Peanut Brittle Crunchy Candy (Printable)

Crunchy peanut brittle with roasted nuts and buttery toffee sheets, ideal for snacking and gifting.

# What You Need:

→ Sugar Mixture

01 - 1 cup granulated sugar
02 - 1/2 cup light corn syrup
03 - 1/4 cup water
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Fats & Flavorings

05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
06 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Nuts

07 - 1 1/2 cups roasted unsalted peanuts

→ Finishing

08 - 1 teaspoon baking soda

# Steps:

01 - Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat and lightly grease it.
02 - In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, combine granulated sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt. Stir gently until sugar dissolves.
03 - Bring the mixture to a boil without stirring and attach a candy thermometer to the pan.
04 - Continue boiling until the mixture reaches 300°F (150°C), the hard crack stage, about 10 to 15 minutes.
05 - Remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla extract, then quickly add peanuts and mix to coat evenly.
06 - Add baking soda and stir briskly to foam and lighten the mixture.
07 - Immediately pour onto the prepared baking sheet and use a greased spatula to spread it evenly to about 1/4 inch thickness.
08 - Let cool completely, approximately 30 minutes, then break into pieces.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The salty-sweet contrast hits different when you make it yourself and can taste exactly where the butter starts to toast.
  • It's one of those rare candies where you can actually watch the chemistry happen—the baking soda foam moment feels almost like magic.
  • Homemade brittle makes the kind of gift that people remember, especially when they open the tin and smell that deep caramel.
02 -
  • The candy thermometer is non-negotiable—guessing at color will result in either chewy goo or bitter burnt candy, and there's no middle ground with this one.
  • Humidity is the enemy of brittle; I learned this the hard way when I made a batch on a rainy afternoon and watched it turn into taffy by evening.
  • Once you hit 300°F and remove it from heat, you truly have seconds before the mixture becomes too stiff to work with, so have your baking sheet ready and your spatula greased before you even start cooking.
03 -
  • Test your candy thermometer's accuracy by checking it in boiling water—it should read 212°F, and if it doesn't, adjust your temperature target accordingly.
  • Spread the brittle immediately while it's still hot, because waiting even one minute makes it too stiff to work with, and you'll end up with thick clumps instead of thin, snappy shards.
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