Old Fashioned Peanut Brittle: Easy Homemade Holiday Candy

Name: Peanut Brittle
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 55 min
Ingredients: 2 cups granulated sugar; ½ cup light corn syrup; ½ cup dark corn syrup; ½ cup water; ¼ teaspoon kosher salt; 1 cup unsalted butter; 3 cups dry roasted salted peanuts or Spanish peanuts; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 1 teaspoon baking soda

By:

Ruby Bennett

Published:

October 19, 2026

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Peanut brittle has a way of showing up right when the holidays need it most. This old fashioned version is inspired by Grandma Gusty, who made peanut brittle for the holidays, packed it into old coffee tins, and kept it hidden until it was time to enjoy it.

That is why a single piece tastes like a small secret worth waiting for. The finished candy is crisp and crunchy, sweet and salty, and full of roasted peanut flavor in every shard.

Because it is a stovetop candy, a thermometer does most of the worrying for you. Follow the temperatures closely and you will get brittle that snaps cleanly instead of clinging to your teeth.

What is Peanut Brittle

Peanut brittle is an old fashioned hard candy made from boiled and hardened sugar and roasted peanuts. You cook it on the stovetop, pour it into a thin layer on a baking sheet the way you would pour toffee, let it harden, and then break it into pieces.

Nothing about it is fussy once the sugar is under control, and that is a big part of its charm.

The flavor lands right between dessert and snack. It is sweet and crunchy, nutty and just a little salty, with a texture that crackles instead of fighting your teeth. Serve it on a holiday cookie tray, tuck it into small gift bags, or keep a tin on the counter for anyone who wanders through the kitchen.

Jump to:

What is Peanut Brittle
Ingredients in Peanut Brittle
How to Make Peanut Brittle
Importance of Baking Soda
Expert Tips from Grandma Gusty
How to Store Peanut Brittle
FAQs
What kind of peanuts are best for peanut brittle?
Why is my peanut brittle not hard?
Why add baking soda to peanut brittle?
Can you freeze peanut brittle?
Peanut Brittle
Ingredients
Instructions
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Nutrition
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Ingredients in Peanut Brittle

One batch makes about 2 1/4 pounds of candy, which is plenty for a cookie platter plus a few small gifts. Here is what goes into the pan and what each ingredient is doing.

Ingredient	Amount	What it does
Granulated sugar	2 cups (400g)	The base of the candy
Light corn syrup	1/2 cup (165g)	Called for alongside the dark corn syrup; all light corn syrup can be used in a pinch
Dark corn syrup	1/2 cup (165g)	Paired with the light corn syrup in this recipe
Water	1/2 cup	Helps the sugar dissolve as the mixture starts to cook
Kosher salt	1/4 teaspoon, plus more for finishing	Balances the sweetness and enhances the peanut flavor
Unsalted butter	1 cup (226g), plus more for greasing pans	Gives you control over the seasoning
Dry roasted salted peanuts or Spanish peanuts	3 cups (410g)	Spanish peanuts with red skins are the most traditional
Pure vanilla extract	1 teaspoon	Adds flavor and helps create bubbles
Baking soda	1 teaspoon	Gives the brittle lift and airiness so it is not too hard

Granulated sugar is the base of the candy, and 2 cups (400g) is the full amount for one batch. Light and dark corn syrup are both called for at 1/2 cup (165g) each.

If you are out of dark corn syrup, all light corn syrup can be used in a pinch. Kosher salt goes into the pan at 1/4 teaspoon, with more set aside for finishing. It balances the sweetness and pushes the peanut flavor forward.

Unsalted butter is the better choice here because it gives you control over the seasoning. One cup (226g) goes into the pan, and you will want extra butter for greasing the baking sheets. If you only have salted butter on hand, use it and pull back slightly on the added salt.

For the peanuts, you need 3 cups (410g) of dry roasted salted peanuts or Spanish peanuts. Spanish peanuts with their red skins left on are the most traditional choice for real old fashioned peanut brittle.

Dry roasted salted peanuts work beautifully too, as long as the ingredient list stays simple: peanuts, salt, and possibly oil. Skip any can or bag that lists garlic or onion powder, since those flavors have no place in candy.

Pure vanilla extract at 1 teaspoon adds flavor and helps create bubbles in the hot sugar. Baking soda at 1 teaspoon is the quiet hero of the recipe. Added at the very end, it gives the brittle lift and airiness so the candy stays crisp instead of turning into a rock hard slab.

Peanut Brittle, Ingredients in Peanut Brittle

How to Make Peanut Brittle

Prep takes about 10 minutes, cooking takes about 45 minutes, and cooling takes about 1 hour, for a total of roughly 1 hour 55 minutes. Read through the steps once before you start, because the last few minutes move fast.

