Was it toffee candy? Or toffee cookies? "Toffee Squares" is a name usually associated with bar cookies. They have quite a bit of flour in them, being cookies. Like as much, or nearly as much, as the butter plus sugar. Most have a chocolate topping, but it's not necessary. Most of the rest call for a dusting of sugar, but powdered sugar would do as well.

OTOH, if it was real, plain toffee, that hardens to a snap, then it has to be boiled. That's what transforms the butter and sugar into candy. You don't need a candy thermometer--you can just go to "coats a spoon" and it'll work--though a thermometer prevents the "why didn't it work?" issues that occasionally waste a pound of butter.

Here's a cookie recipe with no chocolate, but with cinnamon (omittable) for a Christmas flavor: http://www.christmas-cookies.com/recipes/recipe161.english-toffee-squares.html

There are also a number of cake-mix based pecan toffee bar recipes out there.

She said it was candy. Like a Heath Bar (only without chocolate). That's how we got on the topic -- she was eating a heath bar blizzard and we got to talking about toffee candy and then she said she'd had this recipe and had lost it. I'll ask her more details tomorrow to confirm that it was actually the candy and that there was no flour.

Maybe it's this recipe - cookies come out thin & as crunchy(& sweet) as the candy...

Toffee Bars

(from a vintage recipe pamphlet)

1 c. sugar (Brown, or white mixed w/ 1 T molasses)

1 c. butter or other shortening (I reduce it to 3/4)

2 c. flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1-2 tsp. vanilla

1 c. chocolate chips

1 c. chopped nuts

1/2 c. raisins (optional)

Blend all ingredients well.

Press into 10"X15' jelly roll pan.

Bake 18-25 minutes @ 350F (until golden brown).

Cut while hot.

Remove from pan when cool.

I was thinking of Florentine Lace Cookies, as I have not heard of baked toffee, and I would never consider making toffee without a thermometer, although it can be done. Florentines do not have flour. I've only made candy on the stovetop.

I'm sure it was the candy if it was like a Heath bar. You could probably just mix the butter and sugar and put it in the oven for a certain amount of time, and it would boil in the oven. So long as you're not really picky about the texture, it should work. If you put the nuts in at the beginning, however, they're go weird. Better to sprinkle them on top and put back in the oven for a minute so they'll sink in a bit and get a little toasty.

There's a chemical reaction in making toffee. It has to crystallize, and is usually done over a very low heat. I've searched six ways from breakfast and haven't found a single toffee recipe that isn't boiled on the stove. I wonder if she's just forgotten that part? The usual way is to boil the butter and sugar on low heat until it coats a spoon (enamelled pans make this a breeze), pour into a prepared baking pan, add nuts (or whatever) and bake for a few minutes. Dead easy, but it bubbles on the stove and reduces.

I wonder if this would work...just leave off the chocolate....

baked toffee

I thought of that one, too, olychick, but you still have to boil the butter/sugar first.

I hope someone comes up with an answer--I'm intrigued as to how this would be possible, even though my dental work wouldn't let me eat any, alas.