Making my Grandma’s Peanut Brittle is one of my favorite holiday traditions. This classic treat of salty-sweet perfection is surprisingly easy to make.
Grandma’s Peanut Brittle is one of my favorite holiday classics! It’s super fun and easy to make and I love giving it as a gift during the holiday season! Cozying up in the kitchen on a cold wintery night and making this recipe is always super fun!
I have made my grandma’s recipe for peanut brittle for 8 years now, I have yet to find one that is better than hers.
As long as I can remember I’ve had my Grandma’s Peanut Brittle. I have this vivid memory of a Christmas candy tray, stemming back all the way to having Christmas at her house. Now, that was when I was really young because I come from a large Catholic family with my dad having 7 siblings. Naturally, we outgrew my grandparent’s house and rotated it between my aunt’s and uncle’s and on two occasions at my parent’s house. But every year we had the infamous candy tray filled with peanut brittle. My Aunt Patty eventually started to make it as well. But I didn’t want this yummy, tasty tradition to just be left to her. I wanted to make it as well.
I love the coloring of peanut brittle, it screams fall but tastes like Christmas.
I remember when I called my grandma up {she is now 94-years young} and asking her for the recipe. The very first thing she said to me was to make sure I wore very good oven mitts because otherwise I would burn my hands. She also noted that I should use oven mitts that I don’t care about just in case I need to throw them away. Okay, at this point I will be honest I was scared. Scared that I was A – going to massively screw up and B – burn myself. Both ugly situations.
But I let go of the fear and carried on. Went for it and bam it turned out amazing. She was right of course, the first 2 times I made this I got the candy all over the gloves – but now I consider myself a pro.
The hardest part of making Grandma’s Peanut Brittle is letting the candy cook the proper temperature. I am just not patient. I only cook the candy to 280 degrees because I love the color of the brittle at this point, my grandma cooks it until 290. Either way this brittle is the best.
I love the pieces that are packed with peanuts.
My grandma made this peanut brittle recipe up until last year, she said that at 90 it was the only thing she would ever still make, that’s how much my grandma loves us and peanut brittle. The tradition of making peanut brittle in our homes is not so much a tradition anymore, sadly. So today I share my Grandma’s Peanut Brittle recipe in hopes that maybe you will bring back the homemade peanut brittle to your table and to your neighbors.
How do you make Grandma’s Peanut Brittle?
- Butter a large high sided cooking sheet.
- Over medium heat bring to a boil sugar, corn syrup, water, and 2 tablespoons of butter. Using a candy thermometer cook until it reaches 240 degrees. Add Spanish peanuts and cook until the thermometer reaches 290 degrees.
- Note: I like to remove mine around 280-285, this is where I like the coloring and the crunch but my Grandma likes 290.
- Remove from heat and quickly stir in baking soda, salt, and vanilla. Pour immediately into the buttered pan, and tilt the pan so that the brittle covers the entire pan corner to corner. DO NOT use a knife to push it around, your brittle will not look as nice.
How do you store Peanut Brittle?
I’m drooling over this stack of peanut brittle, I can’t wait to make another batch.
I love the holidays because of all the yummy treats made. But my favorite part is making traditional treats for my family and friends that I grew up on.
Here are a few of my holiday favorites that we bundle up together to make the best holiday goodie plate.
What goodies will you be making this holiday season?
Happy Holidays! XOXO San
Don’t forget to pin this recipe for my Grandma’s Peanut Brittle to your favorite Pinterest board for later.
Grandma's Peanut Brittle
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup corn syrup
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons butter + more for pan
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 cup Spanish peanuts
Instructions
- Butter a large high sided cooking sheet.
- Over medium heat bring to a boil sugar, corn syrup, water, and 2 tablespoons of butter. Using a candy thermometer cook until it reaches 240 degrees. Add Spanish peanuts and cook until thermometer reaches 290 degrees.
- Note: I like to remove mine around 280-285, this is where I like the coloring and the crunch but my Grandma likes 290.
- Remove from heat and quickly stir in baking soda, salt, and vanilla. Pour immediately into the buttered pan, and tilt the pan so that the brittle covers the entire pan corner to corner. DO NOT use a knife to push it around, your brittle will not look as nice.
