Microwave Peanut Brittle Recipe (2024)

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Microwave peanut brittle recipe is an easy sweet, salty and buttery peanut brittle that takes minutes to make. No- fuss, full proof method that requires no stove top candy thermometer!

Microwave Peanut Brittle Recipe (1)

Peanut Brittle Recipe

Holiday recipes can mean anything from sweet corn casserole to fresh green beans, marshmallow fluff to deliciously sweet cookie dip.

But one thing that reminds me so much of a vintage holiday is peanut brittle.

Probably because the last time I could seriously enjoy it without worrying about a filling falling out was in my child hood (or maybe because of that) but nonetheless, peanut brittle is a delightful and enjoyable no bake Christmas dessert that also easily doubles a gift.

But with this peanut brittle, you need nothing more than a microwave, ingredients and a little care to not over cook or under stir. Sweet and salty, this simple dessert is nothing more than sugar, syrup and peanuts!

Can the best peanut butter brittle recipe GET any easier? I think not!

Microwave Peanut Brittle Recipe

Have you ever wanted to learn how to make peanut butter brittlein the microwave?

Skip the stove top and opt for this easy microwave version that creates your own homemade candy in minutes. With only about 15 minutes prep time, its also a dessert that is quick with simple steps.

Just please read my notes below about working with sugar and microwave times.

  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup light corn syrupMicrowave Peanut Brittle Recipe (2)
  • 1 cup raw peanuts (I used dry roasted, lightly salted peanuts)
  • 1 teaspoon butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

Microwave Peanut Brittle Recipe (3)

Making Peanut Brittle Tips

  1. Making peanut brittle is a candy process and that means big heat. Even though this is a microwave oven, your sugar and corn syrup are gonna get scalding, so take serious care not burn yourself on the bowl or while stirring. Get some oven mittsMicrowave Peanut Brittle Recipe (4)~
  2. Prepping goes a long way (with pretty much all cooking) so to keep your candy from pre-maturely hardening, make sure you have everything measured and ready to go.
  3. Want to gift your microwave peanut brittle? Once complete hard and broken down into smaller bits, I like to gift in mason jarsMicrowave Peanut Brittle Recipe (5)!
  4. Like with all candy making, if you have an issue cleaning out your bowl from hardened candy, just let sit in a bowl of water. The water will break the sugar down, takes about 30 minutes.
  5. Seal in a tight container to keep moisture from getting in and leave in a room temperature environment. Do not refrigerate! If you need to do a double layer, put parchment paperMicrowave Peanut Brittle Recipe (6) in between or the top layer could easily stick to the bottom. It is candy after all.

Scalding Sugar

When working with sugar, even in the microwave, its easy to BURN it.

You will know you burned it if you start smelling burnt! The times in this microwave peanut brittle are based on my microwave, but you may need to shave 30 seconds off if you have a very powerful microwave.

In the pictures below, I made peanut brittle at the full times listed AND redid it with a minute shaved off of the 1st and 2nd microwave times.

You can see the color difference with less time. It also tastes less roasted, but the consistency is the same.

How to make Peanut Brittle In the Microwave

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking sprayMicrowave Peanut Brittle Recipe (7). Set aside.

Add white sugar and corn syrup into a large microwave safe bowl. Glass gets super hot.

Microwave for 3 1/2 to 4 minutes.

You want a large bowl because as you microwave, the mixture will double in size and bubble.

Mix well and quickly after you pull it out. Move to next step.

Microwave Peanut Brittle Recipe (8)

Microwave Peanut Brittle Recipe (9)

Add peanuts and return to microwave for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes.

Mixture will bubble and double in size again and begin to brown in color.

Stir well and very quickly before next step.

Microwave Peanut Brittle Recipe (10)

Add butter and vanilla and cook for 1 minute more.

Your butter may steam up as it hits the scalding sugar.

Mix well for a few seconds

Add baking soda and mix.

