Homemade Peanut Brittle
Given my love for peanuts and peanut butter, it’s natural that at this time of year I can’t get enough of peanut brittle. Case in point: after making this batch, I had to hide the tin. From myself. Not my finest moment. But this stuff is good. It got me off of the couch on Sunday and back into the kitchen after my near-week battle with the flu. (Thank you so, so much for all of your awesome get well wishes left on Friday’s post, on Facebook and through email!) Amazingly, this is the first time I’ve made peanut brittle myself, and I vowed to not let another holiday season pass without making it. Now I’m addicted and after knowing how quick and easy it is to make, this will definitely show up throughout the year.
You don’t even need a candy thermometer for this. And although that gave me pause, I forged ahead. I just watched for the sugar mixture to start to turn a golden color. Just make sure once you add the baking soda, butter and peanuts that you mix quickly and get it spread on the pan as fast as possible. It will harden up pretty quickly. I think that the texture is spot on to what I have considered awesome peanut brittle. Plus, there are a boat load of peanuts, which of course I love.
To wrap it all up, you should totally make this. It’s easy, you don’t need any special equipment, and you can share it as gifts! Just don’t eat it all first like I did 😉
Homemade Peanut Brittle
Ingredients:
Nonstick cooking spray
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup water
½ cup light corn syrup
½ teaspoon coarse salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ teaspoon baking soda
3 cups salted dry-roasted peanuts (about 1 pound)
Directions:
1. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly coat with cooking spray; set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, water, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a rapid simmer over medium-high and cook until deep golden, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Stir in butter, baking soda, and peanuts (mixture will foam). Stir until mixture is no longer bubbling and caramel is smooth, 1 minute.
3. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and spread with a lightly greased spatula. Let cool until firm, 15 minutes. Break into pieces. The brittle can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
i love anything with peanuts including peanut brittle. i want to make this but am seriously concerned that i’d eat the whole batch!
Just when I thought my poor teeth coulnd’t handle any more goodies!
It would probably have been best not to find out how easy this is to make! Glad to hear you are better and thanks for answering the questions!
I love peanut brittle! My dad use to buy it all the time 🙂
Glad to hear its easy to make too 🙂
My mother loved peanut brittle evenwith her false teeth. I like it but not when it is so thick that it feels it will break my teeth. Had some homemade in AR at a church sale. I wonder if I get a really big thing to pour it out on if that would make it more thin and easier to break up Anyone made this recipe?
I love peanut brittle. When I was younger, my mom’s boss used to always make us some around Christmas and it was so good!
Love that you don’t need a candy thermometer for it :o) May have to add to my treat tins this year!
your peanut brittle looks fantastic, and i love that your recipe doesn’t require a thermometer because i don’t have one! i have been making a microwave version of peanut brittle for years, but i definitely want to try this method too!
This looks so good!! I always buy peanut brittle for some reason. Not anymore!
I have never made peanut brittle. Josh is allergic so if I make it I will have to eat it all. Hmmmm! 🙂
no candy thermometer, I am in! this looks fabulous (this was my dad’s favorite and every year i make it on his birthday). happy holidays!
No candy thermometer? I’m in! I hate that thing. This looks delicious!
So yummy. I love anything with peanuts….and brittle tops the candy list. 😉 I’ve been wanting to try out a bacon peanut brittle….I suspect it will be made of win…perhaps I will give that whirl this week.
I absolutely love peanut brittle and your recipe and finished brittle look absolutely fantastic.
I have found that making brittle can be addicting because it is so much like a blank canvas: you can start adding all sorts of different things like other nuts, dried fruit, etc. It is so fun to experiment!
Thanks for the delicious post!!
The microwave method takes only 5 minutes and turns out just as yummy. I like to use a can of mixed nuts just to give it an extra kick! and scary enough, you can add a dash of food color for the holidays to make it stand out, or even some beet juice. 🙂
I made peanut brittle for the first time last Christmas. My recipe was a microwave version (which is even scarier than no-thermometer-stovetop-candy-making to me) and it turned out remarkably well. If I can do it, in a microwave no less, anyone can do it! Your recipe sounds so yummy I think I need to have a side-by-side taste test…
I have never made it, but you will be happy to know that the sugars are now bubbling on my stove. Peanut brittle here I come! I remember really wanting to learn how to make it about 5 years ago. But for some reason I always thought it would be impossible to make, but apparently it is very doable.
Thanks for the inspiration!
