Add a dash of buttery, caramelized sugar deliciousness to your morning java with my copycat Starbucks Toffee Nut Syrup recipe. Simply made with just 4 ingredients, this delightful coffee syrup has all the charm of your favorite hard candy—in liquid form!
I don’t often eat candy bars, but when I do? A Heath or a Skor bar is generally what I gravitate towards. I mean, how can anyone resist English toffee—especially if it’s dipped in chocolate?!? So, it should come as no surprise: I’m devastated that Starbucks has decided to remove their toffee nut syrup from their menu. 😩
Luckily, though, I’m a gee dang coffee syrup sleuth—to date, I’ve discovered the secret to making over two dozen different flavors including other nutty yums like pistachio, pecan, and chestnut praline syrup. *Brushes off shoulders.* NBD.
I’m happy to report that my newest English toffee coffee syrup recipe tastes like a dead ringer for Starbucks’, so now I can make their now discontinued toffee nut latte from home. Huzzah!
Jump to:
- What is Toffee Nut Syrup?
- What does it taste like?
- Why You’ll Love This Starbucks Toffee Nut Syrup Recipe
- Ingredients Needed
- Substitutions
- How To Make Toffee Nut Syrup For Coffee & More
- Optional Variations & Dietary Adjustments
- Serving Suggestions
- Recipe Success Tips
- FAQs
- DIY Toffee Nut Coffee Syrup Nutrition
- Other Homemade Syrup Recipes
- Homemade Toffee Nut Syrup (Starbucks Copycat)
What is Toffee Nut Syrup?
This liquid gold is a coffee mix-in all Werther’s fans are bound to become obsessed with. At its most basic, this is a simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water) infused with the nutty, caramelly essence of English toffee.
What does it taste like?
You know those naked toffee bits Heath makes for baking? This toffee nut Starbucks syrup tastes like those, except in easy-to-pour coffee flavoring form. In other words, it’s pure golden brown liquid yumminess!
Why You’ll Love This Starbucks Toffee Nut Syrup Recipe
- Quick & Easy - All you need is about 10 minutes to make a batch—just measure, mix, simmer, strain, and voila! A week’s worth of toffee coffee deliciousness is at your fingertips.
- Only 4 Ingredients - Water, two types of sugar, and toffee bits are all you need. It’s so stinkin’ simple!
- Spot-On Starbucks Dupe - If you were as disappointed as I was upon hearing that the toffee nut syrup Starbucks used to carry was no longer, fret not. This copycat recipe has all the flavor you’ve been missing!
Ingredients Needed
As promised, you only need a handful of pantry ingredients to make this DIY toffee syrup. Here’s what to grab:
- Water - If possible, start with filtered water for the best, purest flavor. Don’t have a filter? You can get rid of the chlorine taste/smell by either a.) boiling it for 15 minutes uncovered (start with about 1.25-1.5 times as much as you need due to evaporation), or b.) leaving it out on the countertop with a light, clean kitchen towel to cover it overnight. After 12-24 hours, the chemical smell will evaporate.
- Brown Sugar - Either light or dark brown sugar works here, depending on how caramelly and molasses-y you want it to taste.
- Toffee Bits - You should be able to find these in the baking aisle of most supermarkets. You can also use the chopped toffee of your choosing; just make sure it isn’t coated in chocolate.
- Granulated Sugar - Plain white sugar is all you need. Psst! If you have caster sugar or superfine sugar in the pantry, these are 1:1 swaps; they’re the same thing as granulated sugar, just with smaller granules.
Substitutions
Is your pantry missing something? Not to worry. Here are a few easy swaps to try:
- Water - If you want your coffee syrup to have a little extra flavor and buzz, try using cold brew instead.
- Brown Sugar - Feel free to swap in less refined options like muscovado or turbinado sugar, or grated piloncillo or jaggery. You can also make your own brown sugar using a ratio of 1 cup sugar to 1-2 tablespoons molasses. (More molasses = darker brown sugar.)
- Toffee Bits - While not *quite* the same, you can also use caramel hard candies like Werthers if needed. Make sure to chop or blitz them in a food processor first to expose more surface area and improve infusion-ability.
- Granulated Sugar - In a pinch, feel free to swap in more brown sugar, or use another sweetener like maple or agave syrup.
How To Make Toffee Nut Syrup For Coffee & More
Making this buttery, nutty coffee syrup is so easy—you’ll be done before you know it! Here’s how to do it:
Step 1: Mix. Add all the ingredients to a medium saucepan and heat over medium-low heat, stirring frequently.
Step 2: Simmer. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 3: Cool & Strain. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes at room temperature. Strain the remaining toffee from the syrup using a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth (there will be some left that didn't melt).
Step 4: Use or Store. Use immediately, or transfer the syrup to a mason jar and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or until completely cooled. Once cooled, there will be milk solids floating on top of the syrup. Strain the syrup again or skim the top to remove the milk solids if desired (this is recommended for iced coffee). Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks!
