Our easy Peanut Brittle recipe is a classic candy we love to make every holiday season (and one our neighbor makes for us every Christmas).
It’s made with sugar, light corn syrup, peanuts, butter, vanilla, and baking soda. It cooks on the stovetop until golden and crisp, then sets into that crunchy, sweet peanut candy everyone loves during the holidays. It’s great to enjoy ourselves but also for treat plates, neighbor gifts, and candy trays because it feels old fashioned but so special.
It may seem intimidating at first, but with a candy thermometer and everything measured ahead of time, this recipe is simple and much easier than it looks.
For more crunchy favorites, try our famous Toffee Recipe and Christmas Crack Recipe.
Why you’ll love it + Why it works:
- An Old Fashioned Favorite: Classic peanut brittle with sweet, salty, crunchy candy texture.
- Tools For Success: A candy thermometer helps make the recipe easier and more reliable.
- The Hard Crack Stage Creates Crunch: Cooking the sugar mixture to 300°F helps the brittle set firm and crisp.
- Baking Soda Lightens the Texture: Stirring it in at the end creates tiny bubbles that make the brittle easier to bite.
Easy Peanut Brittle Ingredients
- Sugar (1 cup): Creates the sweet candy base and helps the brittle harden.
- Light corn syrup (½ cup): Helps keep the sugar mixture smooth and prevents crystallization.
- Salt (¼ teaspoon): Balances the sweetness and enhances the peanut flavor.
- Water (¼ cup): Helps dissolve the sugar so the candy cooks evenly.
- Unsalted Dry Roasted Peanuts, no skin (1 cup): Adds classic peanut flavor and crunchy texture. We like roasted peanuts, but raw peanuts can also be used. Salted peanuts will give the brittle a sweeter-salty flavor, so you may want to reduce the added salt.
- Butter, softened (2 tablespoon): Adds richness and flavor to the brittle. Unsalted is our go-to, but salted butter works too. Just reduce or omit the added salt.
- Vanilla extract (1 teaspoon): Adds warm flavor that balances the sweetness.
- Baking soda (1 teaspoon): Creates a lighter, more delicate brittle texture.
How to Make Easy Peanut Brittle
PREP. Make sure all ingredients are ready and measured out before starting. Some steps require quick action, so this will help the process.
Preheat the oven to 170°F. Grease a 10×15 jelly roll pan or rimmed baking sheet (or cookie sheet) with at least 1-inch tall sides. Set aside.
SUGAR MIXTURE. Heat a large pot over medium heat (The mixture will boil up a lot so use one that’s bigger than you think you’ll need.)
Bring sugar, corn syrup, salt, and water to a boil. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. When the liquid looks clear, that indicates the sugar has dissolved.
While the mixture is heating up, add the jelly roll pan to the preheated oven so it can warm up.
PEANUTS. Clip the candy thermometer to the side of the pot, making sure the tip sits in the candy mixture without touching the bottom of the pan. When the temperature reads 250°F, stir in peanuts. Cook on medium-low heat at a steady boil until the temperature reaches the hard crack stage of 300°F (takes about 10-13 minutes).
If you don’t have a thermometer, drop a small amount of the candy mixture into a bowl of cold water, if it separates into hard and brittle threads, it’s ready.
COMBINE. Once the mixture reaches 300°F, this is the fast part. Remove from heat and immediately stir in butter, baking soda, and vanilla.
When the baking soda is stirred in, the mixture will foam, lighten in color, and become full of tiny bubbles. That is exactly what you want.
SPREAD. Working quickly, pour back and forth onto the cookie sheet. Using oven mitts, move the pan around until the mixture spreads out. The recipe will not fill the whole pan, do not spread with a knife or spatula. **Be careful with the hot sugar. The candy mixture is extremely hot at 300°F. Use oven mitts and keep kids away from the stove while pouring and spreading the brittle.
