Extra Buttery Peanut Brittle
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Peanut Brittle is a holiday classic but it’s made even better when you add extra butter to the recipe. Making Peanut Brittle can be a daunting task but follow these keys to success and you’ll pull it off every single time!
Table of contents
Peanut Brittle may seem like a difficult recipe to get right but it’s really easy if you have a good candy thermometer and this great recipe.
🔑 Key to Success #1 – More Butter = Better
I don’t call this Buttery Peanut Brittle for nothing.
This Peanut Brittle recipe calls for a full cup of butter.
That’s much more than most Peanut Brittle recipes that you’ll find out there, but the extra butter is so worth it.
In addition, you’ll also butter the baking sheet just to make sure you’ve got every square inch covered.
I’m kidding. That’s not the reason, but it definitely could be!
🔑 Key to Success #2 – The Magic Temperature
When cooking Peanut Brittle, you want it to get to the hard crack stage.
For the perfect Peanut Brittle texture, I suggest cooking to exactly 305 degrees F. Exactly. That’s the magic number.
As you’re getting close to the temperature, watch your thermometer very carefully because the temperature can change very quickly at the end.
And keep stirring, even around your candy thermometer.
Use a heat-proof pad to move the thermometer out of the way for a moment so that you can stir then move it right back into place.
As you get close to the magic temperature, the mixture will begin to darken.
This is okay. Just keep stirring vigorously so that your syrup will not burn.
🔑 Key to Success #3 – Stir … but not too well
This is perhaps the best tip I have for Peanut Brittle.
Once you take your Peanut Brittle mixture off the stove and add in the baking soda, mix it well but not too well.
Just give it a quick stir to make sure the baking soda is mixed in well.
Then just pour it out into our prepared pans.
When you do this, the Peanut Brittle mixture will continue to expand just a bit and it’ll form all these tiny little air pockets that will make your Peanut Brittle so tender and almost flaky.
Just pour the mixture onto the pans as evenly as possible.
Don’t go trying to stir or spread it all around.
This will kill all the bubbles that you’re trying to get and you might end up with tough brittle.
Don’t be intimidated by this Peanut Brittle recipe.
If you follow these easy keys to success, you’ll make a perfect batch every time.
I think I’m going to have to go make another batch now. Someone ate all mine!
Don’t forget to like and share!
📌 Get the Printable Recipe for Buttery Peanut Brittle
Save this Buttery Peanut Brittle recipe to your favorite Christmas Candy board or your Peanut Lovers board.
Buttery Peanut Brittle Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- ½ cup water
- 1 cup butter, cut into chunks
- 2 cups raw Spanish peanuts
- 1 tsp baking soda
Directions
- Generously butter two large rimmed baking sheets. Set aside.
- Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water in 3-qt saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a full boil.
- Add butter. Continue cooking 15-25 minutes until candy thermometer registers 280 degrees F. Continue stirring occasionally.
- Add peanuts. Stir continuously for 10-12 minutes until candy thermometer registers 305 degrees F. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda.
- Pour evenly into prepared pans. Do not spread.
- Cool completely then break into pieces.
Notes
- Test your candy thermometer before you start making this recipe. Bring a pot of water to a boil. After it's been boiling for 1 minute, insert your candy thermometer into the water and wait until it reaches temperature. It should read 212 degrees F.
- Once your peanut brittle mixture reaches 305 degrees F, it's important to work quickly to stir in the baking soda.
- Don't over-stir the mixture or all the bubbles will burst and you won't get that light and airy texture.
- Grease the pan with butter for extra flavor. It'll keep the candy from sticking to the pan, too.
- Make sure you pour the hot candy into a rimmed baking sheet so that it won't spill off the edges.
- Try to pour the hot candy in a wide circle in the pan to distribute it evenly. You don't want to pour the candy all in one place or it might be too thick and hard to bite into.
Nutrition Facts
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👩🍳 Did you make any changes or substitutions?
I’d love to hear how it turned out in your kitchen.
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Could this be poured into buttered mini muffins pans to make them even servings?
Yes! It can certainly be poured in mini muffin pans. Make sure you grease them really well
I love this recipe. I make it all the time for holidays and goodies bags to family and friends.
This brittle recipe is my favorite!!! As long as you follow the instructions, it will turn out great!
Have you ever added vanilla? Do you think it would be a problem if I do?
I don’t think it would be a problem! Let me know how you like the peanut brittle. It’s sooo good!
I made this recipe during the Christmas holidays and it’s mid March and people are still begging for it. This is the best peanut brittle recipe that I could think of is so buttery and rich I love it. Thank you so much for sharing.
I got so many compliments on this brittle. It was buttery and not overly sweet. I made a total of 5 batches
Great recipe come out perfect I use a silicone pad don’t grease it comes out perfect thanks
Turned out good. I stirred it too much after soda addition
This is my second time making any type of candy and second time making brittle but with a different recipe. I was finally able to get to the hard crack stage. The first time I made brittle I don’t think I let it stay at 300 long enough so this recipe has some truth to the magic 305.
