This recipe for homemade peanut brittle makes a sweet, buttery, crispy confection loaded with roasted peanuts. Break the brittle into bite sized pieces and serve for a simple yet satisfying dessert, or package up your peanut candy for gift giving.
There’s nothing better than homemade candy, some of our favorites include rocky road fudge and buckeye balls. Peanut brittle is also at the top of our list, and it tastes so much better when you make it yourself!
Peanut brittle is my mom’s favorite candy, but to be honest, it’s never really been my thing. I made this recipe for her, and let me tell you, it’s the best peanut brittle EVER. I’ve eaten way too much of it over the last few days, and that’s coming from someone who doesn’t even like this candy!
Do you need more dessert recipes for the holidays? If you want more Christmas candy recipes check out my Christmas crack, cake truffles and rum balls!
Peanut Brittle Ingredients
To make peanut brittle you will need sugar, light corn syrup, salt, water, butter, unsalted peanuts and baking soda.
How Do You Make Peanut Brittle?
To make this peanut brittle recipe start by lining a sheet pan with parchment paper or a baking mat. Next, place sugar, corn syrup, water and salt in a large pot. Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring constantly. Be sure to clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pot so you can monitor the temperature. After the sugar mixture starts boiling, add butter and cook until the candy reaches 280 degrees F, stirring occasionally. Next, add the peanuts and cook the candy until the thermometer reads 305 degrees F, stirring constantly. Remove the pot from the heat, then stir in the baking soda. Carefully pour the candy mixture onto a sheet pan, and spread it into a thin layer. Let the brittle cool completely, then break it into pieces and serve.
Tips For The Perfect Peanut Brittle
- Be sure to monitor the temperature of your sugar mixture carefully so that you don’t overcook or undercook the brittle. If you overcook your brittle, it could become bitter or burn, and if you don’t cook it for long enough, it can get sticky.
- Use a bigger pot than you think you need for this recipe, as the sugar mixture expands quite a bit, especially after you add the baking soda.
- Make sure your sheet pan has raised edges so that the peanut brittle does not spill.
- Lightly spread the hot brittle with a spatula.
Quick Tip
The trick to making peanut brittle is to use a candy thermometer. This is a necessary tool for successful candy. Luckily, candy thermometers are inexpensive and widely available.
Recipe FAQs
Baking soda may seem like an odd ingredient to put into candy, but the baking soda creates a ton of tiny air bubbles that improve the texture of the brittle. Don’t be tempted to skip this step!
If your brittle comes out soft, it means it was not cooked to the proper temperature. It is extremely important to use a candy thermometer. You can make sure that your candy thermometer is accurate by placing it in a pot of boiling water, and it will read 212 degrees F if it’s working properly.
Peanut brittle is a hard candy by nature, but it shouldn’t be so hard that it’s difficult to bite into. The baking soda helps with the texture. It is also important to lightly spread the peanut brittle into the sheet pan, then leave it alone. If you spread it too much, some of the air bubbles will be released and you’ll end up with a harder candy.
Peanut brittle can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
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Flavor Variations
While this candy is delicious as-is, you can change up the ingredients to customize the flavors to your tastes.
- Nuts: Not a fan of peanuts? This recipe will also work well with pecans, almonds, cashews or macadamia nuts.
- Coconut: Place toasted shredded coconut on your baking sheet and pour the the brittle over the coconut for extra flavor. This works great with macadamia nut brittle.
- Flavorings: Feel free to stir some spices into your brittle such as cinnamon, nutmeg or ground ginger. I’d use no more than 1/2 teaspoon total for spices. You can also do a sweet and spicy brittle by using ground ancho or chipotle chili powder.
- Toppings: Make your candy extra special by dipping the cool pieces partway into chocolate. I typically use dark or milk chocolate. You can also add some holiday sprinkles for a festive touch!
I love to package peanut brittle in gift tins and give it away to family and friends during the holidays. This candy is so much better than any store bought version I’ve had, and dozens of people ask me for the recipe as soon as they get a taste of this delicious treat!
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Love This Recipe?
Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
Peanut Brittle
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup butter cut into slices
- 2 1/4 cups dry roasted peanuts unsalted
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.
- Place the sugar, corn syrup, salt and water in a large, deep pan. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved and the mixture comes to a boil. This takes about 6-7 minutes.
- Add the butter to the pan. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until a candy thermometer registers 280 degrees F. This takes about 15 minutes.
- Add the peanuts to the pot and cook for an additional 10 minutes, stirring constantly, or until a candy thermometer registers 305 degrees F.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the baking soda.
- Pour the peanut mixture evenly onto the sheet pans. Spread to a 1/4 inch layer.
- Cool, then break into pieces and serve.
Notes
- The trick to making peanut brittle is to use a candy thermometer. This is a necessary tool for successful candy. Luckily, candy thermometers are inexpensive and widely available.
- Be sure to monitor the temperature of your sugar mixture carefully so that you don’t overcook or undercook the brittle. If you overcook your brittle, it could become bitter or burn, and if you don’t cook it for long enough, it can get sticky.
- Use a bigger pot than you think you need for this recipe, as the sugar mixture expands quite a bit, especially after you add the baking soda.
- Make sure your sheet pan has raised edges so that the peanut brittle does not spill.
After I added the peanuts the temperature dropped 10 degrees and it was very hard to stir. When I added the peanuts the temperature was 280. Then it dropped and was very hard to stir but I persisted stirring until combined. I removed from heat and added the the baking soda then plopped small sizes of the mix onto the parchment paper. It seemed to be ok as I noticed it harded up on the spoon and thermometer. I added cinnamon and ginger to the peanut before mixing into the syrup and sprinkled coconut onto the parchment paper before popping the mix onto the parchment. I hope it tastes good.
Everybody, and I mean everybody loves butter! Can’t have too much!
Fantastic recipe! I made it exactly the way it said and I embellish it myself and added a cup of raisins. Delicious!! And buttery!! Who doesn’t love butter and sugar mix?
I love that it’s crispy and buttery yet not too sweet. I made this for my family and they loved it. Thank you.
Great recipe! Tastes good, and breaks well, not too tough, but just perfect! Will definitely use it to decorate my holiday desserts.
This peanut brittle turned out perfect. I can’t wait to make it again for my neighbors. Such a great homemade gift.
I start craving this every year around the holidays. This was easy and delicious~
This Peanut Brittle is so easy and a perfect dessert after every meal. A Box on my table is a must.
Can you use glucose syrup instead of corn syrup?
That should work!
Best. Peanut. Brittle. Ever!
Does this recipe come out greasy to the touch? My recipe calls for a tablespoon of butter not a cup.
No it is not greasy!
This brittle is outstanding! I made it to bring to a cookie exchange but it went so quickly will double up the recipe next time.