Southern Soul Food Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Peanut Brittle
Crunchy, sweet, and salty caramelized sugar candy with peanuts.
Contains common allergens
In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.
Good to know
- Ready in under 30 minutes
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: 30-minute meals
Instructions
6 steps- 1
Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat and have all ingredients measured and ready, since the last steps move quickly.
- 2
Combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a heavy saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- 3
Once boiling, stop stirring and add the peanuts; cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches a deep amber color and a candy thermometer reads 300 F (150 C), the hard-crack stage.
- 4
Remove from heat immediately and quickly stir in the butter, baking soda, and salt; the mixture will foam up.
- 5
Pour immediately onto the prepared baking sheet and spread thin with a spatula before it sets.
- 6
Let cool completely, about 30 minutes, then break into pieces.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
78/100
Good fit for most families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving430
Calories
10 g
Protein
59 g
Carbs
20 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Peanut brittle is a fixture of Southern holiday candy-making, where the peanut's prominence in the South made it the natural nut to suspend in hard caramel. The baking-soda trick that gives the candy its airy, snappable texture became standard in American kitchens by the late nineteenth century, turning a simple sugar candy into the lacy brittle people break into shards.
Listahan note
This version cooks the sugar and corn syrup all the way to the hard-crack stage before the peanuts go in, which is what guarantees the brittle sets glassy and snaps cleanly instead of staying chewy.
Technique cues
- Hard-crack stage is 300 to 310 degrees Fahrenheit; a candy thermometer matters here because even ten degrees short leaves the brittle tacky rather than snappable.
- Stirring in baking soda at the end creates carbon dioxide bubbles that aerate the molten sugar, which is what makes the cooled brittle light and easy to break.
- The pan and any tools must be ready before you start because hard-crack syrup sets within seconds of pouring and cannot be reworked once it firms.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Grease the pan and pre-measure the baking soda and butter before the syrup ever comes to a boil.
- Make-ahead
- Brittle keeps for weeks, so make it well ahead and store it for gifting or snacking.
- Leftover move
- Crush brittle shards and fold them into vanilla ice cream or sprinkle over brownies.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Fill the sticky syrup pot with water and boil it on the stove to dissolve the hardened sugar off the sides.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
Sugar
Candy base
Purpose: It caramelizes into the hard, glassy matrix that holds the peanuts and gives brittle its crack.
Handling: Measure precisely, since the sugar-to-syrup ratio controls how cleanly the candy sets.
Adaptation: No real substitute; honey or maple browns too fast and will not reach hard crack reliably.
Corn syrup
Anti-crystallizer
Purpose: It interferes with sugar crystals forming, keeping the brittle smooth and glassy instead of grainy.
Handling: Combine it with the sugar from the start so it works through the whole cook.
Adaptation: Glucose syrup behaves the same; without an invert syrup the candy can turn sandy.
Peanuts
Suspended nut
Purpose: Their roasted crunch and flavor are the whole point, suspended evenly through the candy.
Handling: Use raw or lightly roasted peanuts and warm them so they do not cool the syrup when added.
Adaptation: Cashews or pecans work but toast at different rates and change the classic flavor.
Baking soda
Aerator
Purpose: It foams the hot syrup so the finished brittle is light and porous rather than dense glass.
Handling: Measure it ahead and have it at the ready since it goes in fast at the end.
Adaptation: There is no clean substitute; omitting it gives a harder, denser, tooth-cracking brittle.
Butter
Fat and flavor
Purpose: It enriches the candy and helps it release from the pan while adding a faint toffee note.
Handling: Add it near the end so the milk solids do not scorch during the long high-temperature cook.
Adaptation: Neutral oil greases the pan but loses the toffee richness.
Technique notes
- Clip the thermometer to the side without touching the pan bottom, so it reads the syrup and not the hot metal.
- Work fast once the baking soda foams: stir, pour, and spread in one continuous motion before the candy sets.
- Stretch the poured brittle thin with the back of a buttered spoon for the lacy, easy-snapping texture.
Ingredient swaps
- Peanut-free direction
- Replace the peanuts with toasted pumpkin seeds or sesame seeds for a brittle made without peanuts, though the flavor shifts away from classic.
- Dairy-free direction
- Swap the butter for a neutral oil or vegan butter; the brittle sets the same but loses a little toffee depth.
Serve alongside
- A board of holiday cookies
- Cubes of sharp cheddar
- Fresh apple slices
- Salted dark chocolate squares
- Hot black coffee
- Spiced apple cider
- Cold whole milk
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks; refrigeration adds humidity that makes brittle sticky.
- No reheating; brittle is eaten at room temperature and softens if warmed.
- Freeze well-wrapped up to 3 months and thaw sealed so condensation does not form on the surface.
Equipment
- Heavy saucepan
- Candy thermometer
- Silicone spatula or buttered wooden spoon
- Parchment-lined or greased sheet pan
Make this household-aware
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Plan it in Listahan
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