Nutrition
This post has since been updated from November 2013.
Original image is below.
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Wow, looks so delicious! Pinning, so I can make it one day:)
Thanks for sharing at Foodies & Crafties Soirée!
Gosia | Kiddie Foodies
I love peant brittle, but i dont know why i only make this time of year. Thanks for sharing at the create it or bake it, come back tomorrow and link up!
I’ve always wondered about Peanut Brittle. Thanks for sharing! Pinned and featuring at Family Fun Friday. http://www.happyandblessedhome.com/category/family-fun
Monica
What a sweet post! Please thank your Grandma for sharing her special holiday recipe ~ it looks wonderful!!!
My Grandma has passed away, her Peanut Brittle is always in my mind, she left no recipe card, but I do remember making it with her adding the baking soda…and the fizz it would make! I can’t wait to try your recipe! I’m thinking it is the same as Goggy’s! Thanks!
Awe sorry your grandma passed away but what sweet memories. Do you use raw peanuts or regular ?
Super excited about this–I love peanut brittle! (Okay, I love the brittle and I love peanuts…I could honestly eat the brittle by itself, though…and I might just do it!)
Thanks for linking this up to Twirl & Take a Bow, too! 🙂
– Brooke –
You were featured on All Things Christmas! We hope that you will come back and link up again! Check it out at http://craftdictator.com/2013/12/09/all-things-christmas-4/!
I just made this, and already love it. Its going in the family recipe vault. Thanks for sharing!
Bethany that made my night. So happy you like it! xoxo San
The only Spanish peanuts I could find have the skins on them. Do I need to remove the skins or is it alright to leave them on?
I leave them on, I kind of like it like that.
All I can find are cooked Spanish peanuts. Are they supposed to be raw?
We use cooked Spanish peanuts, you’ll be fine using them. Enjoy!
Is there a pecan brittle or walnut brittle? How do you think brittle would taste with different nuts?
I would love to make a pecan brittle. I don’t think you can go wrong with any nut in a brittle. xo San
Awasome recipe the only thing is if you leave it at 290 the peanuts start to burn.
Oh, God, … . … I’m going to try it right now……..I have all the stuff………….I like the little bubbles in it, it manes it so light. Oh well, Here goes……………… Thanks
How did it go?
What did I do wrong, mines want get hard it’s still soft, what I do!
Did you use a candy thermometer?
Not the same Bethany but had the same result. Used a candy thermometer and it never fully set up. Just had to throw it out. I could roll it into a tube because it was so soft. Thermometer actually recommends taking it to 302 so I’m wondering if that’s where it went wrong?
What was your heat on for your burner?
My grandmother just taught me how to make her peanut brittle and I remember her saying that you cook on the stove until it reaches a softball stage which is to drop it in a bowl of water and push down on it to see if it feels like a softball that is when you take it off and put the rest of the ingredients in
Before you do any candy cooking check your thermometer by boiling water and testing to make sure the thermometer reads 212F. If it reads differently you need to add or subtract the degrees from the finished temp. IE therm reads 209 in boiling water you need to cook candy -3 degrees of candy recipe temp.
Scott mine was soft too, it just rolled. I put mine in the freezer, then broke it into big pieces. Then put the pieces in a zip lock to keep it in the freezer. It is way to soft at room temp. The ratios in her recipe did not work for me.
I’ll have to dig through boxes to find my mom’s old recipe. There are many recipes, all very similar. Try a few and you’ll find one that works for you.
Do you use raw or roasted Spanish peanuts? Thank you!
Raw – enjoy! I am making it tomorrow 🙂 San
i dont see peanuts listed in ingredients how much do i add
2 1/2 cups of Spanish peanuts
There are no peanuts listed in the above recipe?
It’s 2 1/2 cups of Spanish peanuts, it is the last ingredient listed. I hope you enjoy! xo San
The peanut brittle looks so good! I love the color so much~ Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Your grandma’s peanut brittle looks great!!!
Thank you!
Amazing recipe! I cannot wait to try this!!
Adding this peanut brittle to our holiday platter! Looks perfect!
So sweet to read about your grandma. I love that she said to use mitts you would throw away. Your grandma’s brittle recipe looks so good!!
