This easy homemade Peanut Brittle is an old-fashioned sweet, hard candy made on the stovetop with six simple ingredients and roasted peanuts.  It’s a family favorite during the holidays but can be enjoyed any time of year!

There’s just something special about old-fashioned recipes like peanut brittle.  My other favorite old-fashioned recipes include Grandma’s Oatmeal Cake, Baked Apples and Baked Rice Pudding.

A plate with pieces of peanut brittle stacked on it.

Peanut Brittle

Every holiday season my grandmother used to make a few batches of peanut brittle.  She always dropped a container at our house and it lasted all season.  I can’t help but think of her when I think of this Peanut brittle recipe.

Peanut Brittle is a smooth, flat candy (similar to toffee), with peanuts in it, that is cooked on the stovetop and poured onto a sheet pan to cool.  Once it cools it’s broken into small individual-size pieces of hard candy and lasts at room temperature for several weeks.

Homemade Peanut Brittle in 6 steps:

  1. Cook sugar mixture.  Add sugar, and water to a medium saucepan and stir well. Stir in corn syrup. Cook mixture over medium heat (don’t be tempted to turn the heat up!), stirring occasionally, until it comes to a gentle boil. Cook until temperature reaches 250F.
  2. Stir in peanuts.  Add peanuts and stir the mixture constantly until the candy thermometer temperature reaches 300 degrees F.
  3. Remove from heat. 
  4. Add remaining ingredients.  Immediately stir in butter, baking soda and vanilla. The mixture will foam and change texture.
  5. Pour into sheet pan.  Carefully pour the hot mixture onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.  Use a knife or spoon to quickly (and carefully!) spread the mixture into an even layer.
  6. Cool and enjoy. Allow to cool completely (at least 30 minutes) before breaking apart and eating.

Process photos for making peanut brittle in a saucepan with a candy thermometer, and the finished peanut brittle poured onto a baking sheet.

Important Tips:

Temperature is Key!

You will definitely want to use a candy thermometer to make peanut brittle as the proper temperature of the candy is crucial to ensure you have peanut brittle that’s not too soft or chewy and not too hard.

Baking Soda?

Baking soda is a crucial ingredient that can’t be substituted in this recipe.  Just as in homemade syrup or caramel corn, baking soda causes a unique chemical reaction (basically a lot of rising foam) that is crucial in creating the right texture in peanut brittle.  If you make it without baking soda but you will notice the brittle is a bit harder to bite through.

Precaution!!

Wear gloves and be CAREFUL! The candy gets VERY hot and can easily spill onto your hands or wrists during pouring if you’re not careful.  Make sure to use cooking/oven mitts (that you don’t mind getting dirty) and be sure to tilt the pan away from you and use a spatula to scrape the hot mixture onto the sheet pan.

Overhead view of cooled peanut brittle in a half sheet pan.

Corn Syrup Substitutes:

If you need to substitute corn syrup in this peanut brittle recipe, you can substitute cup for cup of:

  • honey
  • light molasses
  • agave nectar
  • brown rice syrup

You could also substitute a combination of these ingredients and please note that with any of these substitutions, the peanut brittle will have a lightly different taste, texture and consistency as well.

Making Ahead, Storing and Freezing Peanut Brittle:

To make ahead: Peanut brittle can be made several days or even weeks in advance.  It stays fresh at room temperature for 6-8 weeks.

To store: Once it’s completely cooled, store peanut brittle in an airtight container at room temperature.  Do not refrigerate as the moisture from the fridge will cause the brittle to soften. Store for 6-8 weeks.

To Freeze: Peanut brittle can be frozen and stored up to 3 months.  Allow the brittle to cool completely and store it in a freezer safe, airtight container.

A baker's half sheet pan filled with broken up pieces of homemade peanut brittle.

