Old Fashioned Peanut Brittle Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why didn't my homemade peanut brittle get hard? ›

The main reason why peanut brittle doesn't get hard and have the crunch we expect is because the sugar was not cooked long enough. The sugar needs to be cooked to what is called the hard crack stage, 300ºF.

Baking soda is also very important at this stage since it reacts to the heat, creating carbon dioxide that aerates the caramel, enabling it to snap when someone bites into it rather than requiring them to gnaw at it until it breaks or pulls apart.

If your peanut brittle reached 311°F but is a pale milky color, it's likely the candy cooked too quickly. It reached the correct temperature but didn't cook long enough to undergo sufficient Maillard reactions and develop the characteristic brown color and rich, roasted flavor. Next time, cook at a lower temperature.

To store: Store peanut brittle (once it's completely cooled) in an airtight container at room temperature. Do not refrigerate as the moisture from the fridge will cause the brittle to soften. Store for 6-8 weeks. To freeze: Peanut brittle can be frozen and stored up to 3 months.

Why is it too hard? Using baking soda usually prevents peanut brittle from being too, well, brittle. However, if you cook the candy past the set temperature or overwork the candy once you spread it out onto the cookie sheet, that can cause it to become very hard and difficult to bite through.

What Makes it Brittle? The sugar will be cooked to 300ºF (149ºC)—hard crack stage; which when set up would be hard like a lollipop. But peanut brittle is delicate and you can easily bite into it—how? The secret is in the baking soda.

#1 - Store in an airtight container

It should come as no surprise that storing your peanut brittle in airtight containers is one of the best ways to store peanut brittle. Keeping air out helps maintain your brittle's freshness by minimizing the amount of moisture that might come into contact with your sweet treat.

It uses the most basic of ingredients (sugar, corn syrup, and peanuts). What's important to know is that the corn syrup controls the grain of the brittle so adding too little and you have a grainy textured brittle, while adding too much will result in a stringy and sticky brittle.

Examples of interfering agents include corn syrup and cream of tartar. A key step in making brittle is heating the syrup to the proper temperature. Typically, this is the hard crack stage or 300° to 310°F. This caramelizes the sugar to an amber color.

Drop some of the peanuts into the cold water again. If they come out hard and look like brittle, then it's ready! Immediately take off the heat and stir in the baking soda mixture we made earlier.

Why is my peanut brittle not fluffy? ›

It is important to coat cookie sheets with butter and put in the freezer to get them really cold before you need to pour the brittle. After you pour the candy you should put the pans in the fridge or outside if it is cold, so the brittle will set up quickly and stay fluffy.

Absolutely! If you want to extend the life of your peanut brittle, you can freeze it. But, make sure it is completely cooled, as moisture is an enemy of peanut brittle. Ensure the brittle pieces are separated by parchment paper to prevent them from sticking together.

Place a piece of parchment paper over the hot brittle and use a rolling pin to roll the peanut brittle into a 3/8-inch thick flat layer. Use a sharp chef's knife to partially cut the brittle while it is still warm. Allow it to cool completely before coating it with chocolate.

The water is there in the first place to help prevent sugar crystals. Steam from the boiling water washes down the sides of the covered pot as the sugar cooks and takes with it, down into the boiling sugar, any crystals that form or are thrown onto the sides of the pot.

Properly stored peanut brittle can last for several weeks, so you can enjoy it over time.

I just undercooked a batch of brittle because I wasn't using a thermometer & I was afraid of burning it. Thanks to you I was confident I could save it so I broke it up and put it back in the microwave & cooked till golden brown stopping to stir. It turned out great.

Dried peanuts may require boiling up to 24 hours until they soften. If your water is hard, full of minerals, or you are boiling at high altitude, then your boiling times for dried peanuts may be greater than 24 hours.

How long does it take for peanut brittle to harden? This microwave peanut brittle starts to harden almost immediately once you finish cooking it and stirring in the baking soda. It will be completely hardened and ready to break into pieces in just 30 minutes.

The amount of time you cook fudge directly affects its firmness. Too little time and the water won't evaporate, causing the fudge to be soft. Conversely, cook it too long and fudge won't contain enough water, making it hard with a dry, crumbly texture.