Peanut brittle is an old-fashioned candy that you can make with easy ingredients on the stovetop! It’s one of my favorite homemade candy recipes with caramelized, buttery flavors, loaded with roasted peanuts for the perfect combination of salty and sweet.
You might also like my homemade caramels, this classic peanut butter fudge, and chocolate-covered peanut butter balls!
This is the best homemade peanut brittle you’ll ever eat! This classic hard candy never fails to make an appearance at our Christmas table every year. The buttery flavors and satisfying crunch transport me straight back to my Grandma’s kitchen. I’ll show you how to make peanut brittle on the stovetop with a handful of ingredients and roasted peanuts. Prepare to be addicted!
Things to Love About Homemade Peanut Brittle
- Salty and sweet. Nothing does the sweet-salty combination better than peanut brittle.
- 6 ingredients. The ingredients list couldn’t be more pantry-friendly.
- Beginner-friendly candy making. This easy peanut brittle recipe comes together in a matter of minutes from start to finish, making it the perfect holiday candy recipe for all skill levels!
What You’ll Need
This is an overview of the basic ingredients you’ll need to make peanut brittle. Scroll down to the recipe card for the printable recipe with the full amounts.
- Peanuts – I’ve always found that roasted and lightly salted peanuts are the best for peanut brittle! But you can absolutely use unsalted or raw peanuts if preferred.
- Corn Syrup – Light or dark corn syrup, depending on your desired depth of flavor. Darker will be more caramelized. See below for recommended substitutes for corn syrup if needed.
- Baking Soda – The chemical reaction between the hot sugar and baking soda releases teeny-tiny bubbles of carbon dioxide, giving peanut brittle its signature texture. You’ll find a similar reaction when making sponge candy. Science!
- Butter – Salted or unsalted. If you’re using salted butter, consider using less added salt later on in the recipe.
- Sugar – This can be granulated sugar, light brown sugar, or a mixture of the two.
Can I Substitute the Corn Syrup?
Yes. If you’re looking to substitute corn syrup in peanut brittle, I recommend these ingredients instead:
- Honey
- Golden Syrup
- Agave
- Brown Rice Syrup
- Molasses (Light is best)
How to Make Peanut Brittle
Making peanut brittle is actually really, really easy. 300°F is the key temperature when making peanut brittle. This is when the sugar mixture reaches the point where it will become hard like candy after it cools. For this reason, a good candy thermometer will take the guesswork out of making the perfect peanut brittle.
- Prepare the candy mixture. First, heat the sugar, water, butter, and corn syrup in a saucepan. Stir frequently until it reaches a boil. Add in the peanuts once the mixture hits 280°F, continuing to stir.
- Add the baking soda. Next comes the magic. To make your peanut mixture crunchy and porous, stir in the baking soda at 300°F. The acid in the sugar will react with alkaline baking soda, creating millions of foaming bubbles that become trapped in the sugar mixture as it cools off.
- Spread and set. Carefully spread the mixture immediately onto a baking sheet that’s been greased and lined ahead of time (or a silicone baking mat). Peanut brittle mix sets up quickly once it’s removed from the heat, so you’ll need to work fast!
- Break up the brittle. Give the brittle a sprinkle of sea salt and allow it to cool, then break it up into snack-sized pieces.
Tips for Success
- Have your ingredients ready to go. Peanut brittle is a quick and exact process, so it’s best to have all your ingredients measured and set out, ready to go before starting.
- Avoid seasoned peanuts. Avoid peanuts that are flavored or seasoned with Cajun, paprika, etc. Stick to plain and salted or unsalted peanuts (roasted or not).
- Stir frequently. Stirring the boiling peanut mixture will prevent it from burning at the edges and keep the temperature even as it heats.
- Preheat the baking sheet. A warm, preheated baking sheet will allow you more time to spread the candy mixture before it sets.
- Wear protective gloves. It’s good practice to wear oven mitts as a precaution when candy making, as the boiling syrup is very hot!
What Else Can I Add to This Peanut Brittle Recipe?
- Different nuts. Swap out peanuts and make almond brittle, or hazelnut brittle, or use a combination of mixed nuts
- Chocolate-covered. Dip the brittle in melted chocolate, drizzle with chocolate/vanilla glaze, or with a homemade caramel sauce
- Frosting. Frost the tops of the brittle with chocolate frosting. This doubles as a great base for decorating if you want to add sprinkles!
- Spices. Add cozy spices like cinnamon or nutmeg.
- Add-ins. Stir chocolate chips, crushed pretzels, toffee bits, M&Ms, candy canes, or dried fruit into the brittle mix. Chocolate-coated coffee beans are another favorite!
How to Store
- Keep at room temperature. Leftover peanut brittle can be stored airtight at room temperature for up to 7 days. Avoid storing the brittle in the fridge as this will soften it.
- Freeze. To freeze peanut brittle, let it cool completely and then store it in a freezer-safe container. Peanut brittle will keep frozen for up to 3 months.
More Holiday Candy Recipes
Peanut Brittle
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 17 minutes
- Yield: 30 pieces
- Category: Candy
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: Dessert
Description
Peanut brittle is an old-fashioned candy that you can make on the stovetop with easy ingredients and crunchy peanuts. It’s the perfect combination of salty and sweet!
Ingredients
- 1 cup Karo® Light Corn or Dark Corn Syrup
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1–1/2 cups roasted, lightly salted peanuts
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- optional – 2 teaspoons flaked sea salt
Instructions
- Line a 15 X 10-inch baking sheet with parchment paper and coat lightly with nonstick spray, or alternately you can use a silicone mat. Also coat an off-set spatula with nonstick spray for easy spreading. Set aside.
- Combine syrup, sugar, water and butter in a heavy 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil.
- Once boiling, continue to cook without stirring until temperature reaches 280°F on a candy thermometer.
- Gradually stir in peanuts, stirring until temperature reaches 300°F. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the baking soda. Mixture will foam slightly and become lighter in color.
- Immediately pour the mixture onto the prepared cookie sheet. With the off-set spatula, spread the mixture evenly to edges. Sprinkle with flaked sea salt, if desired.
- Cool and break into pieces.
Notes
Store airtight for up to 7 days
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece
- Calories: 116
- Sugar: 16.3 g
- Sodium: 163.4 mg
- Fat: 5.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 17.3 g
- Protein: 1.9 g
- Cholesterol: 2 mg
I made this and it was delicious! Thank you for sharing the recipe! I did sub dark syrup for light and it was just fine.
This was my first time making peanut brittle and it came out delicious! Thank you for the step by step instructions, it made it so much less intimidating to make.
So glad you enjoyed!!
Can I substitute the light corn syrup for dark corn syrup?
You can, yes
I have found NOT spreading the mixture with a spatula increases the air within the brittle and gives you a light and airy brittle! Just rock the pan back and forth to spread it, a few times then leave it alone.
Great tip!!
That looks so gorgeous, I love the reflection on the surface, so delicious. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Wow this looks delicious! Can’t wait to try it.
Thank you for the great recipe!
Have a great day.
Priyanka