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Recipe

A plate with pieces of peanut brittle stacked on it.
Prep 5 minutes
Cook 20 minutes
Cool time 30 minutes
Total 55 minutes
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Ingredients
 
 

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup light corn syrup
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 cups salted roasted peanuts
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Instructions
 

  • Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • Measure out peanuts, butter, baking soda and vanilla and have them ready.
  • Add sugar, and water to a medium saucepan and stir well. Stir in corn syrup. Cook mixture over medium heat (don’t be tempted to turn the heat up!), stirring occasionally, until it comes to a gentle boil.
  • Attach your candy thermometer to the edge of the pot, and make sure it is submerged in the liquid, but not touching the bottom of the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally until temperature reaches 250°F (121°C).
  • Add the peanuts and stir the mixture constantly until the candy thermometer temperature reaches 300 degrees F.
  • Remove mixture from heat and immediately stir in butter, baking soda and vanilla. The mixture will foam and change texture.
  • Carefully pour the hot mixture onto the prepared pan and use a knife or spoon to quickly (and carefully!) spread the mixture into an even layer.
  • Allow to cool completely (at least 30 minute) before breaking apart and eating.
  • Store the completely cooled peanut brittle in an airtight container.

Notes

To make ahead: Peanut brittle can be made several days or even weeks in advance.  It stays fresh at room temperature for 6-8 weeks weeks.
To store: Store peanut brittle (once it's completely cooled) in an airtight container at room temperature.  Do not refrigerate as the moisture from the fridge will cause the brittle to soften. Store for 6-8 weeks.
To freeze: Peanut brittle can be frozen and stored up to 3 months.  Allow the brittle to cool completely and store it in a freezer safe, airtight container.

Nutrition

Calories: 88kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 2gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 34mgPotassium: 45mgFiber: 1gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 14IUCalcium: 7mgIron: 1mg

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Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Made this a week or so ago and it turned out perfect. Couldnt be happier, especially since I’d never made candy before.

    Made another bath last night and the peanuts are sorta burnt. Not sure what happened. I used all the same ingredients, tools, and measuring devices. The taste overall is sorta off and the peanuts appear a little burned.

    I’ll try again, just not sure what went wrong.

    1. I made this last night using Spanish peanuts, but because of some comments about burning the nuts I waited until 275°F before adding to sugar mix. I also poured onto a buttered cookie sheet without parchment. The brittle easily came off the cookie sheet, and the flavor was great. My only change for next time is to use more nuts.

  2. 5 stars
    My first time making peanut brittle. Or any kind of candy that calls for a thermometer. Was so yummy, it did not last in my house for long. My mother loves it so much, she has not teeth so she uses a hammer to break the nuts lol.

  3. Made this recipe last night with the intent on gifting half. Turned out so good I made another batch tonight. Easy to make. As others said, be patient waiting for it to get to temp. Thank you for sharing this recipe. Definitely a winner! 🙂

  4. 5 stars
    Phenomenal recipe!! I remember having peanut brittle as a child and haven’t had it since. Decided to make it for the first time and it came out amazing!

  5. 5 stars
    I made this twice now and wow it’s amazing!!! The second time I made this I added pre-cooked chopped bacon during the final step. It’s amazing! You definitely can’t go wrong with this recipe.

  6. 5 stars
    fabulous recipe! this always goes in my holiday cookie boxes, my husbands coworkers love it so much I have probably made this brittle 10 times this year.

  7. 1 star
    We followed the instructions and recipe ingredients exactly as written, used 2 different candy thermometers, and got chewy peanut brittle. Tried two more times, but it was inedible because it was way too sticky all three times. Tossed it all out. We are barely above sea level.

    1. If it was humid or raining the day you made it, It’s less likely to turn out well.. Never make hard candy on a humid or rainy day.

    2. 2 stars
      Extremely disappointed. It Came out chewy and sticky not sure what happened . I’ve never had that issue with other recipes .
      I’ve Never failed to make it proper .
      Hmm

    3. Sorry to hear you also had issues . Same happened to me ugh . What a waste of product . Recipe could have included approximate time it takes to reach required temperature and or any imperative info for success .