Although pretty delicious, I still have a little back end stickiness to the brittle. Not as bad as my first time making brittle, but enough to mention. That’s not any fault to the recipe though… I’m sure I just need more practice with candy and my thermometer. This recipe is definitely worth a try!
I made this and it tastes buttery…butlooks a little burnt. Yikes!
What did I do wrong?
Thanks!
It sounds like it may have been cooked a tiny bit over 305 degrees F. If your candy thermometer showed 305 degrees, you might want to test it to make sure it’s accurate. (Bring a pot of water to a full rolling boil then use your candy thermometer to check the temperature. It should be 212 degrees F. If it’s not, you would need to adjust the temperature of any other foods you cook accordingly or get a new candy thermometer.) I hope this helps!
I about to make your peanut brittle. could I not just use parchment paper instead of buttering the pans ?
Yes! You can use parchment paper. I would probably still use a little butter on the parchment to make sure it doesn’t stick but that’s just me!
@Jennifer,
The first time I made this is turned out perfect but the second time I followed directions exactly the same and it sticks to your teeth when eating. Any suggestion?
I would double-check your candy thermometer and make sure it is working properly. When placed into boiling water for 30 seconds, the thermometer should read 212 degrees F.
Hi, great recipe and thanks for sharing. My peanut brittle comes out shining and has a little greasy/filmy feeling when I handle them. I sometimes use wax paper to absorb the excess butter. Am I doing something wrong or it us normal to have that layer of shine and buttery feeling?
Thank you
I think it’s normal for the peanut butter to be a little shiny and buttery. You could get less of the buttery feeling if you didn’t coat the pan with butter, but I always do it for the non-stick factor and the buttery flavor.
I love this recipe. Peanut Brittle came out Perfect!! I wonder if you can substitute Cashews instead of peanuts?
Sure you can! Cashews would be delicious!
…also, where do you buy raw Spanish peanuts? I used roasted/salted as that is all I could fine.
I get the raw Spanish peanuts in the local grocery store either in the baking aisle or sometimes in the produce section in little plastic containers. We also have a local nut store that I have used a few times. My Walmart does not carry the raw peanuts very often, if at all.
@Peg, I just use dry roasted peanuts.
I made this peanut brittle today and it came out pretty well except I had a heck of a time getting it out of the pan. Most of it broke into tiny pieces and some of it I had to just pour boiling water over to remove it. I slathered the pans with a lot of butter…what do you suggest?
I usually pry up a corner or edge with a butter knife or at lot of times just my fingernail. A big sheet of brittle will pull up then I just snap off pieces as big as I want. Also sometimes helps to twist the pan a bit if it’s flexible at all. That should at least loosen it up. I use a stainless steel pan that does not have any nonstick coating on it.
@Jennifer,
@Jennifer,
I used parchment paper that I also rubbed some butter on. It came right off.
Good recipe
This recipe was perfect…
Every step was spot on and my peanut brittle came out to perfection thank you so much..
Soooo, I have made different recipes for brittle and I must say, this one is a good recipe! I was skeptical towards the end because to me, the color wasn’t changing to a dark color like I’m used to. After it started getting hard, I thought about it and was thinking it had to be because of the butter mixed in. Like ya say, 305 is the magic number for it to be “brittle”!!
I will definitely make this recipe again!!
Thanks for sharing!
What do you do to clean your pot and utensils afterwards? Also, what do use to cook this?
I use a 4-quart heavy bottom stainless steel saucepan to make my peanut brittle. With this size pot, the sugar mixture does not even get close to boiling over. When I’m finished making the peanut brittle, I immediately put the pot in the sink and fill it with HOT HOT water and a little dish soap. I throw the utensils in the pot too. By the time I get ready to wash everything, the sugar mixture has pretty much melted off.
Delicious! First time ever attempting peanut brittle and only my second time using a candy thermometer. This is easily the best peanut brittle we’ve ever had! We love our peanut brittle, so we’ve tried a lot! Won’t have to try anymore though! Thank you for this amazing fool proof recipe!
I’m so glad you loved this recipe!
We made the buttery peanut brittle…it’s like taffy!
What did we do wrong? HELP!
I think the only answer is that the sugar mixture was not cooked to the proper temperature. 305 degrees F is well into the hard-crack stage so if the candy reached this temperature, it would be hard and not soft like taffy. Did you use a candy thermometer? If so, you might want to test it to make sure it’s accurate. (Bring a pot of water to a full rolling boil then use your candy thermometer to check the temperature. It should be 212 degrees F. If it’s not, you would need to adjust the temperature of any other foods you cook accordingly or get a new candy thermometer.) Hope this helps!