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.
I used to work for a peanut company and a group of college moms made their kids brittle for XMas. They used disposable pie tins. Is that a good alternative for sheet pans?
That’s fine just line the pans with parchment!
Do you need.to roast peanuts first.
No you do not!
I have never made peanut brittle before and had been looking at different recipes. Almost every other recipes I saw have 2 table spoons of butter for the recipe. This recipe calls for 2 sticks of butter. Is that a typo , because it seems way off from the amount of butter in the other recipes.
It is not a typo. This is almost like a toffee, the butter adds a lot of richness and makes for a better texture.
What size sheet pan is best to use?
I use a half sheet which is 18″x13″
Can I ask the folks that make peanut brittle what you find is the best pan to use? I am new to making peanut brittle and heard you need a specific type of pan. What would you suggest?
Any rimmed sheet pan will work, you just need to make sure to line it with a nonstick baking mat or parchment paper!
I mean the pan you make the recipe in. I use my stone countertop to pour it on to cool.
I use a 3 quart nonstick pot!
Any particular brand ? A ceramic interior?
I use anodized aluminum by Calphalon.
I make this all the time all year round just for us to eat! We love it!
I made Cashew Brittle, it was amazing 😉
In the last two days I’ve made this recipe 4 times and have 2 more to go for Christmas treat boxes and I love it I’ve done peanut and almond and it turns out perfectly each time !! Thank you for the great recipe it’s so easy and tasty!!
Love the idea of using almonds! Merry Christmas!
I tried this recipe and it turned out way to soft, what did i do wrong? I went to the tee with directions. HELP
The only thing I can think of is that maybe your candy thermometer was off. You can test the accuracy of your candy thermometer by sticking it in a pot of boiling water. If it reads 212 degrees F, it’s accurate. If it reads lower or higher you’ll know if there’s a problem. I own multiple candy thermometers and some seem more accurate than others. So sorry it didn’t come out for you!
I thought boiling point was 212 F?
If you cook to 212 the candy will not set, you need to cook to 280 so that the sugar will reach the hard crack stage.
I realize that. What I was commenting on was calebrating a candy thermometer by putting it in to a pot of boiling water. Water boils at 212 degrees F, not 100 degrees F as was written in a previous post.
I made this awesome recipe and it’s too die for!! So yummy can’t stop eating it! I had some left so put in the refrigerator and it was still just as good 3 weeks later when we retuned from vacation!
Peanut brittle is just about my favorite candy of all time. I used to make it, but not anymore. Because every time I did, I ate the whole batch in one day/night!
All I know is, I lvoe me some peanut butter! I’ll never say no and this looks amazing.
My husband absolutely loves peanut brittle. I have never been brave enough to make it. I was never sure if it was a recipe that would turn out the way he liked it. This one looks perfect!
This peanut brittle reminds me of my mother. She is always making different kind of brittles for the Christmas gifts. I need to pass her this recipe!
My husband loves peanut brittle. I am pretty sure my grandpa does too. Looks like I will be making a batch.
I haven’t ever made my own peanut brittle. It sounds so delicious, and although I am a little intimidated by the idea of using a candy thermometer, it seems like an easy enough recipe.
This makes for a perfect homemade gift. Plus, I love it so much, I’d keep a batch for myself. Thanks for the recipe!
I grew up eating this and it’s incredibly addicting!
I have never made peanut brittle on my own but I might try this Christmas. I might even add an assortment of nuts to keep it interesting!
I haven’t had peanut brittle in years! My family used to always have it around Christmas so this recipe is really making me nostalgic.