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Home » Recipes » Southern Homemade Peanut Brittle Recipe

Southern Homemade Peanut Brittle Recipe

Published: Jan 7, 2022 · Modified: Jan 3, 2023 by Lynda · This post may contain affiliate links.

Jump to Recipe

Homemade peanut brittle is an easy, peanutty sweet treat that satisfies your sweet tooth and crunchy cravings. Bite-sized golden pieces of brittle with peanuts will have coming back for more!

Peanut brittle spilling out of a bowl onto a counter top.
Jump to:
  • 🥘 Ingredients
  • 🔪 How To Make Peanut Brittle
  • 💭 Tips
  • Frequently Asked Questions About Peanut Brittle
  • 📖 Recipe

You don’t need a candy thermometer to make this old-fashioned peanut brittle. I’ll show you how to make it without one along with a special “pulling” technique. It’s the only recipe that I use for making Homemade Peanut Brittle.

Don’t worry if you are not an experienced candy maker or know anything about “crack stage” or how to temper chocolate. (By the way, there is no chocolate in this recipe.)

This recipe came from my Southern mother-in-law. To make her peanut brittle, you need two cups of raw or parched peanuts. (I used the entire contents of a 16-ounce bag of parched peanuts. The more nuts the merrier, in my opinion.)

Let’s look at how to make this Southern treat.

🥘 Ingredients

To make this peanut brittle recipe, you need the following ingredients:

  • ⅔ cup light corn syrup
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • 2 cups raw peanuts
  • 1 tablespoon baking soda
Peanuts spilling out onto a counter top.

🔪 How To Make Peanut Brittle

In a large saucepan, combine the nuts with corn syrup and sugar and cook over medium-high heat until it turns honey-colored. It takes me about 15 minutes.

Stir the sugar mixture often, but not constantly.

Peanuts and sugar being stirred in a pot with a wooden spoon.
A wooden spoon stirring peanut brittle in a pot.

Once the color becomes rich, golden brown, add baking soda.

Stirring peanut brittle in a metal pot.

A chemical reaction will occur and the mixture will foam and lighten in color.

Spreading peanut brittle on a parchment lined cookie sheet.

Spread the candy mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or one that has been well-greased. (A couple of tablespoons of butter should do the trick.) Or you can go all Alton Brown and use a Silpat liner (silicone baking mat).

Close up view of hot peanut brittle on parchment paper.

Spread the mixture out a bit using a wooden spoon or spatula.

Pulling peanut brittle with a fork.

💭 Tips

Before it has completely cooled, take two forks and “pull” the brittle apart. This technique set my mother-in-law’s brittle apart from all others that I have tried. The pulled brittle is easier to eat than the thick brittle that is typically sold in stores.

You have to be careful because the brittle is really hot. Also, do not attempt to make peanut brittle when it is humid outside or while it is raining. It’s very similar to making divinity. Humidity and peanut brittle are not friends.

Peanut brittle makes a great edible gift during the holiday season. Layer it in a glass jar and tie a festive ribbon. Your gift recipients will thank you for this family favorite delicious treat.

Frequently Asked Questions About Peanut Brittle

How do you store peanut brittle?

Store peanut brittle in an airtight container at room temperature for 6 to 8 weeks.

Where can I buy raw peanuts?

Look for raw peanuts in the produce section at your local grocery store.

📖 Recipe

Peanut Brittle

Vernel’s Homemade Peanut Brittle

You don’t need a candy thermometer to make this peanut brittle. The special “pulling” technique creates sweet, crunchy strands of sugar and nuts that you will love.
4.58 from 7 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Desserts
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 578kcal
Author: Lynda

Ingredients

  • ⅔ cup light corn syrup
  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • 2 cups raw peanuts
  • 1 tablespoon baking soda

Instructions

  • Grease, butter, or line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside
  • Mix together corn syrup, sugar and raw peanuts in a large saucepan.
  • Cook over medium-high heat until mixture turns honey colored.
  • Remove from heat. Add baking soda and stir well.
  • Pour mixture onto prepared baking sheet. As soon as brittle has set, use utensils to pull and stretch brittle into pieces. Caution: Brittle will be very hot.

Video

Notes

***Do NOT make on rainy or high humidity days.

Nutrition

Calories: 578kcal | Carbohydrates: 86g | Protein: 12g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 708mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 78g
Tried this Recipe? Share it Today!Mention @SouthernKissedBlog or tag #southernkissed!

