1 / 1
Peanut Brittle
Classic peanut brittle is a timeless candy shop favorite you can easily make at home. This recipe combines roasted Spanish peanuts with a rich, buttery sugar syrup that cooks to a perfect hard crack stage. A quick addition of baking soda right at the end creates that signature airy, crisp texture. It makes a wonderful homemade gift for the holidays or a sweet treat to keep on the counter. The process requires a candy thermometer and a bit of careful watching, but the crunchy, sweet-and-salty result is completely worth the effort.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 3 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
- 1 lb unsalted raw Spanish peanuts (3 cups)
Instructions
- 1Combine the baking soda, one teaspoon of water, and vanilla extract in a small bowl, then set it aside. Stir the sugar, one cup of water, and corn syrup together in a three-quart saucepan.
- 2Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook for about 25 minutes. Stir the mixture occasionally until a candy thermometer registers 240°F, or until a small drop forms a soft ball in very cold water.
- 3Add the butter and raw Spanish peanuts to the hot sugar syrup and stir well to combine.
- 4Continue cooking over medium heat for roughly 13 minutes. Stir the mixture constantly until it reaches 300°F on a candy thermometer, or until a dropped portion forms hard, brittle threads in cold water.
- 5Take the saucepan off the heat immediately to prevent burning. Quickly whisk in the reserved baking soda mixture until the candy becomes light and foamy.
- 6Divide the hot candy evenly between two buttered, warmed 15x10x1-inch baking pans. Use a buttered metal spatula to quickly spread the mixture to a quarter-inch thickness. Let the brittle cool completely for at least one hour before breaking it into pieces.
- 7Transfer the broken brittle pieces into an airtight container and keep them at room temperature for up to two weeks.
- 8To use a microwave instead, prepare the baking sheets as directed and omit all water. Combine the sugar, corn syrup, and peanuts in an eight-cup microwave-safe measuring cup and microwave the mixture uncovered.