, and buttery, they say!
- If you like, you can toast your almonds in a pan before adding to the recipe.
- To speed up the cooling process, place the pan of finished candy in the refrigerator.
- We love this recipe because it doesn’t contain any corn syrup, so tastes rich and natural.
IMPORTANT TIP: Always look for a dark amber color when cooking the sugar and butter mixture. Expect the mixture to smoke a little bit as it becomes deep in color. That’s when you know it is done and ready for the smashed almonds.
You may need a Candy Thermometer like this one to make sure it’s ready. Again, it’s a safe bet to use one at first until you get a feel for how to make the recipe, and when it is done.
How Long Does Almond Roca Keep?
Well, since it’s beloved by all, it might not last long, but if it does, the candy should keep just fine in a sealed container kept at room temperature for a couple of weeks.
Steps to Make An Almond Roca Recipe
Step 1 – Smash your almonds by placing them in a plastic bag and smashing them with a kitchen mallet or rolling pin.
Step 2 – Turn cooktop on high (or medium-high if you have a gas burner or are using a large burner). Combine butter and sugar in a large saucepan over high heat.
Step 3 – Stir butter and sugar until they come to a boil. Attach a candy thermometer to side of the pan and watch carefully!
Note: Nothing beats homemade candy, but getting sugary sweets to turn out “just right” is an exact science. Sugar is very fickle. Miss the temperature by even a few degrees and your best recipe for perfect Almond Roca turns out all wrong.
Continue stirring until temperature reaches 310 degrees, then immediately remove from heat.
Note: Always look for a dark amber color when cooking the sugar and butter mixture. Expect the mixture to smoke a little bit as it becomes deep in color. That’s when you know it is done and ready for the smashed almonds.
Step 4 – Mix 1 cup smashed almonds into the saucepan until thoroughly combined.
Step 5 – Pour into an un-greased cookie sheet (or jelly roll pan) and spread out. Do not scrap the sides of the pan. Let cool for 5 minutes.
Step 6 – Sprinkle 1/2 cup chocolate chips over the top. Let rest until chocolate chips melt enough to spread over top of the Almond Roca.
Let rest until chocolate chips melt enough to spread over top of the Almond Roca.
Step 7 – Dust with 1/8 cup smashed almonds.
Once the chocolate is cooled (about 2 hours) and hardened, break apart with a tip of a knife to the desired size.
You can speed up the hardening process by placing the candy in the refrigerator.
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Tips for Making Homemade Almond Roca
- Make sure you keep a steady temperature on your burner and continually stir the butter and sugar as they cook so they don’t separate.
- Take care as you stir not to scrape the sides of the pan. You don’t want to clean the sides of the pan, you simply want to stir and scrape the bottom of the pot gently to avoid scorching. You don’t want the crystalized sugar to get into your toffee.
- Also, as you pour the toffee onto the prepared baking pan, do not scrape the sides and bottom of the saucepan to get every last bit of Roca. Just pour it out into the pan and leave the crystallized sugars behind in the pot.
Almond Roca As Gifts
This recipe makes the best homemade gifts! Just place in a jar that seals, a holiday tin or cellophane and top with a ribbon or bow. These make fantastic gifts for Almond Roca lovers or anyone on your list! Bring it to work and watch it disappear.
If you try this Homemade Almond Roca or any other recipe on Suburban Simplicity then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let us know how it went in the comments below, we love hearing from you! Better yet, use the hashtag #suburbansimplicity if you make the recipe.
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New images and recipe tips added 9/29/19.
Homemade Almond Roca
Ingredients
- 1 pound butter (4 sticks)
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1 cup smashed almonds + 1/8 cup for topping (salted or unsalted)
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (or dark chocolate)
Instructions
- Smash almonds by placing them in a plastic bag and smashing them with a mallet or rolling pin.
- Turn cooktop to high (or medium-high if your burner runs hot). Combine butter and sugar in a large saucepan over high heat.