  8. 4 stars
    The taste of this brittle was really very good! I just wasn’t expecting to stand over the stove for an hour stirring and watching my thermometer. I’ve never made peanut brittle before so I had no idea how long it actually took to make this candy that I’m not really crazy about anyway. I was making this to give out as Christmas gifts, but didn’t realize how time consuming it was. I wish there had been a time frame for an estimated length for this because I definitely underestimated it. Overall it’s good but I won’t make it again unless I give Christmas gifts of course. I don’t know if people fully understand the effort that goes into candy making! I sure didn’t until now 😄 Thank you for the recipe ❤️

  9. 5 stars
    Turned out perfect, you definitely require a candy thermometer and patience for it to come to proper temperature. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

  10. 5 stars
    Absolutely fantastic! I’ve made it twice and…perfection. I’ve never made brittle because it was always rock hard at my attempts when most recipes had me bringing the cooked mixture to higher temps. At 300 degrees, this comes out beautifully!! I don’t use utensils to spread my brittle, which creatures a nice crisp, airy brittle. This is my GO TO recipe!!!

  11. It came out show shiny…easy peasy recipe and tastes delicious. Use a high quality candy thermometer and you can’t go wrong.

  12. 5 stars
    Makes yummy peanut brittle and it’s so easy to make – just takes patience and time. It’s critical to reach the required temperatures for the brittle to turn out correctly. A must have? A candy thermometer! I didn’t have a candy thermometer with my first batch and the brittle didn’t harden. Bought a thermometer and tried to reheat the initial batch. Everything seemed to work but the brittle had a dark color and a slightly burnt taste.

    My second batch, using the candy thermometer, turned out perfect. It just takes forever for it yo reach 250 and 300 degrees, but it’s worth the effort.

    1. 1 star
      Followed the instructions and recipe, used a candy thermometer, and got chewy peanut brittle. Tried two more times. Each time, it was inedible because it was way too sticky. Tossed it all out.

  13. 5 stars
    These are the best peanut brittle. Everyone who tries this just raves on how they are not a bit chewy and they don’t kill your teeth. The only recipe I ever use the past 3 years!

  14. 5 stars
    I made our peanut brittle following this recipe exactly and it was perfect. Word of caution–be sure you follow the recipe to a T—Most especially when HEATING both mixtures. The first prior to adding the peanuts and second after peanuts have been added. Otherwise you’ll end up with peanut taffy…It too tasted great just really really chewy.

  15. 3 stars
    Disappointing. Hard crack happens at a lower temp at high altitudes so make sure you alter your recipe appropriately if you live above sea level. My double batch for Christmas is ruined.

  16. I am going to try out your recipe, but had a question.
    I see where your recipe calls for salted roasted peanuts, whereas recipes I have used in the past called for raw Spanish peanuts. Will the peanuts in this recipe burn or is the cooking time lessened to avoid this?

    1. The peanuts don’t burn so you don’t have to worry about that. Just jeep stirring constantly after you add the peanuts.

    1. Yes I used to work at an old fashioned candy Sweet Shop, we used to make 50-100lbs batches at a time. You can always remelt the brittle on low heat, with a small amount of water, once you get the consistency of syrup and nuts. Don’t over heat or it can burn you don’t want it too hot. Once it is done melting I would inserts the candy thermometer to get it to the correct temp. Letting it sit in the pan constantly stirring it you can add the butter, baking soda, vanilla to the melted sugar and proceed like normal. I also have had to adjust the recipe by adding additional soda, water, butter and vanilla. I like to add the vanilla just before pouring it out onto a cooling table or several sheet pans. We never use partchment paper we just use a paint brush and melted butter. It is very easy to break it apart and package it up so that you can sell or give it away for Christmas gifts, or just eat it for a snack. One Winter we worked with a local Cub Scouts group, we made over 750 lbs of Peanut brittle and they sold it door to door to raise money to buy toys, gifts for less fortunate kids who were in need. We sold it to the cubs just a little over cost for the ingredients in exchange for teaching them how to make it. Using them as free help or labor, packaging, washing dishes, selling it outside of our store. It was a lot of work but well worth it in the end. I still get asked if we could make it again, and have heard from all of those that purchased it how good it tasted. We also did Fudge both chocolate and peanut butter for a early Thanksgiving Christmas sell to support a local brotherly men’s organization. Good luck with your brittle just remember that unless you burn it you can’t really do any damage to it, and some people do like it a little burnt or something near that, it gives you a little bit of a caramel flavor. Don’t add the vanilla flavoring to early it will evaporate due to the high heat of the other ingredients.

