This homemade peanut brittle is crisp, golden, and packed with roasted peanut flavor. It’s easy to make with just a few pantry ingredients and makes a perfect holiday treat or edible gift.
🧾 Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- ¼ cup water
- 1 cup raw or roasted peanuts (unsalted)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
👩🍳 Step-by-Step Instructions
1️⃣ Prepare Your Pan
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
Have all ingredients measured and ready—once the candy is done, you must move fast.
2️⃣ Cook the Sugar Syrup
In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine:
- sugar
- corn syrup
- water
Stir until the sugar dissolves.
Bring to a boil without stirring.
3️⃣ Add Peanuts & Cook
Add peanuts carefully to the bubbling syrup.
Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the mixture turns golden amber (about 300°F / 150°C if using a thermometer).
4️⃣ Finish the Brittle
Remove from heat and quickly stir in:
- butter
- vanilla
- salt
Then immediately stir in baking soda.
The mixture will foam up—this creates the airy crunch.
5️⃣ Spread & Cool
Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet.
Spread thin with a spatula (or tilt the pan).
Let cool completely (20–30 minutes).
6️⃣ Break & Serve
Once hardened, break into pieces by hand.
Store in an airtight container.
⭐ Tips for Perfect Peanut Brittle
- Use a heavy-bottom pan to avoid burning
- Don’t stir while boiling—this prevents crystallization
- Work quickly after adding baking soda
- Keep humidity low—brittle hates moisture
🔁 Variations
- Spicy Peanut Brittle: add a pinch of cayenne
- Honey Peanut Brittle: replace half the syrup with honey
- Nut Mix Brittle: use almondsor cashews instead
🏁 Final Thoughts
Homemade peanut brittle is crunchy, nostalgic, and incredibly satisfying. Once you make it yourself, store-bought just won’t compare.
If you’d like, I can:
- Make a no-corn-syrup version
- Turn this into a microwave recipe
- Write it as a gift-ready blog post
- Translate it into French or Arabic
Just tell me 🥜✨