This looks really good….will give this a try
I tired to make some last year for my grandpa and put it in containers but 2 days later when I opened them all of the pieces were stuck together and there was NO way they were coming apart! Was it a weird recipe or does that happen with all brittle? Yours looks much better than mine did anyway!
Hi Katie, Hmm, I stored mine in a tin and just separated the layers with a sheet of wax paper, so they weren’t stacked directly on top of each other.
I am obsessed with peanut butter and nuts of all sorts. Brittle is no exception come the holidays! yummy!
So glad to hear you’re feeling better! I still make a recipe from Home Ec. class we made way back in 1976! Oh my I’m so old! I also like to make it with mixed nuts. My brother can not stop eating it,so I’m making him ,his very own batch this year!!
This looks fabulous. I’m definitely going to make this for my mom for Christmas. I think I’ll do one batch with bacon in it. Bacon goes so well with peanuts and Mom is a major bacon hound.
I’m the same – if I make peanut brittle, I have to either give it all away asap or hide it. I could eat so much of that stuff!!
I’m with Shellie Anne and Erin on this one . . . I make this in the microwave and since I’m not a huge peanut fan, I make almond brittle instead . . . it’s a huge hit (and an expected hostess gift) and holiday parties I attend . . . I usually have to take two packages — one for guests to enjoy, one for the host to hide for themselves to have after everyone has left!
Brittles and toffees can be humidity sensitive, so store in an air-tight container — I’m in California where winter (usually) means rain, and I’ve not had Katie’s problem.
I was just looking around at peanut brittle recipes! This looks great!
This is such great timing…I just said yesterday I wanted to make some peanut brittle but I needed to find a good recipe. Thanks! Can’t wait to try it!
Tommrow I’ii enjoy this.
Yum! I really like peanut brittle…but I LOVE it dipped in chocolate!
xoxo
Lila Ferraro
I’ve made peanut brittle at Christmas time for years. My SIL loves it. Wonder why it’s only at this holiday time that we think to make it 🙂
Thanks for the recipe. Peanut brittle is something I really miss. Here in Italy there are al sorts of sugar and nuts desserts here over Christmas, but never with peanuts. They are good but just don’t say “home” to me the same way.
This peanut brittle looks fabulous! I’m sure it would be a big hit with all of my friends and relatives.
This looks awesome! I’m considering making it RIGHT now (and it’s 10pm) lol!
Ohhhh this looks fantastic! I love this as a gift idea…and know a lot of others who would too 🙂
Delicious. I love giving candies away during the holiday season–especially ones that don’t require a candy thermometer. 😉
You’re so right, a candy thermometer is totally not necessary. And considering how good brittle is, the small effort required is more than worth it. I like to throw any nuts or seeds in there that I have lying around, and like some others, I HAVE to give most of it away, or I am sure to eat it all :).
I love peanut brittle, thank you for the recipe. This will be included in my giveaway this Christmas. I wonder if we can use the same procedure in making English Toffee.
I love peanut brittle but haven’t had any in years! I’ll have to convince my mom to make this with me when I visit for christmas!
Just found your blog today. Love the name of it. The Peanut Brittle looks yummy. I might get a cavity just looking at it. 🙂
Hi Gabby, welcome to the site, glad to have you join us! Enjoy the recipes!
No thermometer! Yayy. I love brittle of any kind, we actually call it chikki here, and it’s available with every possible combination of nuts!!
Thanks for sharing! I love peanut brittle!
What a classic treat to enjoy during the holidays…great recipe!
Now this is what I call peanut brittle – absolutely packed with nuts! I am going to make this with my boys and I am certain it will not last long with four peanut lovers around.
I’m joining the ranks that are jumping for joy that a thermometer isn’t needed. Yippee!
I love peanut brittle, but this would be too “dangerous” to have in my house. I would eat the whole pan of the brittle. I’ll drool from afar.
I LOVE that you don’t need a thermometer–those things make me nervous! This is such an addictive and timely treat!
Makes me wish I wasn’t allergic to peanuts! 😉
I’m a novice in the kitchen….and tried the recipe this morning. I am not sure I did it justice. It took longer to turn golden brown, so not sure if I cooked it at a high enough temp….once it did, it went just as the recipe said. My question is that it was so thick, I had a hard time getting it in the pan.
Any suggestions? My first batch is too lumpy…..was thinking it would pour into the pan…Thank you so much for all your great recipes and instructions, it gives me courage to experiment!