      1. Can you clarify on how to remelt the brittle if it’s too chewy and sticky please ? What do I add when reheating to get a successful product . Tx

  17. 5 stars
    I made this last year for my work’s annual “Club Porko” where we all take turns bringing pot-luck treats to work for the month of December. And this year it is back by popular demand!

    This recipe is very easy to follow, make sure to adjust your temperature for your elevation! Subtract 1 degree for every 500 feet, and you’ll have a perfect brittle every time!

  18. 5 stars
    I just made this for the first time, and it is fantastic. I used coarsely chopped pecans instead of peanuts. I added the butter at the beginning which seemed to work fine. I kept the baking sheet and nuts warm in a 250° oven while I prepared the syrup. I think constant stirring after adding the nuts is important to prevent burning. I didn’t spread the mixture after pouring onto the pan. Instead I tilted the pan steeply and the mixture flowed into a nice rectangle. I love this recipe!

  19. I made this but substituted pecans for the peanuts. I don’t know how this lasted a season. It only lasted a few days at my house.

    1. You can mix match all types of nuts, and I have made it with Roasted coconut, dehydrated bananas, dried pineapple. I PNG Papua New Genie they make something similar to peanut brittle but it has Lemon or lime juice in the recipe so that it is not as sweet. I like to make it alongside the regular peanut brittle. The PNG version is a lot less sweet and has a little more of a brighter Flavor. My best friend is an international student and we like to make food for each other. He helps me around my house as a home health aide when I need it. Have some long term health issues.

  20. 5 stars
    First time ever making peanut brittle, followed the steps exactly, kept my peanuts warm in the oven until needed, took several minutes to reach temp. Made me a little nervous so I did turn up the temp. just a little.
    It turned out great, we can’t keep our hands out of the brittle jar. HA!

  21. 5 stars
    I was a bit worried that this wasn’t going to turn out because up until 275 Fahrenheit there was no colour change in the mixture. I trusted the process and it came together perfectly with a good caramel.

    Being from New Zealand, we have whats called “hokey pokey” which is just US honeycomb I’m pretty sure. Anyway, every time I’ve made that it never quite set and wasn’t crunchy. I was worried this might do the same thing since it’s pretty similar. However, I had no such issue and I believe the key is to cook it through all the stages and make sure it reaches 300 Fahrenheit. Very tasty and I’m excited to share it with my family.

  22. 5 stars
    I cut the recipe in half. Used 1 1/2 cups raw peanuts. It was perfect!
    This was my fourth and best try at making it. Everyone loved it.

  23. Yes it came out beautifully except I made some changes one I used peanut m&Ms and raisins in the mixture then before cool completely I sprinkled sea salt on top of it. Try it you’ll like it.

  24. Do not line with parchment paper. Peanut brittle sticks and is very hard to remove the paper. Just oil the pan really good.

  25. Great recipe! I made it the 1st time at Christmas. Since then every person has come back to ask for more.
    So today was the day, unfortunately the clip on my candy thermometer broke so I had to hold it with one hand so that it wouldn’t touch the bottom of the pot, stir with the other hand while taking care that the pot didn’t slip. Boy! I had not realized how long it’s been since I’ve used my forearm muscle.

    I must say my friends loved it just as much this time around as the last.
    Thank you so much.

  26. Thank you so much for this recipe, tastes exactly like my Mom use to make and hers was by far the best around! Not only are your ingredients spot on, but using a candy thermometer to reach specific temps before and after adding peanuts was so helpful in making consistently excellent peanut brittle.