- Stir butter and sugar until they come to a boil. Attach a candy thermometer to side of the pan and watch closely.
- Continue stirring until temperature reaches 310 degrees, then immediately remove from heat.
- Mix 1 cup smashed almonds into saucepan until thoroughly combined.
- Pour into an ungreased cookie sheet. Let cool for 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle 1/2 cup chocolate chips over top. Let rest until chocolate chips are melted enough to spread over top of the almond Roca.
- Dust with 1/8 cup smashed almonds.
- Once chocolate has cooled and hardened, break apart with a tip of a knife to desired size.
- This recipe makes about 2 lbs of candy and is perfect for gifts!
Video
Notes
- We like to use salted almonds (because of that salty-sweet thing), but you can use unsalted if you prefer.
- Other recipes may call for chopped or blanched almonds. We prefer to smash the almonds because you get a good mixture of larger and smaller pieces for the topping.
- We have not used a candy thermometer for years, although it's smart to use one the first several times you make Almond Roca, to make sure you get it just right.
- To speed up the cooling process, place the pan of finished candy in the refrigerator.
- We love this recipe because it doesn't contain any corn syrup, so tastes rich and natural.
- Always look for a dark amber color when cooking the sugar and butter mixture. Expect the mixture to smoke a little bit as it becomes deep in color. That's when you know it is done and ready for the smashed almonds.
Nutrition
Truth be told, my husband is the one with the gift to make Almond Roca taste soooo good. I’m better at making Saltine Toffee. He’s been making this family recipe for years and gives it out at work and to family & friends during the holidays. However, it’s good year-round in our opinion 🙂
We hope you enjoy this treat as much as our friends and we do!
You may also like this recipe for Saltine Toffee.
You May Also Like:
Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark
Cristi says
About how long I lost the thermometer!! ;(
Erin Henry says
Cooking times vary Cristi, but if you look for the dark amber color and it will start to smoke slightly, it’s done.
Katie says
Need to make these as last minute gifts! They look incredible!
Jennifer says
Fantastic! SO tasty and such an easy recipe to follow! I loved it!
Erin Henry says
Our most popular recipe this time of year! Glad you loved it!
Kimberly says
This is my all-time favorite candy and I’m totally giddy with excitement that I’m now able to make my own!
Erin Henry says
We couldn’t agree more, Kimberly! An all-time favorite and we’re so glad it’s Almond Roca season!
Matt - Total Feasts says
These look delicious, I’ve already pinned it ready to make for the holidays!
Erin Henry says
Yep, totally delicious! The perfect holiday recipe, Matt!
Vk says
Hi
Do you use roasted Almonds?
Erin Henry says
Hi – you can use roasted almonds for an added touch, but we just use regular almonds.
Jean says
Hi there; just made your toffee and I think I overcooked it . I had a thermometer in there but when it reached 300, it moved a little, causing the needle to go under the 300 mark. I straightened it back up and it immediately got to 300 again . It’s really dark almost like chocolate dark and the bottom of the pot is burned. Is this normal or did I over cook it? Thank you.
Erin says
Hi Jean,
Bummer! It does sound like you overcooked it. The sweet spot of the caramel is to get it just to the smoke point, and take it off the heat so it doesn’t burn. You are looking for it to become a dark amber color – that’s how you know it’s done. If the pan is burned, the toffee is likely burned, too.
Maureen says
Heavenly! This recipe was SO easy to make! I used Hershey’s chocolate candy bars for the top. It’s so rich and crunchy and buttery! Thank you so much for this recipe! It was hard giving them away as Christmas gifts!
Erin says
I know what you mean, Maureen! It’s always hard to give this stuff away…you want to keep it all for yourself!
Cheri says
What size cookie sheet do you use? Do you use a non stick cookie sheet?
Erin says
Hi Cheri – We use just a standard size cookie sheet and it is non-stick.