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This easy Peanut Brittle is buttery, crunchy, and loaded with roasted peanuts, and it comes together right in the microwave in about 10 minutes. I started making it during the holidays when the stovetop was packed with everything else, and now the kids beg for a batch every Christmas season. If you love quick homemade candy, you will also want our graham cracker toffee.
No candy thermometer, no babysitting a hot pot, just a microwave safe bowl and a few pantry staples.
Peanut Brittle Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 2 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 9 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 11 minutes (plus cooling)
- 🍽️ Serving: 6 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 444kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Sweet and buttery with a deep caramel crunch and salty roasted peanuts
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our simple yogurt bark
Quick Answer
Microwave sugar and corn syrup for 4 minutes until clear, stir in peanuts and salt and microwave 3 minutes, then add butter and microwave 2 more minutes. Quickly stir in vanilla and baking soda, pour onto a greased tray, spread thin, and let it cool until hard before breaking into pieces. The whole batch of peanut brittle takes about 10 minutes of hands on time.
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Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- The microwave does the work. Cooking in 2 to 4 minute bursts brings the sugar to the perfect hard crack stage without a thermometer or constant stirring.
- Baking soda makes it crisp. A quick stir of baking soda at the end foams the candy, creating tiny air pockets that give peanut brittle its signature light crunch.
- Corn syrup prevents graininess. Corn syrup keeps the sugar from crystallizing, so the brittle sets up glassy and smooth instead of sandy.
- Dry roasted peanuts add flavor. Roasted, salted peanuts toast even more in the hot syrup, giving every bite a deep, salty crunch.
- Spreading thin is the secret. Pouring and spreading the hot candy fast and thin gives you that classic snappable brittle texture.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is ready in about 10 minutes with no candy thermometer and no fussy stovetop cooking.
- It makes the perfect homemade gift, packaged in a tin alongside our chocolate pecan toffee bars.
- It uses simple pantry ingredients you probably already have, and the buttery, salty crunch is impossible to stop eating.
Key Ingredients
Just seven simple pantry ingredients turn into crunchy, buttery peanut brittle. Here is what each one does.
- Granulated sugar: The base of the candy. It melts and caramelizes into that glassy, snappable brittle.
- Light corn syrup: Keeps the sugar from crystallizing so the brittle stays smooth and glossy, not grainy.
- Dry roasted peanuts: Use salted, roasted peanuts for the best flavor and crunch. They toast further in the hot syrup.
- Baking soda: The magic ingredient. It foams the hot candy to create the light, crisp texture brittle is known for.
- Butter and vanilla: Butter adds richness and vanilla rounds out the caramel flavor, the same combo we love in our graham cracker crack.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
Peanut brittle is easy to customize. Try one of these fun spins.
- Mixed nut brittle: Swap half the peanuts for cashews, almonds, or pecans for a fancier candy tray.
- Spicy brittle: Stir a pinch of cayenne or chili powder in with the salt for a sweet heat kick.
- Chocolate drizzle: Drizzle melted chocolate over the cooled brittle for a peanut butter cup vibe.
- Sea salt finish: Sprinkle flaky sea salt over the hot brittle right after spreading for a salty sweet contrast.
- Make it a cluster: Prefer soft candy? Try our slow cooker peanut clusters instead.
How to Make Peanut Brittle
- Combine the sugar and corn syrup in a large microwave safe bowl (use a big one, the mixture bubbles up later).
- Microwave for 4 minutes, stirring halfway through with a greased wooden spoon, until the syrup is melted and clear.
- Quickly stir in the peanuts and salt until evenly coated in the hot syrup.
- Microwave 3 minutes more, until the mixture turns a light golden caramel color.
- Stir in the butter until melted, then microwave 2 minutes longer.
- Working fast, add the vanilla and baking soda. It will foam and bubble up, which makes the brittle light and crisp.
- Stir just until combined and foamy, moving quickly so it does not set in the bowl.
- Immediately pour onto a greased, foil lined sheet tray and spread into a thin, even layer.
- Let it sit at room temperature 30 to 60 minutes until completely cooled and hard, then break into pieces.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Use a really big bowl. The mixture more than doubles when you add the baking soda, so a small bowl will overflow.
- Grease everything first. Spray your spoon, tray, and spatula with cooking spray so the sticky candy releases cleanly.
- Have your ingredients ready. Everything moves fast at the end, so measure the butter, vanilla, and baking soda before you start.