  27. 3 stars
    Loved the very clear instructions. Next time, I will add double the peanuts, as my preference is for almost lacy brittle chock full of peanuts. This recipe is mostly brittle to peanut ratio. It’s got a nice flavour.

  28. 5 stars
    Excellent recipe! Never tried making brittle before but wanted to make my wife some cashew brittle for the fun of it. Followed the recipe to the T and turned out great. Thanks alot

  29. I tried many peanut brittle recipes. I tried your recipe took some to church and my family loved it. I have made 3 batches and put in their Christmas bags because they ask for it. We celebrate this weekend .Trying the Salted peanut crunch bars tomorrow!

  30. 4 stars
    Sooooo good!! I have never made any kind of candy treat in my life, but I made these earlier today to take to an evening Christmas party. They turned out great and they are so delicious. The directions were so easy to follow. I’ve had a candy thermometer for so long now I can’t remember, but I’ve never used it. LoL. It was fun watching the temperature come up. I tried to work as fast as I could spreading the mixture on the parchment paper. I used a half sheet pan with no problem. I waited one hour before breaking off a corner to taste it. This might be the best peanut brittle I’ve ever had. It is just so delicious.

  31. Brittle was not airy as I thought it would be. Told my guests not to bite or chew it since it might take out old dental work!! Looking for a brittle recipe that is not so condensed!

    1. This recipe is not dense at all. I am guess that your thermostat is way off. Even brand new ones can be detected. One thing the receipe does not state though, is that the butter must be room temperature or melted or it will sieze from cold. Another is, warm your tray in oven, and IF’ using cooked (not raw) peanuts only out them in at 290 or they will burn. Please try this recipe again and be sure, sure, sure your baking soda is good/fresh. You will see it bubble like crazy, once added. Merry Christmas.

    2. Sounds like you need to get a new candy thermometer because the only way th This can happen is not getting it to the right temperature. You need need need need to get it to the hard crack temperature your not making Carmel chews. Also if you skimmed on or used old Baking soda it will make a huge difference, always have it ready to go in to the mix pre-measured and ready to add once you get it to the proper temperature. Mix it in very well you can always tell if it’s old or moisture corrupted bad Soda because It will not foam up completely in the pan, also never take it off of the stove until you have put in the last of the ingredients brought the entire mixture back to the correct Temperature Crack stage on your candy thermometer. Then pour out onto Buttered. Sheet pans.

  32. 5 stars
    from start to spreading it on the pan was about 45 minutes. Not sure what’s happening with the cooks that are commenting on the long cooking times. I used a SS 3 Qt pan. I also used one of my more powerful burners *sorry don’t know the BTUs*. (Ranges vary in power so saying Medium High is useless). The brittle is still cooling so I give the cooking process a 5 star rating.

  33. 5 stars
    I just made your recipe for peanut brittle. It is fantastic! Im so glad i chose you 1st…The two hardest things were: 1. waiting for the 250° mark and 2.waiting for it to cool. Thanks, I will be saving this for sure.

  34. What size sheet pan? I own 3 sizes. Too small and my brittle will be too thick. Too large and my brittle will be too thin. ????

  35. 5 stars
    My first peanut brittle attempt failed miserably. Had to throw out the whole batch. This recipe was a rousing success. Yum! Will make this again and again, I’m sure. Thanks

  36. 5 stars
    I will not use another brittle recipe. I’ve used pecans instead of peanuts and will be trying cashews today! Thank you so much for sharing ❤️

    1. 5 stars
      RE: Cate, such a wonderful idea, using pecans instead of the peanuts. I dislike peanuts so was going to make without but love pecans, walnuts and cashews! Thanks for the tip!

      Lauren Allen 🥰
      This recipe is a full house hit, thank You for sharing!!

  37. I have made this recipe several times. I’m always surprised how long it takes for thermometer to get to 300* after adding the peanuts. It’s an easy and tasty.