Nothing beats homemade peanut brittle especially this time of the year!
I don’t think I ever realized peanut brittle was so easy to make! Thank you for sharing, I will definitely give this a try!
I love trying new peanut brittle to see if I can recreate my grandmothers. She made the best and this one sounds just as good.
Peanut brittle is a staple at our home. I will have to try this recipe and see how it goes.
I really can’t wait to give this a try!
Such a classic holiday treat! A must make for sure!
I love easy to make treats! This is amazing!
Such a tasty holiday treat! And so easy to make!
Ok so I made this tonight and was looking forward to having some BUT mine has not hardened up. Any suggestions as to why it didn’t?
Hi Dawn! I’m sorry it didn’t harden for you. Did you use a candy thermometer to make sure it got to the right temp? You may need to try cooking it to a higher temp, at least 290. We haven’t tested this but you may be able to save your brittle by breaking it up and re-melting it down to the right temp.
My brittle didn’t get brittle. What did I do wrong?
Oh no! I’m sorry it didn’t work out for you. Did you use a candy thermometer? If not, one is definitely recommended for this recipe! If you did use one, try cooking it to a slightly higher temp, like 290. If that didn’t work you can try to save it by reheating it and getting it back up to the temp, but keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t burn! Let us know how it goes!
My peanut brittle didn’t get brittle. Any idea what I might have done wrong
Did you use a candy thermometer to make sure it got to the right temp?
When I added the baking soda, it foamed up. Is that supposed to do that?
It will bubble and sizzle when you add the baking soda, but it should go back down to the normal size. The baking soda is what gives it the light and airy texture! Hope this helps.
This is the only recipe I found on the internet that comes close to my Grandparents recipe, which I thought was a secret lost time. Any peanut brittle recipe that uses a microwave should be considered dog food compared to this recipe. This will be a long post, and I apologize. All throughout my childhood when ever we went to Grandma and Grandpa’s house on the Island they always had warm hugs, cookies and peanut brittle. During High School they moved very close to us so we could help take care of them, which is also the time I learned “The Art” of making peanut brittle from them. Before they passed away they asked me if there was anything of theirs I would like to have and I asked for all their peanut brittle making stuff so I can carry on the tradition with my family. I am still using all of it to this day, including the aluminum pot they bought back in the 1950’s. When I say making peanut brittle is an “Art” I really do mean it, because you have to get the temperatures and timing just right. I’ve only ever given out this recipe to family to keep it a secret, but I agree with you Sandra, that other families should start this tradition as well. Watching his parents make peanut brittle is one of my Dad’s earliest childhood memories.
So here are my recommendations: Do not get cheap ingredients, get good quality because it makes a difference. I don’t think using a non-stick pot is the best choice. Use a thin cookie sheet you can twist and turn once the peanut brittle has cooled, I still use my Grandparents pan and it is not non-stick, because it didn’t exist way back then. Use a metal stirring spoon that has open slots in the spoon part. Only use “raw” Spanish peanuts, they taste horrible raw but get cooked. Use a very good quality candy thermometer, this is a must! The thermometer my Grandparents used no longer had any temperature numbers on the lower half anymore because it had been used so much and only had two scratch marks on it for the peanut brittle temperatures. When I got a good quality thermometer I had to put it in the pot with their old one to even figure out what the temperature actually were. I still have their old one but its bee retired. You also have to always keep stirring, just enough so there doesn’t get any hot spots. If you can’t find raw peanuts in your local grocery store, you can easily get them online from the biggest online seller.