Microwave Peanut Brittle Recipe (11)

Mixture will change color (cloudy) and bubble with air bubbles, this is fine and normal.

Use a spatula to quickly pour into prepared baking sheet.

NOTE ON SPREADING THE BRITTLE:

You don’t want to pop all the bubbles out of the baking soda, so do your best to rotate the baking sheet back and forth to spread your peanut brittle. You can use a spatula to spread a little if necessarily, but don’t go overboard.

It doesn’t spread like chocolate would.

Microwave Peanut Brittle Recipe (12)

Microwave Peanut Brittle Recipe (13)

Let set to harden.

I put in the freezer 15 minutes to harden immediately because I have almost no patience, but you can sit on the counter for an hour and it should harden naturally.

Once hard, use a sharp knife or break with your hands into pieces.

Store in an airtight container on the counter.

Microwave Peanut Brittle Recipe (14)

Microwave Peanut Brittle Recipe (15)

Microwave Peanut Brittle Recipe (16)

4.74 from 15 votes

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Microwave Peanut Brittle Recipe

Author Trisha Haas - Salty Side Dish


Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 5 minutes mins

Microwave Peanut Butter brittle recipe is an easy sweet, salty and buttery peanut brittle that takes minutes to make in a microwave oven. No- fuss, full proof method that requires no stove top candy thermometer! Vintage Christmas dessert

Ingredients

  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup light corn syrup
  • 1 cup peanuts I used dry roasted, lightly salted peanuts
  • 1 teaspoon butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions

  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

  • Add white sugar and corn syrup into a large microwave safe bowl.

  • Microwave for 31/2- 4 minutes (see note on times). You want a large bowl because as you microwave, the mixture will grow in size and bubble.

  • Mix well (and quickly) when cooking is complete.

  • Add peanuts and return to microwave for 2-3 minutes.

  • Mixture will bubble and double in size again and begin to brown in color.

  • Stir well and quickly after cooking. Your sugar starts to harden at each step so move quickly.

  • Add butter and vanilla and cook for 1 minute more. Mix well. quickly.

  • Add baking soda and mix. Mixture will change color and look cloudy. This is normal.

  • Quickly pour into prepared pan and gently spread, but not too thin. It wont spread like chocolate so do not panic. If it seems too thick in some places, you can spread a bit with a spatula.

  • Let set to harden. I put mine in the freezer for 15 minutes to harden quickly but the normal way is 1 hour on the counter naturally cooling.

  • Once hard, break into bite size pieces.

  • Store in an airtight container on the counter. The fridge may soften the sugar so its best left on the counter.

Video

Notes

Scalding sugar

When working with sugar, even in the microwave, its easy to BURN it. The times in this microwave peanut brittle are based on my microwave, but you may need to shave 30 seconds off if you have a very powerful microwave. In the pictures below, I made peanut brittle at the full times listed AND redid it with a minute shaved off of the 1st and 2nd microwave times.

You can see the color difference. It also tastes less roasted, but the consistency is the same.

See full article for video and tips.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 271kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 250mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 42g

Nutritional Disclaimer: The nutritional data provided here is auto-calculated and intended for your convenience only. As it’s generated via automation, its accuracy may be compromised. For precise nutritional insight, please compute the values utilizing the actual ingredients in your recipe through your chosen nutrition calculator or application.

Sharing of this recipe is encouraged and appreciated. Copying of full recipe to any social media is prohibited.

Did You Make This Recipe?

Make sure to follow Salty Side Dish on Pinterest and rate the recipe here and make sure to leave a comment below!

4.74 from 15 votes

Microwave 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.

What happens if you add more baking soda to peanut brittle? ›

In theory, it's a good idea, the baking soda adds some air to the caramelized sugar, making the sheets of candy more brittle, but it also introduces a minerally, metallic taste that's off putting to say the least.