    1. I make lots of peanut brittle every year, so means doing several batches..after pouring out the brittle mixture,I put the hot pot into my sink and add water while I finish spreading brittle, and when ready to start another batch, the pot is pretty much cleaned as result of the water hitting the heat when put in the sink & letting it sit for a few minutes. .easy peasy 🙂

  38. 4 stars
    I tried it and was not successful. It is a little chewy and the brittle is so thick that it is challenging to eat. What did I do wrong? I feel like it took a really long time to get to 300. Is that normal? Does the pan you cook it in need to be deep? Thank you an advance.

    1. 5 stars
      Patients is the key with candy. 🙂 I toast my nuts in the oven just to heat them a little before I toss them into the molten brittle. Yes please make sure you use a deep pan as the mixture expands after you toss in the baking soda. Make sure you mix everything properly ao it all gets baking soda (that may be your chewy problem). Also when you pour out the mixture on a baking sheet, use a metal spoon or cake-decorating knife to spread the brittle QUICKLY after pouring. It’s gonna look ugly for a sec but it melts down nicely 🙂 hope this helped good luck!

  39. 5 stars
    I tried your recipe today. My very 1st time ever making peanut brittle or any kind of candy for that matter. I followed the recipe to the letter and it turned out amazing. I am so proud of myself for attempting and getting it right the first time. Thank you for sharing this awesome recipe.

    1. Yes Waynne, I’m guessing that your baking soda was tired. There are thousands of bubbles produced the second it is stirred in vigorously. It could also be that your butter was too cold which will sieze breaking bubbles.

  40. Followed recipe as directed – no problems.
    Turned out pretty good. Wife and friends gave favorable comments.
    Will try with molasses next time, maybe add some cashews. Will also try to “stretch” it using a rolling pin.

  41. 4 stars
    I have tried this just before Christmas and it was a great gift for my Dad, he loved it. Can the recipe be doubled or tripled? I’m wanting to make some for a farmer’s market so I need to make this several times.

  42. Still cooling my first ever batch!! So far I’m giving it 5 stars. Followed instructions carefully .Candy bits taste great. Not too hard or soft. Can’t wait for it to cool.

  43. 5 stars
    I made peanut brittle with this recipe today. I followed the recipe precisely and the result was perfect. The other posters are correct…let your temperatures drive the process. It will take a while, be patient.

  44. Hi my name is Lucy
    My husband loves peanut brittle,so I made him some following your recipe, he totally loved it and asked me to make more, but it came out different and darker , shared it everybody loved it, my third batch is different, I’m following your recipe step by step don’t know what I’m doing wrong
    But everybody still tells me it’s good
    Please help

  45. 5 stars
    I followed this recipe and the peanut brittle came out perfect. I used a small metal scoop to quickly make small round puddles and they are very pretty. I did add dashes of salt on my brittle to get that salty sweet taste. I highly recommend this recipe for peanut brittle!!

  46. 5 stars
    I made peanut brittle to hand out at Christmas and tried a number of recipes. This was the best, I put the roasted peanuts in at 280 rather than 250 (as more recipes said 280). I only made one other change which I think is quite important. I had looked at recipes in old cookbooks (Fannie Farmer, etc). After the brittle was spread, still very warm but cooled just enough to touch, they flipped it over, then stretched it out, making the brittle thinner and an easier chew. I made this recipe with and without the stretch, and for me the stretch made a real difference.

  47. I prepared the mixture in a 2 qt. sauce pan, but could not get the temperature above 220.
    Any thoughts as to what the problem might have been?

    1. It was slow getting to 250 for me, probably took about 20 minutes. I began at more than medium heat, maybe medium to high. Then I turned it down to medium and I added the peanuts and that made the temp go down to about 225. Getting it to 300 degrees from that point took about 10-15 minutes. I stirred it a lot with the peanuts in it off and on until it got to 300, and just a tad above 300 degrees. Wonder if you thermometer is off, or your stove top isn’t giving enough heat?

  48. 5 stars
    This is the first recipe if found that turned out perfect. The flavor is amazing. Anyone saying it turned out “gummy” and blames the recipe just doesn’t understand how to read a recipe. “cook to 300 degrees” means you cook the brittle to 300 degrees. It takes patience and a candy thermometer.