Hi Cindy, I found that once the mixture hit that golden color, you have to move really quickly. It will start to set almost immediately.
I made this for my dad for Christmas, and it was delicious! I didn’t think I liked peanut brittle, but of course I had to sample it – and it turns out I do like it after all.
It did take longer than 20-25 mins to caramelize the sugar, but it may have just been a difference in how to interpret the meaning of “rapid simmer”. I didn’t pay attention to how long it actually took, because I was making two other things at the same time. 🙂
Thank you SO much for this foolproof recipe! I just wanted to tell you I made 6 batches of this for gift-giving, and every single batch was perfection! You’re a genius!
I am considering trying this out, but is light corn syrup required, or can I use regular corn syrup?
Hi Bruce, I’ve only ever seen light corn syrup and dark corn syrup; what would you mean by “regular” corn syrup?
Thanks Michelle, all I could find was a golden corn syrup , so I will give that a try.
I think the confusion here is that there is a “light” corn syrup and a “lite” corn syrup, (both made by Karo).
The “light” corn syrup called for in the recipe here is referring to the color of the syrup opposed to the one that is dark brown in color and is labeled “Dark” corn syrup. I believe Bruce is asking about the “lite” corn syrup that I believe is 33% less calories due to a lower carb count (but nor much less sugar only like 2g less).
Please either person here correct me if im wrong but from the outside this is how I interpreted thinsg.
I followed this method exactly but for some reason the brittle is soft! can you tell me why it didn’t set?
Hi Cathie, If it didn’t set then the mixture wasn’t boiled long enough. All stoves are different, so make sure that the mixture comes to a rapid simmer (which is almost a full, rolling boil). Also, make sure that the mixture develops a deep golden brown color. This could take longer than the amount of time specified, all depending on the type of stove and strength of the heat.
I made this today, I kept wondering what was “deep golden brown” enough and then it totally became apparent that I was there! This came out amazing!!!!! Thanks for such a winning recipe!
Thanks! Made this for my bf and it turned out perfect!
loved this so much I had to re-blog it! http://sweetjumbles.com/2012/12/16/peanut-brittle/
Loved this! Thanks for sharing!
I made this just now for my hubby..haven’t tried it yet cuz still cooling. Im a lil concerned tho tht it may be too thick..was nearly impossible to spread ou. Any tips to help with this for next time??
Hi Jasmine, For any type of candy or brittle, the key really is to work quickly. It takes some practice. Also, spray a rubber spatula with some non-stick cooking spray – it will help to spread the candy out with less effort.
loved it!!!! XD
Today i tried this awesome recipe and it blasted me… it was vanilla cake with peppermint on top and this one student asked me if i liked it and i said ” yeah it made me go nuts!!!” XD
Great recipe. I made a double batch last night and it came out perfect. It has a beautiful gloss to it and the brittle is nice and crunchy. I suggest you get your butter, baking soda and peanuts ready so you can add them as soon as the carmel turns the amber color. It sets up fast so you have to get it from the pot to the cookie and begin spreading it really quickly . I used the back of a metal ladle to spread it.
Made this today and I almost think, from reading into the art of peanut brittle, that a candy thermometer is needed. The caramel should be brought up to 300-310 degrees F, and also I read to use raw peanuts, not roasted ones, because they could burn. Just thought I’d share some tips. My peanut brittle was chewy and I’m thinking I’ll have to put it back on the stove to 300 degrees, but I’m worried the dry roasted peanuts will burn. We’ll see.
Does it matter if i use brown corn syrup? I can’t find the white corn syrup
Hi Samantha, You can use dark corn syrup, the brittle will just be a bit sweeter.
Made it twice now, use in combination with thermometer, and it never gets to soft crack stage, before it suddenly, and I mean suddenly, circa 250, starts turning to brown. (first batch dark brown-310 on termometer- and bitter very rapid change). For me about 27 mins before tha change starts. Great success. Now to try with unroasted peanuts- damn sight heaper.
Thank you so much for this recipe! I used another recipe before it twice and both of my batches came out ruined. Should have known to go straight to a baking blog. xD
I still don’t know what “deep golden” looks like, but I rapid simmered for the full 25 minutes on medium-high (6-7 on the dial), and used a candy thermometer anyway, and about the time the timer was about to go off, my thermometer read 300 F! But the color of my mixture was a light gold. I just couldn’t tell from the whiteness of the bubbling.