The nice thing about this peanut brittle recipe is that you don’t have to have a candy thermometer to make it. Once you have made it a few times, you learn how to judge the process by the colors of the mixture.

Crunchy Peanut Brittle on a table.

Be sure to come back and tell us how your homemade peanut brittle turned out!


Hungry for more Southern favorites? Be sure to check out these other delicious recipes:

  • Easy Chicken and Dumplings – Both a family and reader favorite, this recipe is easy to make and is Southern comfort food at its finest.
  • Buttermilk Biscuits – You only need three simple ingredients to make these light and fluffy biscuits. They’re perfect for serving alongside a meal or stuffed with meat, egg, and cheese for the main course.
  • Old Fashioned Tea Cakes – This recipe is an authentic Southern recipe – it was transcribed while my mother-in-law made them by heart.
  • Classic Pound Cake – This recipe comes from Lulu Buffet, the sister of singer Jimmy Buffet. It’s a great treat to enjoy with company.

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  • Instant Pot Rice
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    Recipe Rating




  1. Lea says

    January 20, 2022 at 11:14 am

    Got the crave! I looked on google on where to buy it and there aren’t many places, but it’s very expensive!🙀

    Reply
    • Lynda says

      January 20, 2022 at 1:44 pm

      That’s why it’s good to know how to make peanut brittle!

      Reply
  2. Ann says

    December 16, 2021 at 9:24 pm

    I can’t believe it doesn’t have any butter in it.

    Reply
  3. Jeff says

    February 09, 2019 at 5:07 pm

    Thank you for the hint on pulling.

    Reply
    • Lynda says

      February 10, 2019 at 10:36 am

      You’re welcome. It makes a difference.

      Reply
  4. Ty @ Mama of 3 Munchkins says

    January 19, 2014 at 11:55 pm

    Ooh, I wish I could have some right about now as its been so long since I’ve had brittle!

    Reply
  5. Stefanie says

    January 19, 2014 at 11:43 pm

    Peanut Brittle is the best!!

    Reply
  6. Colleen says

    January 19, 2014 at 9:34 pm

    This looks great I LOVE peanut brittle except how it sticks to your teeth.

    Reply
    • Tim Hughes says

      January 18, 2020 at 2:36 pm

      Cook it longer spread it on a frozen pan and it will crunch and not stick to your teeth.

      Reply
  7. Kathleen says

    January 19, 2014 at 12:00 am

    I haven’t had peanut brittle in so long. I would love to make my own!

    Reply
  8. Julie says

    December 29, 2013 at 11:38 pm

    Wow – I had no idea how easy it was to make peanut brittle!

    Reply
  9. Anne says

    December 29, 2013 at 6:27 pm

    I have never made peanut brittle! My neighbors used to make a huge batch every year and give us some, and it is delicious.

    Reply
  10. HilLesha says

    December 29, 2013 at 2:34 pm

    I can’t really eat brittle (too hard), but that recipe looks amazing!

    Reply
  11. Angela says

    December 28, 2013 at 6:01 pm

    This looks fantastic! I have never made my own peanut brittle.

    Reply
  12. Maryann says

    December 26, 2013 at 8:27 am

    my hubby loves brittle. I have only made it once or twice in my lifetime.

    Reply
    • Tim Hughes says

      January 18, 2020 at 2:40 pm

      For me after about a couple of hundred batches it’s easy?. My mother showed. me and I took it from there.

      Reply
  13. Katy says

    December 25, 2013 at 10:04 pm

    I have made peanut brittle. I once made two different types, I cooked one the old fashioned way and the other in the microwave for a couple of minutes. I actually liked the microwaved better. I love the pulling technique. I think that would make it a lot easier on my teeth.

    Reply
    • Tim Hughes says

      January 18, 2020 at 2:42 pm

      Stretching helps the crunch. So does a frozen buttered pan.

      Reply
      • Lynda says

        January 19, 2020 at 8:10 am

        I have never heard of using a frozen buttered pan. Thanks for the tip!

        Reply

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Lynda and Johnny statue

My name is Lynda and I am a recovering sugar addict and travel junkie. I'm also a mom of two children & 2 dogs, wife of 1....and a messy cook taking life one bite at a time.

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