Homemade peanut brittle is a glassy, golden candy packed with roasted peanuts, and it takes only sugar, corn syrup, water, and a few minutes at the stove to make a batch that snaps cleanly between your teeth.
The method is simple but exact: cook the sugar syrup to the hard crack stage, stir in baking soda and vanilla, and pour it out fast. Once it cools, you break it into shards that keep for weeks.
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Why This Homemade Peanut Brittle Recipe Works
Cooking the syrup to 300 F drives out nearly all the moisture, which is what makes the candy brittle instead of chewy. A candy thermometer takes the guesswork out of that step.
Baking soda reacts with the hot sugar and fills the candy with tiny air bubbles, so it breaks into light pieces that are easy to bite rather than rock hard slabs.
Roasted peanuts go into the syrup near the end of cooking, so they toast a little more without turning bitter, and they add a salty, nutty flavor that balances the sweet candy.
Ingredients for Homemade Peanut Brittle
- For the candy: granulated sugar, light corn syrup, and cold water cooked together until the syrup reaches the hard crack stage on a thermometer.
- For the finish: unsalted roasted peanuts, baking soda, vanilla extract, and a little butter for greasing the baking sheet before you start.
Sugar. Plain granulated sugar forms the candy base, so measure it carefully and wipe the pot sides with a wet brush to stop crystals forming.
Corn syrup. Light corn syrup keeps the sugar smooth and helps the brittle stay clear, with no gritty texture in the finished candy.
Roasted peanuts. Unsalted roasted peanuts let you control the salt, and they bring a deep toasted flavor that suits the sweet candy.
Baking soda. Measure it before you start and keep the spoon close, since it must go in the moment the pot leaves the heat.
Butter. Grease the baking sheet well so the hot candy releases easily once it hardens and cleanup stays simple.
How to Make Homemade Peanut Brittle
1. Prepare the pan. Grease a large baking sheet with butter and set out the soda, vanilla, and a spatula within reach, since the candy sets within minutes.
2. Cook the syrup. Stir the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, then stop stirring and let it boil.
3. Add the peanuts. When the thermometer reads 270 F, stir in the peanuts and keep cooking, stirring now and then, until the syrup turns golden and reaches 300 F.
4. Finish the candy. Remove the pan from the heat and quickly stir in the baking soda and vanilla, which will foam and lighten the color.
5. Pour and spread. Pour the candy onto the baking sheet at once and spread it thin with a spatula before it starts to harden.
6. Cool and break. Let the brittle cool completely on the pan, then snap it into pieces with your hands.
How to Serve Homemade Peanut Brittle
Break the brittle into shards and serve it on a dessert plate with coffee, or crush it over ice cream for crunch. It pairs with silky chocolate ganache for dipping, and it sits well beside chocolate peanut butter pie, a cookies and cream frappe, and toffee cookie bars on a gift tray.
How to Store and Reheat Homemade Peanut Brittle
Store the brittle in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks, with parchment between layers to keep the pieces from sticking. Keep it away from steam and humidity, because moisture makes it tacky, and do not freeze or refrigerate it for the same reason.
Tips and Variations for Homemade Peanut Brittle
Use a thermometer. Check that it reads accurately in boiling water, and cook to the full 300 F so the candy snaps instead of chewing.
Work with speed. Pour the candy the moment the soda is stirred in, because it hardens within a minute or two.
Use a heavy pot. A thick bottomed saucepan holds heat evenly and lowers the risk of scorched sugar or hot spots.
Mind the burns. Hot syrup causes severe burns, so keep children and pets away, and never touch the candy until it cools.
Flag the allergens. This candy contains peanuts and milk from the butter, so label it clearly for guests with peanut or dairy allergies.
Watch the weather. Humid days make candy sticky, so choose a dry day or run the exhaust fan while you cook.
Try a variation. Swap the peanuts for pecans or cashews, or add a pinch of sea salt over the hot candy for a salty finish.
Check trusted guidance. Read the University of Wisconsin Extension leftovers guidance for safe handling of homemade sweets.
Frequently Asked Questions About Homemade Peanut Brittle
How do you make homemade peanut brittle snap?
Cook the syrup to 300 F on a candy thermometer, add the baking soda off the heat, and pour the candy onto the pan right away.
Can I make homemade peanut brittle without a candy thermometer?
Drop a little syrup into cold water, and if it forms hard threads that snap, it is ready, though a thermometer is more reliable.
Why is my homemade peanut brittle chewy?
The syrup did not reach 300 F or the weather was humid. Cook it hotter next time and store the candy airtight.
Can I use salted peanuts?
Yes. Salted peanuts work, but the candy will taste saltier, so keep the rest of the recipe unchanged.
How do I clean the pot?
Fill it with water and simmer until the hardened sugar dissolves, then wash it as usual.
Homemade Peanut Brittle
Equipment
- heavy saucepan
- Candy thermometer
- Rimmed Baking Sheet
- Spatula
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- ½ cup cold water
- 2 cup unsalted roasted peanuts
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter for greasing the baking sheet
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Cooking
- Grease. Butter a large baking sheet and keep the baking soda, vanilla, and a spatula within reach.
- Boil. Stir the sugar, corn syrup, and water over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, then boil without stirring.
- Add peanuts. At 270 F, stir in the peanuts and cook to 300 F, stirring now and then.
- Finish. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the baking soda and vanilla.
- Spread. Pour onto the sheet, spread thin, cool completely, and break into pieces.