How can you tell when peanut brittle is done without a thermometer? ›

However, if you don't have a candy thermometer, it's still possible to make this sweet. All you have to do to find out if your peanut brittle is ready to be removed from the heat is to drop a bit of the syrup into cold water and see if it forms brittle strands. If so, you're ready to finish up your confection.

Can you overcook peanut brittle? ›

If you overcook the brittle, it could be bitter or burnt. If you undercook it, the brittle won't properly set and the end result will be sticky.

Why is my peanut brittle still soft? ›

Didn't get it hot enough. You have to hit hard crack stage heat or it's not going to harden. From internet: Hard-Crack Stage is a cooking term meaning that a sugar syrup being heated has reached 149 – 154 C (300 – 310 F.) It is a test of how hot a sugar syrup is, and of how much water is left in it.

How do you fix hard peanut brittle? ›

You can try placing the stale peanut brittle on a baking sheet and gently heating it in an oven at a low temperature, around 250°F (120°C), for a few minutes. This can help to soften it a bit and restore some of its original texture.

Why is my peanut brittle hard but sticky? ›

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.

Why is my peanut brittle too thick? ›

As mentioned in “how to make peanut brittle”, it's very important to move fast after the peanuts and baking soda are mixed in. If not, the peanut brittle will turn out too thick and clumpy. Don't play the guessing game and use a candy thermometer instead. This will ensure your peanut brittle turns out perfectly golden.

Can you use parchment paper when making peanut brittle? ›

You will want the cookie sheet to be non-stick. Use parchment paper, a silicone baking sheet or a greased cookie sheet. Spread the peanut brittle as thin as you can. Immediately add your sea salt.

Is peanut brittle bad for you? ›

Peanut brittle has one redeeming quality: peanuts. Outside of that single ingredient, peanut brittle is painfully unhealthy. It contains: sugar, corn syrup, and butter, all of which are unhealthy for your body in different ways.

Should homemade peanut brittle be refrigerated? ›

Making Ahead, Storing and Freezing Peanut Brittle:

It stays fresh at room temperature for 6-8 weeks. To store: Once it's completely cooled, store peanut brittle in an airtight container at room temperature. Do not refrigerate as the moisture from the fridge will cause the brittle to soften.

How do you keep peanut brittle from sticking to the pan? ›

Buttering the inside of the cooking pan will prevent sugar crystals from sticking to the sides while the corn syrup, water, sugar and butter cook to 275 degrees.

How long does it take for peanut brittle to go bad? ›

This peanut brittle recipe will keep for up to 2 months if stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. I recommend placing pieces of wax paper or parchment paper between the candy pieces to keep them from sticking together.

Can you leave peanut brittle out? ›

Peanut brittle can stay fresh for several weeks if it is stored in an airtight container at room temperature. However, if the peanut brittle becomes exposed to moisture or humidity, it may become soft or lose its crunchiness.

Does weather affect making peanut brittle? ›

I've learned that brittle is better when made on a cool, dry day. When I've made the candy on a warmer, humid day, it tends to be a stickier brittle. This is because the brittle takes longer to cool, and it reaches a point where it is no longer evaporating moisture into the air.

Why is my peanut brittle not crunchy? ›

It's so important because if you cook your brittle much beyond the 300 degree F point, it could burn, and if you don't cook it long enough, the peanut brittle won't set as hard and be more sticky and chewy than crunchy and, well, brittle. Be ready to move quickly once the temperature reaches 300 degrees F.

What makes brittle hard? ›

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.

How long does it take for brittle to harden? ›

Don't try to spread the candy once it's on the baking sheet as it starts hardening almost immediately and spreading it doesn't work well. Let the peanut brittle cool for 30 minutes, then break it into pieces. Store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two months.

Is peanut brittle supposed to be hard? ›

Peanut Brittle is a smooth, flat candy (similar to toffee), with peanuts in it, that is cooked on the stovetop and poured onto a sheet pan to cool. Once it cools it's broken into small individual-size pieces of hard candy and lasts at room temperature for several weeks.

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