Old-fashioned peanut brittle is a nostalgic treat for the holiday season! Sweet and salty, it has the perfect shine and snap that will bring back your fondest Christmas memories.
Lightly grease a large baking sheet (13x18”) with butter. If desired, line it with parchment paper and lightly butter the paper. Make sure all of your ingredients are measured out and ready to go before you start.
Combine the sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt in a medium heavy-bottom saucepan with tall sides, then stir to combine. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Clip a candy thermometer on the side of the pot (make sure it doesn’t touch the bottom the bottom of the pot).
Allow the mixture to boil, gently stirring occasionally, until it reaches 250°F, 6 to 10 minutes.
Once the mixture comes to temp, add the butter and continuously stir until melted. Let the mixture come back to a boil.
Once the mixture reaches 280°F, stir in the peanuts. Cook, stirring constantly, until the thermometer reads 305°F.
Remove from heat, and stir in the vanilla and baking soda. (The mixture will bubble up quite a bit, so don’t be alarmed.) Immediately dump the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and quickly spread it out using a spatula. Your brittle should be thinner than the peanuts embedded in it.
Allow the brittle to cool completely before breaking into pieces.
Notes
Watch out for humidity. Humidity ruins candy. I like to make a batch during a drier day, so that my kitchen is a low-humidity environment.
Mise en place. I cannot stress the importance of having all your ingredients and equipment prepped and ready before you start working on this recipe for peanut brittle. Once it starts boiling, the brittle progresses rapidly, and there’s no time to dig around your pantry for baking soda or line the baking sheet.
Use a wooden spoon or silicone spatula. Wooden spoons and silicone utensils can withstand high temperatures. Plastic utensils may melt and metal will become much too hot to handle.
A heavy saucepan will keep the candy from burning on the bottom. A thin pot will not insulate it well enough from the heat and may burn easily during the cooking process.
Stick with corn syrup. I do not recommend switching corn syrup out for agave syrup, molasses, or honey. The texture and taste will be very different.
Use a candy thermometer. Trying to make this homemade candy without a candy thermometer can make the process needlessly stressful. The inexpensive little tool takes away any guesswork regarding the proper temperature of the candy.
Be careful. When pouring the hot caramel and peanut mixture into the baking sheet, there is a burn risk due to splashing. Work quickly, but be mindful! I recommend wearing oven mitts to protect your hands from any splatters.
To enhance the sweet-salty flavor. Sprinkle the brittle with flaky sea salt after you spread it out but before it hardens.