  49. Tried this and wyse guy. Both tasted good but preferred this one. It did not take that long to go from up to 300° as other reviewers have had issues with. I did get a new thermometer, the one that is often used for meats. It was more accurate and that really helped.
    Crocs I stand for approximately 10 minutes to go up to 300° once I added the peanuts. I recommend adding the butter first before the baking soda and vanilla so it can get melting. Tasted great!

  50. 5 stars
    Just made this for my dad for Christmas. It was super easy, fast and fun to make. Most importantly, he loves it! I don’t even like peanut brittle and I’m eating it!!

    If I was to make it again, I would add a little sea salt on top before it hardened. Great recipe!!!

  51. 5 stars
    Made this for my family as a little Christmas gift. Best recipe ever!!! The only remotely “hard” part is mixing in the butter, baking soda, and vanilla once the mixture hits 300 degrees and even then it’s just about focus.

  52. 5 stars
    This was my first attempt at making Peanut Brittle and it turned out fantastic, thanks to your easy-to-follow recipe!! The only snag I encountered was in trying to reach hard crack stage over medium heat- I turned it up ever so slightly and it finally reached 300°

  53. 5 stars
    This recipe works every time. It’s great with pecans, pistachios and peanuts. Take your time and have an accurate thermometer. I use Kerrigold unsalted butter.

  54. Hi I just made your peanut brittle. It’s cooling. Please tell me if you turn the heat up to reach the 300 degree mark? How long should this take? I hope it turns out. My Aunt made brittle for me every year and shipped it from New Mexico to New York State well into her 90 when she died. This is the first time I’ve tried it! Thanks

    1. I just made this, it took forever to get up to 300. However I never moved my stove (its a decent gas one) from medium to reach it. Also my candy therm isn’t good enough apparently, as it was off, but close enough to let me know when to use my instant read javelin one.

      First time making it, came out perfectly as the recipe is.

  55. Doubled recipe and it was a failure – maybe the reason. No corn syrup available so used honey substitute. Peanuts went black and it took all morning to reach the correct temperature.

    1. Honey is not the same as corn syrup. If you follow the recipe exactly as written it will not fail. Maybe you should give it another try without substitutions. For those who have had this recipe fail it could be because of the difference in elevation, humidity or thermometer fail. Good luck.

  56. Dustin, I wonder if your candy thermometer isn’t giving you an accurate temperature read? I’ve made this recipe twice in the last two weeks and it turned out perfect both times.

  57. 4 stars
    Made it – I’d never made peanut brittle before – it turned out great, but it stuck to the parchment paper in several spots.

  58. 1 star
    Tried makig this 7 times and every time the brittle never got hard. It was bendable or gooey. Terrible recipe! Do not make this recipe. You will lose so much money!

    1. Double check your thermometer and make sure it’s reading correctly. I tried this for the first time the other day and it came out perfect at 300 degrees.

    2. Double check your candy thermometer and make sure it’s reading correctly. I tried this for the first time the other day and it turned out perfect at 300 degrees

    3. Candy recipes need to be adjusted for altitude. Check the temp your water boils and calibrate your thermometer before trying again.

    4. Dustin, if you’re the only one having issues do you think it could be something you’re doing? It may be the candy thermometer. You have to be very accurate with peanut brittle.

  59. 1 star
    Wished I read the comments BEFORE trying this recipe because I would have know the time factor in cooking the ingredients! That is a very important piece that is missing.

  60. 4 stars
    Great recipe but it took FOREVER, I’m talking 3 HOURS to complete this dish at the temp recommended. Maybe I just have a crappy stove idk. Either way I will ended up turning up to medium high heat after it hit 275 because 3 hours was already way too long, especially considering the instructions say this recipe takes 30 min to cook.

    I’d say be patient until you get to 250 and then turn it up. Just keep an eye on it, which you should be doing since you’ll be stirring constantly, until it reaches 300. This recipe shouldn’t take forever to make.

