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. Great for gifting.
Other popular homemade holiday treats include Saltine Toffee Candy and Peppermint Bark. We have 50 more Easy Christmas Treat Ideas you might like!
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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 so delicious and always gets incredible reviews. And more than a few requests for more!
You can take it to cookie exchanges to wow other party-goers!
This recipe is perfect atop our Chocolate Trifle.
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 with 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
What is Almond Roca made of? Well, it only takes 4 simple ingredients to make a batch. Keep these on hand during the holiday season, and you’ll never run out of the Best Almond Roca!
- Salted Butter (the better the quality, the better your end flavor)
- Sugar (granulated white sugar)
- Smashed Almonds (or crushed to your liking)
- Chocolate Morsels (semi-sweet, dark, or milk chocolate morsels will do)
Is This Candy Gluten-Free?
Yes. Almond Roca Candy is gluten-free. Just make sure to use a brand of chocolate that doesn’t contain any gluten.
Traditional Almond Roca does not have peanuts.
Tips for How to Make A Good Batch of Almond Roca Candy
- We like to use salted almonds (because of that salty-sweet thing) in this candy, 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 them 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 making 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 use 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 F., 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 to get the excess out. Let pan of toffee cool for 5 minutes.
Step 6 – Sprinkle 1/2 cup chocolate chips over the top of the candy.
Let this recipe for almond Roca rest until chocolate chips melt enough to spread over top of the candy.
Step 7 – Dust the pan with 1/8 cup smashed almonds.
Once the chocolate is cooled (about 2 hours) and hardened, break apart with a knife’s tip to the desired size.
You can speed up the hardening process by placing the candy in the refrigerator.
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Great Treat Recipes
Adorable Candy Pretzel Turkey Bites
Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark
Tips for Making Homemade Almond Roca
- Ensure you keep a steady temperature on your burner and continually stir the butter and sugar as they cook so they don’t separate.
- If there is separation while cooking, keep stirring, and the fat should get reincorporated.
- Take care as you stir not to scrape the sides of the pan. You don’t want to clean the sides of the pan. However, you do 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 saucepan’s sides and bottom 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 your homemade candy in a jar that seals, a holiday tin, or cellophane and top with a ribbon or bow. These make fantastic gifts for Almond Roca Candy lovers or anyone on your list!
In addition, you can bring it to work and watch it disappear.
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New images and recipe tips added 9/29/19.
Homemade Almond Roca
Equipment
- pan
- Baking pan
- Spatula
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.
