This easy peanut brittle recipe is a vintage classic that’s easy to make and so fun to bring along to holiday gatherings. In under an hour, this old-fashioned candy recipe is ready to package up as gifts or to put on a dessert table for snacking.
Recipe Highlights
Cooking Level: Great for beginners and easy.
Texture: Crunchy and sticks to your teeth… just as it should!
How to serve: As a holiday dessert, snack or even package up and give these treats as a gift.
Peanut brittle has been around for ages! My grandma used to make it at Christmas time, and she’d put it in a little tin and sit it out on the dessert table next to this egg custard and pecan pie recipes that she also used to make.
Now, I love making this peanut brittle recipe to package up and give to neighbors, and friends, and just something for my boys to snack on since I only make it about once a year.
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Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are a few notes on some of the ingredients you’ll need to make this homemade peanut brittle. Jump to the recipe card below to see the exact measurements.
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- Peanuts: Raw peanuts are used in this recipe and I’ve always used raw but I’m sure you can use roasted peanuts as well. I just keep using raw because that’s what Grandma did.
- Margarine: You can also use butter instead if you prefer but again, margarine is what she used, so I do too.
- Vanilla: As in all of my recipes, I prefer using pure vanilla extract instead of imitation.
Love peanuts? You’ll also love this peanut buster parfait recipe!
How to Make Peanut Brittle
Here are step-by-step images and notes on how to make homemade peanut brittle. For the full instructions, see the recipe card below.
Begin by prepping a large, rimmed, baking sheet by spreading butter, margarine, or non-stick spray on it, so the peanut brittle doesn’t stick to the pan.
Tip: You’ll want to prep the baking sheet first because you’ll want to quickly pour the peanut mixture on to the pan when it’s time. I used a 13.5 x 17 pan and kept a second, smaller pan on stand-by in case I had overage and didn’t want it as thick. So really it’s up to how thick you want your peanut brittle.
- Make the syrup: Bring the sugar, light corn syrup, and water to a boil.
- Add peanuts: Pour in the raw peanuts and boil, stirring often, until syrup turns a light brown color, which is about 15 minutes.
- Cook and brown the syrup: When the syrup has turned a light brown color, remove the pot from the heat.
- Mix in flavorings: Add in the margarine and stir. Then add in the baking soda and vanilla extract.
- Quickly pour the peanut brittle mixture on to the prepared baking sheet and spread it out so it’s even and flat.
- Allow it to cool and then using your hands, break the brittle in to pieces.
Storage Instructions
Once the peanut brittle has cooled and has been broken in to pieces, it’s safe to store it in an airtight container or bag and kept at room temperature. If stored properly it should stay good for a month or two.
This vintage peanut brittle recipe is made of corn syrup, sugar, water, vanilla, peanuts, and baking soda.
It is. The story has it, that a woman accidentally used baking soda in her taffy and it turned to peanut brittle consistency.
You can. Or you can also grease a baking dish or use a silpat mat.
Tips for the Best Peanut Brittle
- Prep: Make sure to prep your pans before starting the brittle recipe, so you’re not in a rush when it’s time to pour the peanut mixture out to cool.
- Baking soda: Use fresh baking soda in any recipe, and in this one too.
- Breaking: If you don’t want to use your hands to break up the brittle, you can use a mallet or meat tenderizer.
More Holiday Desserts
If you love holiday desserts and snacks like this one, you’ll also love these favorites:
Recipe
Peanut Brittle
Ingredients
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 2 cups sugar
- ½ cup water
- 2 Tablespoons margarine
- 2 cups raw peanuts
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Prepare a large, rimmed, baking sheet (or two small, rimmed, baking sheets) by coating it with butter. (I used a large, 13.5-inch x 17-inch baking sheet with a smaller, baking sheet on stand by if I decided to keep my peanut brittle thin so I could pour the remaining amount in, in case I felt my brittle was thick enough.)
- Boil the corn syrup, sugar and water in a saucepan until it reaches 230° F with a candy thermometer or until it *spins a thread.
- Add peanuts and stir frequently for about 15 minutes or until syrup has turned a light brown.
- Remove from the burner and add in the margarine, vanilla and baking soda. (The mixture will foam, and that's ok!)
- Stir quickly, and then pour out on to prepared baking sheet(s) and spread out evenly. (It will start to harden and dry quickly, so it's best to work fast.)
- Allow it to cool. When cool, it should be hardened, and you should be able to pick it up and start breaking in to pieces.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
Karin Hill says
I made this peanut brittle, but it did not turn out right. Was not a tan color at all. More of a white color. I did everything according to the recipe. Don’t understand why the color is different
Jessica says
Hi Karin! Hmm… I’m not sure why it would be a white color for you unless it wasn’t cooked until it turned light brown. Did it turn light brown for you like it says in step 3?
Sandy says
My cookie sheets are 11.5”x17”. The recipe calls for a large sheet, but is mine too large? I don’t want the brittle to come out too thin.
Jessica says
That should work! My large pan was 13.5 x 17! I hope that helps. But I did also have a second, smaller sheet on stand by for overage if I found it was going to be thicker than what I wanted. So really it depends on how thick/thin you want it! 🙂
Judy says
Will it work to use crisco on the pan instead of butter? I want to avoid all dairy.
Jessica says
Hi there! I don’t see why not. You could also use non stick cooking spray.