So now on to the recipe: All my ingredients are the same except I do not use 2 TBS of butter, the only butter I use is “stick” butter to butter the cookie sheet. I also add the Salt at the same time I add the Peanuts. The temperatures I use are 250 for when I add the Peanuts and Salt, then 290 when I add the Baking Soda and Vanilla. This next part I’m going to share with you I think is the most important part. You have to find just the right setting for your burner so the timing is almost just right. You might have to make a “throw away” batch or two like I did until you finally get it dialed in. From what I like to call a “cold” start, which is where you have the Pot on the burner (without the burner on yet), with the Sugar, Light Corn Syrup and Water already in the Pot and stirred together, from the moment you turn the burner on, it should take 11 minutes and 30 seconds to reach 250. It doesn’t have to be exactly that time but within 30 seconds before or after that time should be acceptable, but you should strive to get it perfected to get it as close as you can without having to adjust the burner knob during this cooking time. Then after you add the Peanuts and Salt (yes, the temperature on your thermometer will go down a little bit), it should take 5 minutes to reach 290., and constant stirring is off the utmost importance between 250 and 290. Do not let it go beyond 290 or your peanut brittle will be harder, so around 285 like Sandra suggests is a good idea to keep it more on the softer side. Like I said earlier, timing is the most important thing and you might have to adjust your burner setting just a little bit higher after you add the Peanuts and Salt so it doesn’t take to long to reach 290, which is why I think it doesn’t turn out that good for some people. Just to give you an idea, I have a glass stove top and I use the largest burner and set it to just a little past 8, which works for both temperatures, but I’ve used stoves in the past where I had to use 7-1/2 for the first setting, then turn it up to 8 after I added the Peanuts and Salt.
Here is my last two cents: My favorite parts are when it first makes the transformation and starts to boil (don’t freak out when this happens because the bubbles start to get higher and you start to think it will boil over, but just keep stirring and it will go down), and my next favorite part is when you add the Baking Soda and Vanilla because its like you doing a science experiment. Here is a pro tip, have a plate nearby so when the temperature reaches 290, take the thermometer out and place it on the plate, then turn the burner off, then add the Baking Soda and Vanilla (which should already be portioned out and nearby in two separate little dishes), then take the pot off the hot burner and stir like your hair is on fire for around 15 seconds as it turns to the golden brown color, then keep stirring as you pour it onto your butter pan starting from one end to the other evenly. I put two hand towels under the cookie sheet so it doesn’t ruin my counter top, because this is HOT stuff. Then I immediately take this out to the garage and place it on the cool concrete floor, and say “Here kitty, kitty!” like my Grandpa used to say (They never had any cats and only said it as a joke, please don’t write any hate comments). After about 5 minutes I slide the pan over to another cool section. It usually takes around 15-20 minutes for it to cool off enough to start breaking into pieces. You’ll know its done when you can pick up the pan and twist the pan from opposite corners and you can pick it up in one whole piece (if you can’t, then it hasn’t cooled enough or you didn’t use enough butter on your pan). Winter time in the PNW helps keep the garage floor cool, which is maybe why I only make it during this time of year. Bring the pan inside and use a large bowl to break it into pieces over, and its easier to break up if you turn over the whole piece of peanut brittle and break it from the back smooth side, using the bottom side of your fist, and yes little piece will probably end up all over your counter, but I’m sure little fingers will gladly quickly grab them to “help” you clean up 🙂 I know this was very long, but I hope it helps make your tradition and memorable one in a good way. Sandra, I feel like our Grandparents were cut from the same cloth, which I why I felt like sharing this with you and your website will be the only one I ever post this advice on.
I enjoyed reading your very long post and look forward to trying this recipe for the first time with your suggestions!! Thanks for sharing your ideas.
I love peanut brittle and this is awesome!
Thank you!
Brittle is always a fun dessert. This looks absolutely delicious and it’s a fun take-home gift for the holidays.
It is such a wonderful gift to give or receive! Enjoy!
Wow, this does remind me of my grandma’s peanut brittle! Great recipe, made it for our Christmas gathering
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
What a delicious recipe. I have a cashew brittle recipe that I top with sea salt and this is similar. You just can’t go wrong with this for the perfect handmade gift for over the holidays. I absolutely love trying different versions!
Thank you Ali! I love the idea of cashew brittle, and the sea salt on top sounds mouth watering!
Love this recipe! It’s so delicious and easy! I’ll definitely be making again and again!
Thank you so much!
I wanted to give my Dad a wonderful gift last year. He really missed some good old fashion peanut brittle. I used your recipe and he made us veg for some out of his stash. He loved it. Today I will be making another large batch for him. Thank you for helping me bring back some childhood memories for him.
That is a really sweet gift! I’m so glad you were able to do that for him with this recipe. Thank you for sharing.