COOL. After pouring/spreading, allow it to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to cool. Then place it in the refrigerator for another 20-30 minutes.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- Measure every ingredient before starting because the final steps move very quickly.
- Use a candy thermometer for the most accurate results and cook the mixture to 300°F.
- Warm the jelly roll pan in the oven so the brittle spreads more easily once poured.
- Do not spread the brittle with a knife or spatula, gently tilt the pan instead.
- Easy variations:
- Cashews: Swap the peanuts for cashews.
- Almonds: Use roasted almonds for a slightly different crunch.
- Extra salty: Use salted roasted peanuts for more sweet-and-salty flavor.
- Watch the humidity. For the crispest brittle, make it on a dry day if possible. High humidity can cause candy to absorb moisture and soften.
- Make-ahead tip: Make peanut brittle several days ahead and store it in an airtight container once fully cooled and set.
Easy Peanut Brittle
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup water
- 1 cup unsalted dry roasted peanuts, (no skin)
- 2 tablespoon butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Make sure all ingredients are ready and measured out before starting. Some steps require quick action, so this will help the process.
- Preheat the oven to 170°F.
- Grease a 10×15 jelly roll pan or cookie sheet with at least 1-inch tall sides. Set aside.
- In a large pot over medium heat, bring sugar, corn syrup, salt, and water to a boil. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. When the liquid looks clear, that indicates the sugar has dissolved.
- While the mixture is heating up, add the jelly roll pan to the preheated oven so it can warm up.
- Clip the candy thermometer to the side of the pot, making sure the tip sits in the candy mixture without touching the bottom of the pan. When the temperature reads 250°F, stir in 1 cup of peanuts. Cook on medium-low heat at a steady boil until the temperature reaches the hard crack stage of 300°F (takes about 10-13 minutes).
- If you don't have a thermometer, drop a small amount of the candy mixture into a bowl of cold water, if it separates into hard and brittle threads, it's ready.
- Once the mixture reaches 300°F, this is the fast part. Remove from heat and immediately stir in butter, baking soda, and vanilla. When the baking soda is stirred in, the mixture will foam, lighten in color, and become full of tiny bubbles. That is exactly what you want.
- Working quickly, pour back and forth onto the cookie sheet. Using oven mitts, move the pan around until the mixture spreads out. The recipe will not fill the whole pan, do not spread with a knife or spatula. **Be careful with the hot sugar. The candy mixture is extremely hot at 300°F. Use oven mitts and keep kids away from the stove while pouring and spreading the brittle.
- After pouring/spreading, allow it to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to cool. Then place in the refrigerator for another 20-30 minutes.
Notes
- Measure every ingredient before starting because the final steps move very quickly.
- Use a candy thermometer for the most accurate results and cook the mixture to 300°F.
- Warm the jelly roll pan in the oven so the brittle spreads more easily once poured.
- Do not spread the brittle with a knife or spatula, gently tilt the pan instead.
- Make-ahead tip: make peanut brittle several days ahead and store it in an airtight container once fully cooled and set.
Nutrition
Recipe FAQ
Baking soda reacts with the hot sugar mixture and creates tiny air bubbles, giving the brittle a lighter texture that is easier to bite.
Peanut brittle needs to reach the hard-crack stage at 300°F to set properly. If it is removed from the heat too early, it can stay soft or chewy instead of crisp. We highly recommend using a candy thermometer. It is the easiest way to get consistent results.
Store completely cooled peanut brittle in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Keep layers separated with wax or parchment paper and avoid the refrigerator, since moisture can soften the brittle.
We prefer not to. Freezing and thawing can introduce moisture and affect the crisp texture, so room-temperature storage is our favorite method.
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This recipe was originally published December 2022.
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I’d never attempted peanut brittle before because I’m a bit intimidated by candy thermometers, but this recipe was so easy! It really does have the perfect flavor and texture. My family polished off this first batch in no time but I’m going to make it again this month to share with neighbors!