Optional Variations & Dietary Adjustments
- Reduced-Sugar - Feel free to swap in the cup-for-cup sugar-free brown sugar and white sugar replacements of your choice (e.g. monkfruit). If you can find sugar-free toffee bits or toffee-flavored extract, you can make this syrup entirely sugar-free! (If using extract, add 1 tablespoon to the mix.)
- Extra Nutty - While toffee bits already have a nutty undertone thanks to caramelized sugar and browned butter, you can amp up the flavor by adding ½ cup of the toasted chopped nuts of your choice.
- Nut-Free - Just make sure your toffee bits are made without nuts!
Serving Suggestions
While I typically use this DIY toffee nut syrup to sweeten my normal drip coffee, there are tons of other ways to put it to use! Here are just a few ideas to get you started:
- Toffee Nut Creamer - Make your own coffee creamer (either regular or dairy-free), using this yummy butter nut syrup to flavor it.
- Homemade Starbucks Toffee Nut Latte - Combine 2 shots of French press espresso, a few tablespoons of this coffee syrup, and top with the steamed and frothed milk of your choice. For added yum, top with whipped cream and more toffee bits.
- Toffee Nut Topping - Use this toffee-flavored syrup to add richness to your whipped cream. It’s especially easy if you have a reusable whipped cream canister! You can also use it to flavor your favorite frosting recipes.
- Nutty Breakfast - Add some English toffee goodness to your morning meal by drizzling some of this infused simple syrup on your oatmeal, mixing it into your French toast batter, or using it in place of maple syrup for your pancakes and waffles.
- Cake Queen - Before frosting your layer cakes, drizzle them with some toffee syrup to help keep them moist. The added flavor gives it a little extra somethin’-somethin’ that’ll have everyone asking for the recipe!
Recipe Success Tips
- Waste Not, Want Not. Keep the leftover toffee bits after straining for garnishing your first Starbucks toffee nut latte at home. I recommend letting them dry at room temperature on a piece of parchment paper, then breaking them up with a sharp knife.
- Smart Storage. Invest in a mason jar attachment with a pour spout, a syrup bottle, or a lidded squeeze bottle to keep your toffee coffee syrup in. Not only will it make it easier to use, it’ll also keep your counters and fridge free from the dreaded icky stickies.
- Double Up. If you’d like your toffee nut syrup to last for up to 6 months in the fridge (rather than 2 weeks), double up the amount of white and brown sugar you add to the same amount of water. Using a 2:1 sugar-to-water ratio makes what is known as a rich syrup. This thicker, more viscous liquid keeps for longer thanks to a higher amount of sugar, which is a natural preservative.
FAQs
They are one and the same! Both use English toffee pieces to infuse a brown sugar syrup. Note that you can make your homemade toffee syrup either extra nutty or nut-free using the instructions in the “optional variations” section above.
Unless your toffee is vegan (most recipes include butter or cream), no. However, you can easily make vegan toffee nut syrup by using vegan toffee pieces! It should be gluten-free—double check your toffee pieces label to make sure they aren’t processed on equipment with wheat products and make sure you don’t have any issues with gluten cross-contamination in your sugar containers.
If you can find sugar-free toffee pieces or toffee flavor extract, yes! Follow the instructions listed in the “optional variations” section above.
DIY Toffee Nut Coffee Syrup Nutrition
At just 86 calories per serving, this yummy flavoring is easy to fit into nearly any diet. Most of those calories come from carbs—there are 17 grams per serving, all of which come from sugar. If you’d like to reduce your caloric load, follow the instructions for making it either reduced-sugar or sugar-free as listed in the “optional variations” section.
Unlike most of my other syrup recipes, this toffee-flavored number has 2 grams of grams of fat per serving thanks to the buttery toffee pieces—it’s not a ton, but something to note. It also has a meager 36 milligrams of sodium per serving, which is somewhat surprising considering the salty-sweet flavor of toffee.
All in all, my homemade Starbucks toffee nut syrup is a sweet treat you can enjoy most mornings without much guilt. Just make sure to keep an eye on the added sugar in your diet for the rest of the day and you should be golden!
Total nutritional content per serving is:
- Calories: 86 calories
- Total Fat: 2 grams
- Protein: 0 grams
- Sodium: 36 mg
- Carbohydrates: 17 grams
- Sugar: 17 grams
*This nutritional information is an estimate and calculated based on the ingredients used to create the recipe. The nutritional value of your ingredients may differ slightly. Furthermore, this food is not intended to prevent, diagnose, cure, or treat any disease.
Other Homemade Syrup Recipes
Homemade Toffee Nut Syrup (Starbucks Copycat)
Equipment
- 1 medium saucepan
- 1 cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- ⅓ cup Toffee bits
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a medium saucepan and heat over medium-low heat, stirring frequently.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes at room temperature. Strain the remaining toffee from the syrup using a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth (there will be some left that didn't melt).
- Use immediately, or transfer the syrup to a mason jar and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or until completely cooled. Once cooled, there will be milk solids floating on top of the syrup. Strain the syrup again or skim the top to remove the milk solids if desired (this is recommended for iced coffee). Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks!
Nutrition
xoxo Megan
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