Description
This classic Peanut Brittle recipe features a crunchy, sweet candy loaded with roasted raw peanuts, made by cooking a sugar syrup to the perfect hard crack stage and enhanced with vanilla and baking soda for a light, airy texture. Perfect for holiday treats or anytime snacking, this peanut brittle delivers a satisfying crunch and rich flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- ½ cup water
- 2 ½ cups raw peanuts
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
Instructions
- Prep. Line an 11×15-inch baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside to ensure easy removal and clean-up of the brittle.
- First cook. In a heavy 3–4 quart pan, combine the granulated sugar, light corn syrup, water, and salt. Cook over medium heat while stirring until the mixture reaches 250°F (the soft ball stage), which typically takes about 20–25 minutes. This creates the sugar base for the brittle.
- Add peanuts, cook again. Stir in the raw peanuts and continue cooking the mixture, stirring frequently, until the temperature reaches 300°F (hard crack stage), around 8–10 minutes. This stage ensures the brittle will harden with the proper crunchy texture.
- Pour and spread. Remove the pan from heat immediately. Quickly stir in the unsalted butter, vanilla extract, and baking soda until fully combined. The baking soda causes the mixture to foam and aerate, creating a lighter brittle texture. Immediately pour the hot mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and spread it evenly with a spatula to your desired thickness.
- Cool and break. Allow the peanut brittle to cool completely at room temperature for about 1 hour until it hardens. Once set, break into irregular pieces and store in an airtight container to maintain freshness and crunch.
Notes
- Use a candy thermometer to accurately monitor the sugar syrup temperature for perfect brittle texture.
- Be careful while handling the hot sugar mixture as it can cause severe burns.
- For a variation, try substituting raw peanuts with other nuts like almonds or cashews.
- Store peanut brittle in an airtight container at room temperature to keep it crisp, ideally consuming within 2-3 weeks.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece (about 15g)
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 35mg
- Fat: 3.5g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 13g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 5mg
