I’m so excited to have the opportunity to jump back to this recipe from way back when and update the images for y’all and share it once again.
This peanut brittle has been a part of EVERY Christmas celebration for as long as I can remember. This recipe was passed down from Mom’s Great-Aunt Matilda and it’s the only one we’ve ever used.
Now, I wish I could tell you that making candy like this peanut brittle is easy, but it does take a little finesse. And fortunately, the ingredients aren’t crazy expensive, so if the first batch doesn’t work out, you can always give it another try.
Two things you absolutely need for this one is a heavy-bottomed skillet – we’ve always used cast iron – and an accurate candy thermometer. Making candy is about science. The sugars have to reach a certain temperature to set in certain ways. In this case, you want hard, crunch candy, not caramel, so we have to make sure we cook it to the right temperature. The even heating of the cast iron and the accuracy of a candy thermometer are super important. And just remember too, this sugar is going to be 300 degrees, so make sure it doesn’t come into contact with your skin. It’ll stick and it’ll burn. Not to shy you away; just want to make sure you understand – this stuff is hot! I find that it’s always helpful to have an extra set of hands when making this. Y’all enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cups raw shelled peanuts
- 2 teaspoons butter
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Directions
- In a large cast iron skillet over medium heat, combine corn syrup, sugar, and water. Stir to combine.
- Cook until the mixture reaches the soft ball stage (235°F).
- Add peanuts and stir constantly.
- Cook until the mixture reaches the hard crack stage (300°F). The peanuts might start popping and you might see a little smoke come off the mixture. Stir, stir, stir.
- Remove from heat and quickly add the butter, vanilla, and baking soda. The baking soda will cause the mixture to lighten and foam up. Don’t freak out, it’s supposed to do that. Stir well.
- Pour on aluminum foil that has been buttered or sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Spread thin and allow to cool.
- Break into pieces and enjoy.
Recipe Card
Aunt Matilda's Peanut Brittle
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cups raw shelled peanuts
- 2 teaspoons butter
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Grease a large sheet of aluminum foil with butter or nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. In a large cast iron skillet over medium heat, combine corn syrup, sugar, and water. Stir well.
- Cook until the mixture reaches the soft ball stage (235°F) using a candy thermometer.
- Add peanuts and stir constantly. Seriously. Constantly.
- Cook until the mixture reaches the hard crack stage (300°F). The peanuts might start popping and you might see a little smoke come off the mixture. Remove it form the heat as soon as it hits the 300°F mark. It'll scorch if you get it too hot.
- Quickly add the butter, vanilla, and baking soda. The baking soda will cause the mixture to lighten and foam up. Don’t freak out, it’s supposed to do that. Stir well.
- Pour on the prepared aluminum foil. Spread thin and allow to cool.
- Break into pieces and enjoy.
* If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
Wanda
Want to make but I only have roasted peanuts; can I use roasted or do they need to be raw?
Yep. You can use the roasted peanut as well.
Mel K
I used your Aunt Matilda’s Peanut Brittle recipe a couple of days ago. First time I have attempted peanut brittle. I was getting tired of buying peanut brittle that was difficult to chew and always stuck to my teeth. Aunt Matilda’s recipe came out perfect. Was delicious and no problems eating it. Was not quite as sweet as store bought, which made it even better in my opinion. Follow directions closely and read through some of the hints.
So glad to hear that you enjoyed it, Mel!
Lori
I followed your recipe to a tee and it all clumped together once I added the peanuts and never really came together. I used a cast iron skillet, medium heat, a brand new thermometer and brought the sugar, water and corn syrup mixture to exactly 235. I added the peanuts, stirred consistently and waited for the thermometer to then reach 300 but it was hot mess by then. Any suggestions of what went wrong? I used raw Spanish peanuts, 2 cups as instructed. It was really hard to spread out once I added the butter, vanilla and corn starch.
It sounds like it wasn’t hot enough. It does stick together momentarily when you add the peanuts due to the change in temperature, but should melt back out pretty quickly. Were the peanuts chilled or frozen by any chance? You also mentioned cornstarch. There’s no cornstarch in the recipe, just baking soda. Did you use cornstarch instead of the baking soda?
Shelley Hyldahl
Louise I would love your recipe for microwave peanut brittle. I’ve never have had any luck with it. Thank you. Shelley
Anne hacker
I would love your microwave recipe,
anhacker@sbcglobal.net.
Thank you
Louise
Now I want peanut brittle, lol. Aunt Matilda has some fine looking candy there, but I’ve been making it in the microwave forever, which takes no finesse, thermometers, hard crack stage, etc. I only use raw peanuts, and it comes out perfect every time. I cannot imagine how many batches I’ve made over the years. Thanks for all the good recipes, Stacey, and keep ’em coming!
Thanks, Louise! I really need you to share that microwave recipe with me! 🙂
sharon s
I have made peanut brittle every Christmas to give as gifts. At one time I was making about 10-15 batches, now I do 4. Your recipe is the exact one I use. My hubbie brought me a piece of marble and made a stand just for my brittle making, That worked great for years. then I was tired of that taking up to much room. I went back to a buttered pan and then foil and one day I was out of foil and tried parchment paper. It work great, wished I tried that years ago. butter it up and brittle comes off so easy.
Thanks for the tip, Sharon!
AJ
I use to buy peanut brittle that had coconut ribbons in it but can no longer find. I was wondering if I decreased the peanuts I can add some coconut? Or will it destroy the recipe. The name of the brittle was called Peco pie.
Hmmm… I’ve not tried it, so I can say for sure. If I were going to try it, I’d add it with the baking soda and vanilla right at the end.
Karen
Be sure to calibrate your thermometer. The 300 degrees is based on a boiling temperature of 212 degrees at sea level. You need to see at what point your thermometer boils, at your altitude and adjust accordingly.
Great tip!
Nana
A helpful tip that works well for me. Just before you are ready to pour heat the baking sheet as it spreads easier. Pouring it on a cold sheet makes it set up before I have had a chance to spread it as thin as I like it.
What a GREAT tip!!! Thanks for sharing!
Susan
Thanks for the recipe. Looks yummy; Ill give it a try as soon as I pick up some peanuts.
Hope you’ll enjoy!!
Billie
I make peanut brittle all the time and I use 50/50 mix of white and brown sugar and I use unsalted dry roast peanuts and they don’t scorch. I like the taste of the roasted nuts more than the raw ones and the brown sugar gives a richer flavor than just the plain white. I also have my oven preheated to 300 degrees and put the candy in the oven for 2/3 minutes so the candy spreads out more thinly on the prepared pan.
Thanks for sharing, Billie!!
Kim M Brown-Coon
Hey, I wonder if you used honey roasted peanuts how that would work out
Because of the long cook time once you put the peanuts in, I’m afraid they’d burn. Raw are really best here.
Shirley Lowrey
Do you have a recipe for peanut brittle made in an electric skillet? I made peanut brittle for a few years when I first got married and we gave candy and cookies as Christmas gifts. I used an electric skillet and it was very easy – almost foolproof – and turned out great. I lost my recipe and haven’t been able to find another. Can you help? Thank you in advance. Shirley
Hi Shirley! I don’t have one that’s made specifically in an electric skillet, but this one should work the same way.
mary barrow
hey Stacey..I didn’t know about this..but I love it I’ll check it out often..take care andyour son is a doll I know he’s got his grandmother wraped around his finger..it runs in the family.
Hey! Welcome! Thanks so much! He sure is my heart!