Homemade Peanut Brittle Recipe
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Peanut Brittle is crunchy and delicious. It’s perfect for snacking, gifting, or an after-dinner treat. Even though it can be made and eaten year-round, it always reminds me of Christmas. Making Peanut Brittle at home might seem difficult, but if you follow the recipe below carefully, you’ll be a professional candymaker (well, almost) in no time.
Candy making is a science, so it is important to do exactly as the recipe says. All your effort will be worth it because you’ll have a delicious treat to share when you’re done.
Ingredients You Will Need
Sugar provides sweetness and forms the base of the peanut brittle when it’s heated and cooled.
Light Corn Syrup gives it texture and helps with temperature control. It prevents the sugar from crystallizing which gives the brittle a smooth texture. The corn syrup also helps control the boiling temperature, preventing it from burning.
Water helps dissolve the sugar and corn syrup. It also helps regulate the boiling temperature.
Shelled Salted Peanuts add a salty, nutty flavor that contrasts with the sweetness of the sugar and corn syrup. They also add a crunchy texture.
Baking Soda reacts with the acids in sugar to create air bubbles. This makes the texture lighter, brittle, and crunchy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my peanut brittle sticky? If it isn’t cooked to the correct temperature, it won’t harden correctly. High humidity can also affect the hardening process. Try making it on a dry day or using a dehumidifier.
Can I make peanut brittle without a candy thermometer? Yes, but it’s a little more difficult to test the temperature. To check if it’s done, drop a small amount of the mixture in cold water. If it hardens into brittle strands that snap easily, it’s ready.
Why did my peanut brittle burn? It burns when it is cooked at too high of a temperature for too long. Make sure to watch it closely when it gets close to 300°F because it can go from just right to burnt very quickly.
How do I keep my peanut brittle from turning grainy? This occurs when sugar crystallizes. To keep this from happening, don’t stir the sugar mixture once the sugar has dissolved. Make sure your pan and other tools are clean as well.
How do I clean the pan after I’m finished? Let the pot sit until it’s cool, then soak it in warm water with soap. The hardened sugar will dissolve and it will be easier to clean.
Helpful Tips
- Make sure all your ingredients are measured and ready so you can add them quickly.
- Don’t stir constantly. Once the sugar and corn syrup start to boil, only stir occasionally.
- Watch the temperature. Use a candy thermometer for best results.
- Be patient.
- Spread quickly and evenly. Pour it onto the prepared pan quickly and spread it out evenly.
- Cool completely. Let the peanut brittle cool completely before breaking it into pieces.
- Be careful. Hot sugar can cause severe burns. Always wear oven mitts when making candy.
- Adjust temperature for elevation. The conversion is -1°F for every 500 ft above sea level. If you don’t make the conversion, you’ll overcook your candy.
Storage Tips
Store in an airtight container to prevent moisture, which makes the peanut brittle soft and sticky.
Layer with wax paper. Place wax paper between the layers if you stack the candy. This keeps it from sticking together.
Store at room temperature.
Store for up to a month. After a month or so, it will start to lose its crispness and flavor.
Substitutions and Variations
Nuts:
- Cashews
- Almonds
- Pecans
- Pistachios
- Macadamia Nuts
Chocolate: Sprinkle chocolate chips on the hot peanut brittle and let them melt.
Seeds: Use pumpkin seeds (pepitas) or sunflower seeds in place of or in addition to peanuts.
Sea Salt: Sprinkle sea salt over the peanut brittle before it hardens to add a salty flavor contrast.
What to Serve with Peanut Brittle
Ice cream: Peanut brittle adds a nice crunch to scoops of vanilla, chocolate, peanut butter, or other flavors of ice cream
Cheese: The saltiness of cheese complements the sweetness of peanut brittle. It’s best with blue cheese, brie, or cheddar.
Fruit: The acidity of fruits like apples, pears, and grapes cuts through the sweetness of peanut brittle and creates a nice balance of flavor.
