Crunchy Homemade Peanut Brittle
There's nothing as satisfying as a large batch of Crunchy Homemade Peanut Brittle. This is one of the best homemade candy recipes simply because it's such a classic dessert! Salty Spanish peanuts are surrounded by a super crunchy and sweet brown sugar mixture to create a dessert that's almost impossible to stop eating. While you need to pay close attention to what you're doing while you're making the peanut brittle, it's a relatively easy candy recipe to whip up. Plus, once the brittle has hardened, it's a lot of fun to crack apart. While this sweet makes for the perfect Christmas dessert (as well as a really festive edible Christmas gift), it tastes just as wonderful during every other month of the year.
Notes
Measure out all of the ingredients first. This is crucial as you won't have time to measure things as you go along. This recipe requires that you work quickly when the candy is ready.
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup salted Spanish peanuts
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Butter for greasing the pan
- Candy thermometer
Instructions
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Grease a cookie sheet with butter and set aside.
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In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, salt and water. Bring to a boil over MEDIUM heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved, about 10 minutes.
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Stir in peanuts. Continue cooking, stirring frequently so the peanuts move around (they can brown too much if they sit at the bottom of the pan), until temperature on the candy thermometer reaches 300 degrees (hard-crack stage).
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Remove from heat and stir in the butter. Add baking soda and stir, then immediately pour onto prepared cookie sheet. Spread with rubber spatula.
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Allow candy to cool completely then break into pieces.