  61. 4 stars
    The flavor is delicious. But the cook time is vastly wrong for the 3X recipe. I stood at the stove for about 2 hours and ended up turning it off before it reached 300°. Note: don’t do that! It remains sticky and you end up with chewy brittle instead of hard!

    I accidentally added the peanuts when the soft boil started, instead of at 250°. That might have also contributed to the stickiness?

  62. I adapted this recipe and made it in the microwave; just made two batches with my microwave and I had the one that fit with my microwave. I looked on line to see how to do this. I like to use sunflower seeds too.

  63. 5 stars
    Just so you know… The “stir constantly” part between 250 & 300 is no joke. I burnt a few peanuts by slacking a bit on this one. Stilll excellent! Could probably add the peanuts at 275 and save a bit of pot watching.

  64. 5 stars
    I made this using cashews instead (since that’s more my families style) and it was deemed FANTASTIC! Definitely takes a while to come to temp, but let it happen. A thermometer that actually hangs on the side of the pot would have been a smart idea too! Lol

  65. 5 stars
    Great recipe and easy to make! in fact, so great that I am making another batch right now because my husband hit the one that I was making for holiday gifts!

  66. For the first time candy makers. The only thing that I would add is if someone doesn’t have a candy thermometer, is to get a small glass of cold water and test the mixture once in a while, with a small spoon and drip a little into the glass until you get a hard crack. That means that it will be hard and not flatten to the touch.

  67. 5 stars
    I made this recipe over the weekend for the first time ever making any kind of candy anything. By far the best peanut brittle I have ever had! The only thing I would change about the recipe is maybe giving an estimation of time from adding the peanuts until temp reaches 300 degrees on thermometer. It was taking so long on medium heat, I thought I was doing something wrong. Also I need to spread it out a little thinner when I pour it out because while good 1/2″ is a little thick and the recipe didn’t say how thick or thin to spread it. Needless to say it worked out and my patience was rewarded. Thanks for sharing!

  68. Excellent recipe with clear instructions. Delicious! Thank goodness I only made half a recipe because I ate most of it on the first day, ugh.

  69. 5 stars
    This is the best peanut brittle ever. Better than See’s or any other fancy brittle. Just make sure you get your temperature to the exact degree the recipe calls for. I did exactly what the recipe called for and I truly could not be happier with the results – – especially since this was my first attempt ever at making peanut brittle. Thanks for a great recipe

    1. Spray the pan with Pam, olive oil etc. I cook mine in the microwave then drop pan or dish into really hot water. Let soak for a few minutes and viola. Clean pan

    2. Let the pan cool off and then fill with warm soapy water and let it sit. The water will melt off the candy.

  70. 5 stars
    Made this for first time. Recipe easy to follow. Came out perfect. Would have been nice to know that it would start turning brown until nuts were added I was getting concerned when it got up to 250° and was still clear. Also was concerned because it took way longer than I thought it would to get up to 250° and then to 300°. Thought something was wrong with my candy thermometer. I think I was stirring too much. It ended up turning out perfect and I will make it again. Thanks for the recipe.

  71. I’ve been wanting to do peanut brittle for years. My grandma used to make it at Christmas as well. I really miss that tradition and her! Thanks for posting! Excited to try it out.

  72. 2 stars
    Not the best. It lacks flavor. My Betty Crocker recipe is MUCH better, it tastes like what you buy. I will not use this recipe again.

      1. People that complain on recipes that 90% of people love, usually did something wrong and blame their cooking skills on the recipe….

      1. I’ve added peanut butter to some batches and everyone loves it. I added more than a tablespoon and it worked well. Great flavor but slightly different texture.

  73. This was much easier than I thought it would be, with the excepting of stirring until my arm wanted to fall off. Yum!! I would like to try it with pecans.

  74. I don’t have a thermometer but am doing the old fashioned drop some in cold water hard crack stage. Wish me luck 😃

  75. 5 stars
    I have made this every Chritmas for my family for over 50 yrs and if I don’t one yr I am in the doghouse with them. They love 💘 it