Generously coat a half sheet pan, or two quarter sheet pans, with butter. Nonstick baking spray can also be used, but the pans must be well coated so the brittle does not stick.
Secure a candy thermometer to the inside of a saucepan. Combine 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar, 1/2 cup (165g) light corn syrup, 1/2 cup (165g) dark corn syrup, 1/2 cup water, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved, 3 to 5 minutes.
Bring the mixture to a boil, which takes 5 to 8 minutes. Add 1 cup (226g) butter and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture reaches 280F (138C), the soft crack stage, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Stir in 3 cups (410g) peanuts and continue cooking until the mixture reaches 305F (151C), the hard crack stage, about 10 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 teaspoon baking soda and mix quickly. The mixture will foam, which is expected.
Immediately pour the hot brittle onto the greased baking sheets, dividing evenly, then smooth it into an even layer with a greased rubber spatula.
Sprinkle the surface lightly with additional kosher salt.
Let it cool completely. To crack the brittle, drop the baking sheet onto the counter to loosen it, flip the sheet over, dump the brittle out, and break it into smaller pieces.

Keep a greased rubber spatula within reach before you add the baking soda. Once the mixture foams, you have only seconds to pour it onto the pans.

The temperature window is the one place where this recipe is strict. Below 305F (151C), the brittle turns out chewy. Above 305F (151C), it tastes burnt and sets up overly hard. A candy thermometer clipped to the saucepan takes the guesswork out of both stages, so trust the reading rather than the clock.

Pan size matters more than it sounds. A half sheet pan measures 18 by 13 inches, a quarter sheet pan measures 13 by 9 inches, and a full sheet pan measures 26 by 18 inches.

For a thinner brittle, butter two half sheet pans instead of one, divide the mixture between them, and stretch the edges by lifting and pulling with forks.

Importance of Baking Soda

Baking soda is the ingredient that separates crisp, airy peanut brittle from a hard, glassy slab. It goes in at the very end of cooking, right after the pan comes off the heat, and it makes the mixture foam up immediately. That foam is not a problem. It is exactly what should happen.

As the candy hardens, those bubbles become tiny air pockets scattered throughout the brittle. The result is a lighter, crunchy, crisp texture that breaks apart easily instead of fighting back. If you have ever wondered why old fashioned peanut brittle has that delicate snap, baking soda is the answer.

Peanut Brittle, Importance of Baking Soda

Expert Tips from Grandma Gusty

Use Spanish peanuts for true old fashioned peanut brittle. They are the traditional pick and are usually stocked in stores around the holidays, so it pays to grab a bag when you see them. If they are nowhere to be found, dry roasted salted peanuts are a fine stand in.

Butter the baking sheets very well. This is the tip that saves an entire batch, because a well buttered pan lets the brittle release in one clean piece instead of cracking apart while it is still stuck to the sheet.

Sprinkle additional kosher salt over the top right after you pour the candy onto the sheets. The surface is still hot and sticky at that point, so the flakes cling and give every bite that sweet and salty finish.

If peanut butter desserts are your kind of holiday baking, these Homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter Eggs and this Chocolate Peanut Butter Lasagna keep good company on a dessert table next to a tin of brittle.

Peanut Brittle, Expert Tips from Grandma Gusty

How to Store Peanut Brittle

Store peanut brittle in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one month. For longer storage, keep that sealed container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Before eating frozen brittle, let it sit out at room temperature for a while so it is pleasant to bite into.

Moisture is the enemy of crisp candy. Keep the container sealed, keep it away from steam, and avoid storing it anywhere damp.

If you are packing brittle as a gift, a tin lined with parchment holds up better than a thin plastic bag, and an old coffee tin is a fitting nod to the way this candy has always been shared.

This recipe is adapted from the original peanut brittle recipe at Zestful Kitchen, which uses the same stovetop method, the same temperatures, and the same ingredient amounts.

FAQs

What kind of peanuts are best for peanut brittle?

Spanish peanuts are the most traditional choice for old-fashioned peanut brittle, and their red skins should be left on. Dry-roasted salted peanuts also work well if they list only peanuts, salt, and possibly oil as ingredients. Avoid peanuts seasoned with garlic or onion powder because those flavors will carry into the candy.

Why is my peanut brittle not hard?

Peanut brittle that turns out chewy or soft is usually undercooked and did not reach the hard crack stage. Cook the mixture to 305°F (151°C) on a candy thermometer, which takes about 10 minutes after adding the peanuts. Cooking above 305°F can make the brittle taste burnt and overly hard.

Why add baking soda to peanut brittle?

Baking soda is added at the end of cooking to create tiny air pockets throughout the candy, which makes the brittle light, crunchy, and easy to bite instead of dense and very hard. Stir in 1 teaspoon baking soda with 1 teaspoon vanilla immediately after removing the pan from the heat. The foaming that follows is normal and means the brittle will have the right texture.

Can you freeze peanut brittle?

Yes, peanut brittle freezes well for longer storage. Keep it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months, or store it at room temperature for up to one month. Let the brittle sit at room temperature before eating and keep it away from moisture to preserve its crunch.