Why I love this peanut brittle recipe
My mom and I had been planning on making Christmas candy the whole time that I’ve been home. Each day we put it off and did other fun stuff like going shopping. Finally, we buckled down and did it.
We made caramels first, and then we decided we had enough energy left to whip up some peanut brittle. Luckily, peanut brittle was much easier than I had imagined, and the final result was so much better than anything you can find in a store.
Looking for more dairy free candy recipes? Try this 3 ingredient, microwave fudge.
More dairy free Christmas recipes: white chocolate peppermint cookies / kitchen sink cookies / baked alaska / no chill sugar cookies / vegan caramel sauce
Ingredients:
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
- Baking soda – This activates the sugar mixture and gives the brittle it’s distinct texture.
- Corn syrup – We used light corn syrup for this recipe. You can technically use dark corn syrup, but keep in mind that it will affect the overall flavor of the recipe.
- Sugar – You cannot cut down on the sugar in peanut brittle. You can’t substitute it with a “healthier” option. This is a candy recipe and it’s supposed to have sugar.
Frequently asked questions
More peanut recipes you will love: Thai peanut noodles / peanut chicken wraps / peanut butter pretzel bites / peanut butter cornflake cookies
Homemade Peanut Brittle Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups salted roasted peanuts
- 2 tablespoons dairy free butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Mise en place. In a small bowl, mix together the baking soda and the salt – set aside. Then, measure out your ingredients ahead of time. Candy making can move quickly so this ensures everything goes smoothly.
- Bring to hard ball. Heat the sugar, water and corn syrup in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until the sugar is completely melted. Then, use a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature and bring the sugar mixture to a boil. Continue boiling until it reaches 265°F (hard ball stage).
- Heat to hard crack. Once the temperature reaches hard ball stage, stir in the peanuts. Add peanuts and continue boiling – stirring frequently until the temperature reaches 305°F (hard crack stage). Immediately remove from heat.
- Add the mix-ins. Carefully stir in butter, vanilla extract and baking soda mixture and stir until combined.
- Spread and crack. Pour evenly onto parchment lined baking sheets and allow to cool for at least 1 hour or until completely set. Crack brittle into desired size.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Recipe adapted from Baked by Rachel.
Juat made this and it did not turn out as I had hoped. I really think it’s user error though. My peanuts scorched while it was coming up to 305. I think either my thermometer is off (it is at least 5 years old) or I used a pot that was too big or possibly both of these things. Also I didn’t get that honeycomb texture because I had to remove it from heat. I don’t know but something went sideways. I am not going to fault this creator though as the flavor is good and when comparing to other recipes the proportions sound correct. I will get a new thermometer and try again. I absolutely love peanut brittle and its so hard find it dairy free.
I’m so sorry your brittle didn’t turn out, but I really appreciate your honesty and not blaming the recipe—it truly means a lot to me. Beyond checking the thermometer, I have two suggestions that might help: First, make sure your baking soda is fresh and still active. I think this is why you didn’t get the honeycomb texture. Second, try using a stainless steel saucepan — thicker cookware, like cast iron or a Dutch oven, can hold heat too long and cause the sugar to keep cooking.
My brittle is on the counter cooling right now but everything worked well and it looks great. I thought it would take a long time to get to temp but it sneaks up on you really fast. I can hardly wait to dig in.
No metric weights? 🙁
No I’m sorry. I don’t have metric measurements for this one, but I’m sure you can easily google the equivalents.