Peanut Brittle Recipe

Today, I’m bringing you a true holiday classic—the kind of homemade candy that makes your kitchen smell like Christmas magic! This Peanut Brittle Recipe is all about that satisfying, shatteringly crisp crunch, laced with the deep, nutty flavor of roasted peanuts and that perfect hint of buttery sweetness. Trust me, making candy at home might seem intimidating, but this recipe is a total game-changer. With just a few simple steps and a little patience, you’ll create professional-level brittle that is absolutely guaranteed to disappear the moment you set it out. Get ready for the easiest, most impressive homemade candy you’ll ever make!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Ultimate Crunch Factor: This brittle shatters beautifully! It’s all thanks to one secret ingredient we add at the very end (spoiler: it’s the baking soda!).
• A Perfect Edible Gift: Homemade peanut brittle is the star of any holiday cookie box or gift basket. It’s affordable, travels well, and truly shows you care.
• Simple Ingredients, Amazing Results: You only need seven basic pantry staples to create this luxurious, complex-tasting candy. Who knew a little sugar could turn into such a crunchy masterpiece?
• Fast & Fun: With only 20 minutes of cook time, you can go from basic sugar syrup to golden, crunchy brittle in a flash.

Ingredients

Making this show-stopping candy is easier than you think, but it does require gathering your ingredients first! Here’s a peek at what you’ll need and the special role each one plays in giving you that perfect brittle texture and flavor.

• Granulated Sugar: This is the foundation of our candy. It caramelizes and provides the essential sweetness and structure.
• Light Corn Syrup & Water: These two work together to help control the sugar’s crystallization. The corn syrup is the secret to a smooth, non-gritty texture, ensuring our candy remains perfectly clear and glossy.
• Roasted Unsalted Peanuts: These add the classic nutty crunch. Using roasted peanuts ensures a deeper, more robust flavor that really stands up to the sweet caramel.
• Butter: A little bit of butter adds richness and a delightful, melt-in-your-mouth flavor that complements the toasted peanuts.
• Baking Soda: This is the absolute key to the brittle’s signature texture! It reacts with the hot sugar to create tiny air bubbles, which give the final candy that light, airy, and super-crisp crunch.
• Vanilla Extract: A touch of vanilla rounds out all the intense flavors, adding a wonderful aroma and complexity to the simple caramel.
• Pinch of Salt: Just a tiny pinch is crucial! It balances the intense sweetness and enhances the overall flavor profile of the peanuts and butter.

Note: The exact measurements for all of these fantastic ingredients will be included in the recipe card located right below this article.

How to Make the Peanut Brittle

Trust me when I say this is easier than you think. The most important tool here is a candy thermometer, but if you don’t have one, I’ve included a trick!

Step 1: Prep Your Pan and Start the Syrup

First things first, let’s get ready! Line a standard baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it with butter. We need this ready before the sugar is done, because once it’s ready, we move fast! Next, in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water. Stir these together over medium heat until all of the sugar crystals have completely dissolved. We want a clear mixture to start.

Step 2: Cook to the Hard-Crack Stage

Now, turn the heat up to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil. Do not stir it from this point forward! Let it bubble happily until your candy thermometer reads $300^{\circ} \text{F}$ ($150^{\circ} \text{C}$) (the hard-crack stage). If you don’t have a thermometer, drop a tiny bit of the syrup into a cup of cold water—it should instantly harden into a brittle thread.

Step 3: Mix in the Flavor and Crunch

The moment it hits $300^{\circ} \text{F}$, take the pan off the heat immediately. Quickly and carefully stir in the butter, peanuts, baking soda, vanilla, and salt. The baking soda will work its magic right away, causing the mixture to bubble and foam up wonderfully. You need to stir quickly to combine everything evenly!

Step 4: Pour, Spread, and Cool

Pour the extremely hot mixture onto your prepared baking sheet. Using a buttered spatula (or a light silicone spatula), gently but quickly spread the brittle as thin as you possibly can. The thinner it is, the crunchier the final product! Let this beautiful golden sheet cool completely at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Step 5: Break and Enjoy!

