Classic Peanut Brittle

12 servings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Cooling Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Peanut Brittle is the PERFECT party dessert, made with butter, peanuts, and corn syrup, it’s sweet, crunchy, and ready in under 60 minutes!

Homemade candy isn’t as intimidating as it sounds, in fact you’ll love making easy homemade dessert gifts including these Chocolate Truffles, Chocolate Fudge, Buckeye Balls and Oreo Balls.

Peanut Brittle

PEANUT BRITTLE

Peanut Brittle is a go-to holiday party dessert, because it’s incredibly EASY to make, and a classic recipe that everybody loves. You can also give brittle out as party gifts by wrapping it in plastic with a ribbon.

Plus it’s kid friendly, because they love helping to decorate the brittle, and breaking it into pieces after it sets. You can make this brittle with almonds, pecans, or walnuts instead of peanuts. You can also add any toppings you’d like, like chocolate chips, or a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar.

Classic Peanut Brittle Collage of prep steps

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT PEANUT BRITTLE

Why do you put baking soda in peanut brittle?

Baking soda helps give the brittle a lighter texture, keeping it from turning out too dense.

How long does brittle take to harden?

Peanut brittle can take 20-30 minutes to harden fully. Leave it alone on the counter, there is no need to refrigerate to set it.

What flavorings can be used in Peanut Brittle?

You can add a splash of vanilla extract or almond extract to add extra flavor to this peanut brittle.

Can you use alcohol in Peanut Brittle?

For an adult peanut brittle recipe, add a splash of rum or bourbon to the hot sugar!

Should I use salted or unsalted butter for Peanut Brittle?

Always use unsalted butter for all recipes so you can control the amount of salt that goes into a recipe. Keep in mind that the flavor will be different if you use salted.

Classic Peanut Brittle Collage

MORE EASY DESSERT RECIPES

Classic Peanut Brittle in red gift box

TIPS FOR MAKING PEANUT BRITTLE

  • If your peanut brittle didn’t set right, it’s most likely because you removed it from the heat too soon. Try cooking it for longer and trying again, or starting over using a timer. Your candy thermometer has to read 305 degrees before it’ll be ready to take off of the heat, because that’s when the sugar reaches the hard crack stage.
  • Prep your ingredients ahead of time and have them next to the pan. This peanut brittle recipe depends on reaching specific temperatures (this is why a candy thermometer is so important to use, do not eyeball it), so it’s important to move fast once you reach it.
  • I like to use a dutch oven for this recipe but you can use a large saucepan if that’s what you have.
  • Once you pour it onto the baking sheet, try topping your brittle with extra peanuts (or chopped peanuts), marshmallows, coconut flakes, candies, drizzled peanut butter, caramel sauce, or pecans.
  • Once the brittle has cooled (do not rush this step), break it with your hands by bending it slightly. If you’re having trouble, you can use a kitchen hammer or other heavy tool to lightly tap the brittle until it breaks into pieces.
  • We’re greasing the baking sheets, but I want to stress that you should also line them with parchment paper (THESE are a lifesaver). This peanut brittle recipe is very sticky when it’s warm, and this helps to ensure that the sticky brittle will come off the pan completely.
  • Usually I would advise you not to stir the sugar too much to avoid it from becoming grainy, but the corn syrup actually helps keep the sugar smooth and helps it set properly, so stirring it while it’s cooking should not ruin your brittle.
  • Be very careful when boiling the sugar for this brittle, as it is VERY hot and can burn if it gets on your skin. I do NOT recommend having the kids help with this part, only adults!

HOW TO STORE PEANUT BRITTLE

  • Serve: Peanut brittle can remain at room temperature for serving.
  • Store: After you break it, peanut brittle will last several weeks at room temperature stored in an airtight container. Store it with a piece of parchment paper between each layer, to keep the brittle from sticking together. Don’t store your brittle in the refrigerator or it won’t stay crunchy.
  • Freeze: Peanut brittle will last frozen, stored in an airtight container, for several months. This is a great way to make peanut brittle ahead of time for the holidays and keep it until you’re ready! Defrost on the counter several hours before you’re ready to serve it.
Classic Peanut Brittle in red gift box with bowl of peanuts

