World's Best Peanut Brittle - The Most Requested Holiday Treat & Makes Wonderful Gifts. (2024)

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This easy Homemade Peanut Brittle Recipe is a classic holiday hard candy that is perfect for gift-giving. Whip up a batch of this old-fashioned Peanut Brittle and enjoy the buttery, sweet, peanut-filled crunchy candy.

Homemade Peanut Brittle

There is no need to buy store-bought peanut brittle when you can make it fresh at home with this wonderful Homemade Peanut Brittle Recipe. It’s a really inexpensive recipe and fairly easy to make on a chilly afternoon. We break the brittle up and fill a big jar to have on the table for people to grab a sweet treat any time during the Christmas season.

Christmas and candy just go together! Check out these delicious candy and candy-inspired recipes to sweeten your holidays: 4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Balls | Old Fashioned Divinity Candy | Potato Candy Recipe Easy Crockpot Candy Recipe | Candy Cane Oreo Fudge | Best Toffee Recipe | Chocolate Coconut Balls

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here’s what you’ll need to make the Homemade Peanut Brittle Recipe (the exact measurements and full recipe instructions are below in the easy to print recipe card). Be sure you have a candy thermometer on hand too! This is essential for making this candy.

• Granulated sugar– the sugar is the base of this candy and melts into the water and corn syrup as you cook the mixture.
• Light corn syrup– corn syrup is important to the texture of the peanut brittle candy.
• Water– we used tap water, which works well. But you can use filtered water if you prefer.
• Salt– regular kosher salt is just right for this recipe.
• Butter– use salted butter, or use unsalted butter and add an extra 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the candy mixture.
• Dry roasted peanuts– we like unsalted dry roasted peanuts for the peanut brittle.
• Baking soda– the baking soda will be added at the end of the cooking of the candy and will cause the mixture to foam up and gives the peanut brittle the familiar crunchy texture.

How to Make Peanut Brittle

• Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat and set aside.
• In a large saucepan, add the sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt. Attach a candy thermometer to the pot.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved, and the mixture comes to a boil. At this point, the candy will look clear and bubbly.
• Once the sugar mixture is boiling, very carefully add the butter to the pot. Continue to cook, stirring often, until a candy thermometer registers 280F degrees, which should take about 15 minutes. You will notice the candy darkening a bit to a light golden caramel color.

• Add the peanuts to the candy mixture and cook for an additional 10 minutes, stirring very frequently, until a candy thermometer registers 305F degrees. The peanut brittle will now be a deep golden brown.
• Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the baking soda which will cause the candy to foam up.

• Pour the peanut brittle evenly onto the prepared baking sheet pan. Spread out in a thin layer about 1/4-inch thick.
• Let the homemade peanut brittle cool completely to room temperature.

• Break the brittle into small pieces with your hands or a small wooden mallet.

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