- Do not overcook. Microwaves vary, so watch for a light golden color. Too dark and the brittle tastes burnt.
- Spread it thin and fast. Work quickly once it is poured, because the candy starts setting almost immediately.
- Let it cool completely. Resist breaking it early. Fully cooled brittle snaps clean into pieces.
- Store airtight. Brittle softens in humidity, so keep it in an airtight container with the lid sealed tight.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Peanut brittle is the ultimate easy homemade gift and holiday candy. Pile it into cellophane bags tied with ribbon, or layer it into a tin with other treats for teachers, neighbors, and coworkers. It also makes a fun addition to any dessert or candy spread.
Build a homemade candy box by pairing this brittle with a few other quick treats. We love adding our chocolate nut clusters, a batch of kit kat crunch bars, and some candied grapes for a sweet and crunchy mix.
Crumble leftover brittle over vanilla ice cream, stir it into popcorn, or chop it to fold into cookie dough. Stored airtight at room temperature, peanut brittle stays crisp for up to 2 weeks. For another fast candy, try our graham cracker toffee next.
Peanut Brittle FAQs
Chewy peanut brittle means it was undercooked and did not reach the hard crack stage. Make sure you microwave the full time until the syrup turns golden, and let the brittle cool completely before breaking it.
Corn syrup is the easiest way to keep the brittle smooth, but you can substitute an equal amount of honey or golden syrup. The flavor will change slightly and the candy may be a touch softer.
Store peanut brittle in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Keep it away from humidity, which softens the candy, and do not refrigerate it, as moisture makes it sticky.
Grainy brittle usually means the sugar crystallized. Using corn syrup helps prevent this, and avoid stirring too much once the sugar has melted. A clean bowl and spoon also help keep it smooth.
Yes, but raw peanuts need to cook longer to roast through. Add them earlier with the sugar and corn syrup so they have time to toast as the candy cooks.
Peanut brittle is best stored at room temperature, but you can freeze it in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw it sealed so condensation does not make it sticky when it comes back to room temperature.
Want more quick homemade candy? Our chocolate pecan toffee bars come together with just a few pantry staples.
Gifting treats this year? Our peppermint hot cocoa bombs wrap up beautifully too.
My spiced nuts are the savory partner to a candy filled gift tin.
For the candy tin, my chocolate covered Ritz crackers add a minty crunch.
My creamy christmas fudge is the soft, snowy counterpoint to crunchy candy.
Add my chocolate dipped brownie truffles for the soft, fudgy contrast.
For the easiest thing in the candy box, our candy cane hearts take 3 minutes.
For another no fuss candy, our pina colada bark is pure sunshine.
Easy Microwave Peanut Brittle Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- 1 ½ cups dry roasted unsalted peanuts
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
Instructions
- Cover a sheet tray with foil. Spray generously with cooking spray, and set aside. Spray a wooden spoon with cooking spray.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, add the sugar and corn syrup. Place in the microwave for 4 minutes, stirring halfway through with the wooden spoon.1 cup granulated sugar, ½ cup light corn syrup
- Quickly add the peanuts and salt, and stir to combine. Microwave for 3 minutes.1 ½ cups dry roasted unsalted peanuts, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Quickly add the butter and stir it in. Microwave for 2 minutes.1 tablespoon salted butter
- Working very fast, add the vanilla and baking soda. It will bubble up, so be careful. This is why we need a large bowl.2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons baking soda
- Stir until just combined and immediately pour the mixture on the prepared sheet tray.
- Spread it out in a thin, even layer.
- Let it sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes until it has completely cooled and hardened.
- Break into pieces and serve.
Notes
- Work Quickly: Have all your ingredients measured and ready. The hot mixture hardens fast, so you need to move quickly.
- Use a Large Microwave-Safe Bowl: The mixture bubbles up, so you need extra space to prevent overflow. A large glass bowl works best.
- Grease Your Utensils: Spray your wooden spoon and spatula with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Protect Your Hands: Use oven mitts when handling the hot bowl—the mixture gets extremely hot!
- Adjust for Microwave Wattage: If you have a newer microwave with higher wattage, you might need to reduce the cooking times slightly. The recipe is based on a standard 1000-watt microwave oven. Adjust the power level if necessary.
- Use a Silicone Mat or Parchment Paper: If you don’t have foil, you can line your baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Just make sure to grease it to prevent sticking.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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Delicious. I promptly ate one-half the recipe once the brittle cooled and I broke it into pieces. Judi