Homemade Peanut Brittle
I love making and giving homemade candy around the holidays. The process of making candy is just so interesting and different from baking Christmas cookies, and as long as you have a candy thermometer (affiliate link), it’s really a cinch to create some pretty phenomenal candy confections to delight friends and neighbors. This homemade peanut brittle recipe is made the old-fashioned way on the stove-top, using sugar, corn syrup, butter and roasted peanuts. If you love making homemade candy during the holidays to share with friends & family, be sure to also check out my Southern Pecan Pralines, Easy Homemade Peppermint Bark, Rocky Road Fudge, and Old-Fashioned Divinity (my most popular candy recipe!).
What is Peanut Brittle Candy?
Peanut brittle candy is an old-fashioned crunchy, hard candy with peanuts in it that is cooked on the stovetop then poured onto a baking sheet to set up before being cracked into large pieces. It’s a lot like English toffee in terms of texture except peanut brittle is made with peanuts instead of almonds and without any chocolate.
Ingredients for Peanut Brittle
Granulated sugar Light corn syrup Water Salt Salted butter Unsalted roasted peanuts – You can use salted peanuts, but you will want to omit the rest of the salt from the recipe in this case. Vanilla extract Baking soda
How to make Peanut Brittle
Peanut brittle is a lot easier to make than you might guess. It’s just a matter of combining a handful of ingredients and then stirring until they reach 300°F on a candy thermometer. Here’s how to make peanut brittle:
Why do you use baking soda in Peanut Brittle?
Just like in my favorite english toffee recipe, this homemade peanut brittle recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of baking soda to be added right at the end of the cooking process. This is important because of a chemical reaction that results in the perfect peanut brittle texture. Baking soda creates lots of little air bubbles in the brittle, giving it that perfect crunch that I love. Some peanut brittle recipes use it, some don’t. But I really think it’s what puts this peanut brittle over the top and makes it the best.
Soft Peanut Brittle Tips
How to store this recipe for Peanut Brittle
Keep the peanut brittle in an airtight container or decorative tin on the counter at room temperature. It will stay fresh and delicious tasting for up to 6-8 weeks! Do not refrigerate as the brittle has a tendency to soften in the fridge. You can also freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3-4 months. Let it come to room temperature on the counter for an hour or two before enjoying.
More Candy Recipes for the Holidays
Southern Pecan Pralines Old Fashioned Divinity Candy Recipe Grandma Nash’s Best Butter Almond English Toffee Grandpa Johnson’s Easy Homemade Rocky Road Fudge Puppy Chow (aka Chex Mix Muddy Buddies) Caramel Nougat Pecan Rolls from the Food Charlatan Sesame Brittle from Take Two Tapas Peanut Clusters from An Affair From the Heart
Buckeyes Recipe
Easy Peppermint Bark Recipe
Churro Toffee (Disneyland Copycat Recipe)
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