Coffee or tea: The caffeine in coffee or tea can help enhance the flavor of peanut brittle.
Other Recipes You May Enjoy
If you like Peanut Brittle, you might also like Divinity Candy or Chocolate Fudge. Millionaire Candy is also delicious.
Final Thoughts
Peanut Brittle is a classic candy that many people look forward to during the holidays. My mom has made it since before I was born, and I always look forward to seeing it on her cookie trays. When I make my own, it always brings back fond Christmas memories. I hope you love making it as much as I do.
Peanut Brittle
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Sugar
- ⅔ Cup Light Corn Syrup
- ½ Cup Water
- 1 Pound Shelled Salted Peanuts about 3¼ Cups
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
Instructions
- Prepare a large (10"x15") rimmed cookie sheet by covering it in butter.
- Stir together the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a large heavy saucepan.
- Cook the mixture at medium heat until it reaches hard crack stage (300℉) according to a candy thermometer.
- Reduce heat to low and add peanuts, cooking slowly for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Increase the heat to medium during the last 2 minutes of cooking to give the candy a golden color.
- Right before removing from the heat, add the baking soda and combine well.
- Pour the mixture carefully onto the prepared cookie sheet and spread evenly.
- Let it cool completely (for at least one hour) and then break it into bite-sized pieces.
Notes
-
- Make sure all your ingredients are measured and ready so you can add them quickly.
-
- Don’t stir constantly. Once the sugar and corn syrup start to boil, only stir occasionally.
-
- Watch the temperature. Use a candy thermometer for best results.
-
- Be patient.
-
- Spread quickly and evenly. Pour it onto the prepared pan quickly and spread it out evenly.
-
- Cool completely. Let the peanut brittle cool completely before breaking it into pieces.
-
- Be careful. Hot sugar can cause severe burns. Always wear oven mitts when making candy.
- Adjust temperature for elevation. The conversion is -1°F for every 500 ft above sea level. If you don’t make the conversion, you’ll overcook your candy.
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Putting peanuts in when moisture reached 300 degrees as listed was what too late. Mixture instantly hardened and crystallized. Measurements were double checked before adding so it wasn’t a mix error. There was not even enough liquid to mix baking soda in. It was instant sugar coated peanuts. Might be able to eat as candied peanuts if broken up but is not peanut brittle.
Hi Meranda,
Thank you for your message. Peanut brittle can be very finicky. A few things may have happened. The first is that your candy thermometer may not be accurate. The second is that elevation can affect the temperature that the candy reaches hard crack stage. I’m sorry it did not turn out. I hope these tips help.
Best,
Heidi (aka Lulu)
As soon as you sugar syrup and water mixture turns clear add your peanuts slowly not to lose your boil and if you do it’s not a big deal it won’t hinder the outcome. When your thermometer reaches 300 degrees remove from heat and add baking soda stir till it’s foamy. I used foil pie pans and I get 4 out of my recipe. You don’t need to butter your pans as it will pop right out when it’s cooled. My recipe is same ingredients just less amounts. I been using my recipe for 50 yrs. never fails me. Sometimes I use pecans for pecan brittle it’s wonderful.
Great tips, Nancy! 🙂
This is the recipe I’ve been looking for! Thank you,
You’re welcome! I hope you like it. 🙂
Have made this three times. The first time I added the baking soda earlier then directed by accident but the recipe came out perfect! The second time I followed the recipe and by the time I was supposed to put baking soda in, it was a hard sticky mess. The third time I went back to adding the baking soda in with the sugar and it came out perfect!
Thank you for the tip, Christina! I’m glad you shared what worked for you. It may help others, too. I have used this recipe for years and it has worked well for me. However, peanut brittle (and most other candy) is finicky and depends on several factors like thermometer accuracy, altitude, and humidity.
All the best,
Heidi (aka Lulu)