Once the brittle is totally cooled and hard, the fun part begins: breaking it! Use your hands or the blunt side of a knife to break the sheet into uneven, satisfying pieces. Now you can enjoy your delicious, homemade, crunchy candy!

Pro Tips for Making the Recipe

• Invest in a Candy Thermometer: While the cold-water test works, a digital candy thermometer is the best way to guarantee you hit the exact $300^{\circ} \text{F}$ mark for perfect brittle texture every time.
• Use a Heavy-Bottomed Pan: This prevents scorching! The thickness helps distribute the heat evenly so the sugar doesn’t burn on the bottom while the top is still cooking.
• Prep Everything First (Mise en Place): Seriously, once the syrup reaches $300^{\circ} \text{F}$, you have mere seconds to mix in the remaining ingredients. Have the butter, peanuts, vanilla, salt, and baking soda measured and ready to dump in instantly.
• Do Not Make on a Rainy Day: Candy is sensitive to humidity! High moisture in the air can make your brittle absorb water and turn sticky. Choose a dry day for the best results.

How to Serve

Peanut Brittle is delicious all on its own, but here are a few ideas for serving and gifting this irresistible treat:

• As a Gift: Package the broken pieces beautifully in clear cellophane bags tied with a ribbon for holiday gifts or hostess presents.
• Ice Cream Topping: Crush a few pieces and sprinkle them over vanilla or chocolate ice cream for an amazing crunch and flavor.
• Pair with Coffee: Serve a small piece alongside a piping hot cup of black coffee or espresso for a perfect afternoon pick-me-up.
• Dessert Platter: Include it on a Christmas cookie or dessert board alongside softer treats like fudge or truffles for textural contrast.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Store your broken peanut brittle pieces in an airtight container at cool room temperature. If you live in a humid climate, placing a small silica gel packet (the kind that comes in vitamin bottles) in the container can help keep it crisp! It will stay fresh and crunchy for up to 2 weeks.

Freezing

Freezing is not recommended for peanut brittle, as the high sugar content tends to absorb moisture during the thawing process, resulting in a sticky texture.

Reheating

No reheating is necessary! Peanut brittle is a hard candy designed to be served at room temperature.¹ If it ever becomes slightly sticky, you can try placing it on a baking sheet in a cool oven for a few minutes to crisp it back up.

FAQs

1. Why did my peanut brittle turn out chewy instead of crunchy?

This is usually a result of not cooking the sugar mixture to the correct temperature. You absolutely need to reach the $300^{\circ} \text{F}$ hard-crack stage. If you pull it off the heat too early (say, at the soft-crack or firm-ball stage), the sugar solution will still contain too much moisture, preventing it from fully hardening into a brittle, crunchy consistency. Be patient and trust your candy thermometer!

2. Can I use raw peanuts instead of roasted peanuts?

While you technically can, it is highly recommended to use peanuts that are already roasted (and unsalted, so you can control the saltiness). Raw peanuts won’t have enough time to toast and develop their rich, deep flavor in the short time they are stirred into the hot caramel. If you only have raw, you should toast them in a $350^{\circ} \text{F}$ oven for about 5-8 minutes before starting the recipe!

3. What is the baking soda for in this recipe?

Baking soda is the true hero of crunchy brittle! When it’s stirred into the incredibly hot sugar mixture, it immediately releases carbon dioxide gas, causing the candy to foam up and incorporate tiny air pockets. When the candy cools, these air pockets give the brittle its light, airy structure that shatters easily, rather than forming a dense, jaw-breaking slab.

4. Can I make this brittle with other nuts?

Absolutely! The beauty of this recipe is that it works with almost any nut. You can swap the peanuts for an equal amount of pecans, walnuts, almonds, or cashews. Just ensure that whatever nut you choose is already roasted (or lightly toasted yourself) for the best, most intense flavor. The cook time and method remain exactly the same.