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Peanut Brittle

Peanut Brittle is the PERFECT party dessert, made with butter, peanuts, and corn syrup, it’s sweet, crunchy, and ready in under 60 minutes!
Yield 12 servings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Author Sabrina Snyder

Ingredients
 

Instructions

  • Spray 2 medium (15×10) baking sheets with vegetable oil and line with a parchment paper.
  • Add the sugar, corn syrup and water in a large dutch oven on medium heat and bring to a rolling boil, stirring until the sugar is fully dissolved (5-8 minutes).
  • Add the butter, stirring occasionally until it reaches 280 degrees on a candy thermometer (15-18 minutes).
  • Add in the peanuts, stirring nonstop for another 8-10 minutes until it reaches 305 degrees, turn off the heat and mix in the baking soda and immediately pour onto the baking sheets to cool completely.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 487kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 113mg | Potassium: 164mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 56g | Vitamin A: 475IU | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 0.6mg
Keyword: peanut brittle
Classic Peanut Brittle Collage

Photos used in a previous version of this post.

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About the Author: Sabrina Snyder

Sabrina is a professionally trained Private Chef of over 10 years with ServSafe Manager certification in food safety. She creates all the recipes here on Dinner, then Dessert, fueled in no small part by her love for bacon.

Sabrina Snyder is a professionally trained personal and private chef of over 10 years who is the creator and developer of all the recipes on Dinner, then Dessert.

She is also the author of the cookbook Dinner, then Dessert – Satisfying Meals Using Only 3, 5 or 7 Ingredients, published by Harper Collins.

She started Dinner, then Dessert as a business in her office as a lunch service for her coworkers who admired her lunches before going to culinary school and becoming a full time personal chef and private chef.

As a personal chef Sabrina would cook for families one day a week and cook their entire week of dinners. All grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning was done along with instructions on reheating. As a private chef she cooked for private parties and cooked in family homes in the evenings for families on a nightly basis after working as a personal chef during the day.

Sabrina has been certified as a ServSafe Manager since 2007 and was a longstanding member of the USPCA Personal Chef Association including being on the board of the Washington DC Chapter of Chefs in the US Personal Chef Association when they won Chapter of the year.

As a member of the community of food website creators Sabrina Snyder has spoken at many conferences regarding her experiences as a food writer including the Indulge Food Conference, Everything Food Conference, Haven Food Conference and IACP Annual Food Professionals Conference.

Sabrina lives with her family in sunny California.

Dinner, then Dessert, Inc. owns the copyright on all images and text and does not allow for its original recipes and pictures to be reproduced anywhere other than at this site unless authorization is given. If you enjoyed the recipe and would like to publish it on your own site, please re-write it in your own words, and link back to my site and recipe page. Read my disclosure and copyright policy. This post may contain affiliate links.

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Comments

  1. Hi can I omit the baking soda,if I do will it still be crunchy,I don’t like the soft peanut it’s to chewy,I love the crunchy peanut brittle,I cannot wait to try it,I made fudge for the first time and it was delicious the flakey fudge not the chewy one,yummy,xxx

    1. The baking soda will release small bubbles in the brittle that gives the peanut brittle its signature crunch, without it the brittle might be too dense. Hope that helps!

  2. Absolutely fantastic recipe. I used a mixture of Deluxe Roasted Salted Nuts. I simply omitted the salt from the recipe.

  3. So glad to get this recipe…. my Dad made the best peanut brittle in the country and made it very often. He is gone now and I am disappointed I did not get his recipe before he passed. The only thing missing now is popcorn balls…. he also made very tasty popcorn balls…. I kick myself!

    1. I used roasted unsalted peanuts. If you click on the green link in the recipe card for peanuts, it’ll take you directly to the ones that I used. I hope you enjoy it!

  4. Loved this peanut brittle recipe. It is perfect! All the step-by-step instructions are very helpful. Thank you!

  5. I do love me some peanut brittle! This recipe looks so tasty and easy, will be trying it the next time I get a craving for sure!

  6. This is such a great recipe! I was always kind of afraid to try peanut brittle, but it wasn’t a huge deal at all and it was so tasty! Everyone loved it, thanks!

  7. This peanut brittle looks absolutely perfect! Crispy crunchy! I have only made brittle once, and you are right, it is super easy. I can’t wait to try your recipe! Thanks for sharing!