Sweet and buttery this homemade peanut brittle is the best with all the taste of the traditional hard candy recipe with a touch of maple flavor. A classic for holiday cookie trays and gift giving to friends and family!
Old-fashioned homemade candy recipes are so fun to make from scratch! A few other favorites include rocky road candy, buckeyes and this hard candy recipe.
Table of Contents
Easy Homemade Candy
Peanut brittle is one of my favorite Christmas treats. It’s an easy homemade candy, sweet, salty and has such delicious flavor. I also love Christmas crack toffee, microwave fudge and peppermint bark.
No holiday dessert platter is complete without homemade Christmas cookies and treats, including this peanut brittle recipe. It’s sweet, salty and full of delicious maple flavor. Plus, it requires only 6 simple ingredients and comes together in just 25 minutes.
We love to double the batch and gift one half and save the other. It’s always gone so fast in our house and is such a delicacy!
Key Ingredients
It only takes 6 ingredients to make this incredibly impressive peanut brittle. Once you make this homemade version, you will never purchase it again.
Scroll down for the full recipe with measurements.
- Sugar: The sugar is the base of the candy and adds the perfect flavor.
- Light corn syrup: This helps create a smooth and creamy texture.
- Peanuts: I prefer Spanish peanuts because they are my favorite, but salted peanuts work just as well.
- Maple or vanilla extract: This peanut brittle uses maple extract for the flavoring, which can be found at almost any grocery store. You could also substitute with vanilla.
- Baking soda: This is what gives the brittle a light and airy texture. Don’t skip it!
Variations
- Nuts: Mix it up with your favorite type. I love almonds, cashews, pecans, or pistachios.
- Spice: Cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice work well, or try it with a little chili powder if you like a little bit of heat.
How to Make Homemade Peanut Brittle
A candy thermometer is key to getting the right consistency for this brittle.
- Line pan. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Boil. Add sugar, light corn syrup and water to a pot and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until boiling.
- Stir. When mixture is boiling, stop stirring and allow to continue boiling. Add candy thermometer to mixture and keep an eye on it until it reaches 2260°F. Once it reaches 260°F, stir in the peanuts and let the mixture cook until it reaches 300°F.
- Flavor. Once it reaches 300°F, remove pot from burner and quickly stir in the butter, maple extract, and baking soda.
- Pour. Pour mixture out onto baking sheet and spread as thin as you can get.
- Cool. Let cool, then snap into pieces.
Expert Tips
- When making the brittle, be sure to use a good candy thermometer.
- Have all of the ingredients ready ahead of time. Once the right temp is reached, you want to quickly throw them in and work fast!
- Don’t try to lick any dropped sugar! I’ve learned my lesson…you’re boiling at a high heat and it’s REALLY hot.
- Line your baking sheet with a Silpat mat or parchment paper. This will prevent the candy from sticking!
- To gift, wrap in cellophane and tie with a bow. Don’t forget to add a personalized Christmas tag!
Recipe FAQs
This is most likely because the sugar mixture didn’t reach the hard crack stage of 300°F. Be sure to use a candy thermometer (that has been calibrated) to make this recipe. Brittle that doesn’t harden can also be caused from too much humidity. Try to make this recipe on a drier day.
If you didn’t add fresh baking soda, of you over worked the candy when spreading out, you may not have enough bubbles in the brittle (which help make it lighter).
It can be a bit messy to make hard candy, so I like to add water to any pots and bring to a boil. This will help melt the sugar and make clean-up a lot easier.
Of course! Simply add a pinch of salt to the recipe to really elevate the flavors.
You can store at room temperature in a covered container for 6 weeks. You can also place in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Storing + Freezing
Store. Once it’s completely cooled, wrap tightly and store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 8 weeks. If stored in the fridge, the brittle might become soft. Store for 6-8 weeks.
Freeze. Place in a freezer-safe container in the freezer up to 3 months.
Craving more candy recipes? Try homemade toffee, divinity candy, peanut butter fudge, or chocolate turtles.
More Peanut Recipes
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Peanut Brittle
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- ¼ cup water
- 1 cup Spanish peanuts , or salted peanuts
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter , softened
- 1 teaspoon maple extract , or vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Grease a large rimmed baking sheet and line with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Measure all ingredients before starting the recipe. It comes together quickly.
- In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, add the sugar, corn syrup, and water. Stirring constantly, cook over medium heat 5 minutes, or until the mixture comes to a gentle boil.
- Remove the pot from the stove immediately and quickly stir in the butter, maple extract, and baking soda.
- Immediately pour the mixture onto the lined baking sheet and spread into an even layer with a rubber spatula.
- Let cool completely. Snap or use a mallet to break into pieces.
Notes
- Nuts: Mix it up with your favorite type. I love almonds, cashews, or pistachios.
- Spice: Cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice work well, or try it with a little chili powder if you like a little bit of heat.
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: American, Candy + Fudge, Christmas, Desserts, Freezer-Friendly, Gluten-Free, No-Bake, Stovetop, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is also the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook. Here you will find easy family-friendly recipes for every occasion.
My kids love helping me make this stuff! I love the maple flavor! This will make a great gift!!
It does make the perfect gift!
New favorite! My family can’t get enough of these beautiful homemade peanut brittles. They’re so flavorful and we love the touch of maple. Highly recommended!
I’m so glad to hear! Thanks for your review Sharina!
I dont think I knew it was this easy to make this dish, thank you so much for sharing this candy recipe!
Oh I’m drooling. I love maple butter anything. lol
I’ve actually never made peanut brittle before. Thanks for a great recipe, will definitely try it soon.
We adore this recipe. I love love love the maple. So good!
My dad requests peanut brittle every Christmas season but I’ve never tried it with Maple Extract! So yummy and delicious!
Hope you enjoy! :)
The flavor of maple is great in the peanut brittle. Thanks for the recipe!
I always love to try recipes with Peanut.
Going to try it soon and hope it will be yummy.
Thanks for the awesome recipe.
Hope you enjoy! :)
I just finished watching this great video and found so many creative tips and ideas on design. Thanks for sharing that was a great idea.
Peanut brittle is a favorite of mine. This is a great recipe. I will have to try it. Thanks for sharing.
Hope you enjoy! :)