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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.
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:
- 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.
- Stir in peanuts. Add peanuts and stir the mixture constantly until the candy thermometer temperature reaches 300 degrees F.
- Remove from heat.
- Add remaining ingredients. Immediately stir in butter, baking soda and vanilla. The mixture will foam and change texture.
- 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.
- Cool and enjoy. Allow to cool completely (at least 30 minutes) before breaking apart and eating.
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.
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.
CONSIDER TRYING THESE HOLIDAY TREATS:
- Homemade Caramels
- Caramel Chocolate Dipped Pretzel Rods
- Peppermint Candy Cane Brownies
- Turtle Thumbprint Cookies
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Peanut Brittle
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
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Have you tried this recipe?!
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
The best recipe ever. I made a big pan full last night and it’s gone. I will make more this weekend. Perfect candy
This recipe is fantastic! I made it exactly as written and it turned out perfectly. The taste and texture were perfect! I am so glad that I found a great recipe for peanut brittle. Thank you!
I make this at least twice during the holiday season every year! I have double batched it and had my pans ready so it wasn’t an issue. My father in law loves this- he’s German and says it’s the best peanut brittle he’s had in years! I added the peanuts too early last time I made it, but it still turned out fine. Will be doing a double batch in a few days!
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!
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.
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.
Yes made this recipe thank you
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!
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.
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.
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.
Do not line with parchment paper. Peanut brittle sticks and is very hard to remove the paper. Just oil the pan really good.
Parchment paper worked perfectly for me! No sticking at all.
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.
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.