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It only takes 6 ingredients to make this easy Microwave Peanut Brittle. Itโs sweet, salty, crunchy, and a great holiday treat or homemade gift. The secret is in the baking soda: it foams up the corn syrup and butter making the candy light, airy, and brittle.
Megganโs notes
Candy-making can be intimidating, but Iโm here to show you fun and easy it can be. As a classically-trained chef with plenty of candy-making experience under my belt, Iโll show you this easy peanut brittle recipe made right in your microwave.
A mixture of corn syrup and granulated sugar gives the perfect amount of sweetness to balance the salty peanuts, while butter adds richness and warmth. The trick to that light, airy, crispy texture? Baking soda. It foams up and infuses the brittle with pockets of air so every bite is crunchy and very brittle.
A touch of vanilla adds extra sweetness, and the whole batch comes together in about 15 minutes (plus cooling time) in your microwave. Itโs perfect for homemade gifts, your holiday treats plate, or anytime youโre craving something salty, sweet, and crunchy.
Table of Contents
Easy Peanut Brittle Ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
- Peanuts: For best results, start with raw peanuts. Otherwise, they might overcook and scorch in the microwave.
- Baking soda:ย Adding baking soda to the hot sugar syrup makes lots of tiny air bubbles that give the candy the porous, honeycomb texture itโs famous for.
How to Make Easy Peanut Brittle
- Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. In a deep microwave-safe bowl, combine sugar and corn syrup.
- Mix thoroughly and microwave on HIGH for 4 minutes.
- Stir in peanuts and microwave on HIGH until the mixture is light brown, about 3 to 5 minutes longer.
- Stir in butter and vanilla until combined. Microwave on HIGH until peanuts are lightly browned, about 1 to 2 minutes longer.
- Stir in baking soda until mixture is light and foamy.
- Pour onto prepared pan and cool 30 minutes.
- Break into pieces to serve and store in an airtight container.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes about 1 pound of peanut brittle.
- Storage: Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 months.
- Grease the pan:ย Butter a baking sheet or line it with parchment so the brittle doesnโt stick.
- Let it flow:ย Donโt try to spread it with a spatula; just let it flow like lava.
- Clean-up: Spray the bowl and the spoon or spatula with a non-stick cooking spray before you use them. It will make the hot brittle less sticky and make clean-up a little easier.
- Microwaves: Each appliance is a little different, and your results may vary.
- Chocolate peanut brittle: Sprinkle a layer of semi-sweet chips as soon as you pour the hot brittle onto the pan. Then wait a minute for the chips to melt and gently spread the chocolate over the surface. Amazing!
- Without corn syrup: Unfortunately, there isnโt a good method for microwaving peanut brittle without corn syrup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Adding baking soda when making peanut brittle makes the hot sugar syrup foam, creating lots of tiny air bubbles that give the candy the porous, crispy honeycomb texture itโs known for.
I suggest raw peanuts for peanut brittle since youโre cooking them in the microwave. Itโs the same idea as using toasted nuts in homemade granola โ youโd be double-toasting the nuts, so you use raw nuts in granola.
If your peanut brittle is light in color and chewy, it was not cooked long enough. If it is too dark and brittle, it was microwaved too long.
More holiday treats
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Christmas Crack
Candy Recipes
Peanut Butter Balls Recipe
Candy Recipes
Peppermint Bark
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OREO Cookie Balls
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Peanut Brittle (Microwave)
Ingredientsย
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1 cup raw peanuts (see note 1)
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (see note 2)
Instructionsย
- Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. In a deep microwave-safe bowl, combine sugar and corn syrup. Mix thoroughly and microwave on HIGH for 4 minutes.
- Stir in peanuts and microwave on HIGH until the mixture is light brown, about 3 to 5 minutes longer.
- Stir in butter and vanilla until combined. Microwave on HIGH until peanuts are lightly browned, about 1 to 2 minutes longer.
- Stir in baking soda until mixture is light and foamy. Pour onto prepared pan and cool 30 minutes. Break into pieces to serve and store in an airtight container.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Peanuts: For best results, start with raw peanuts. Otherwise, they might overcook and scorch in the microwave.
- Baking soda:ย Adding baking soda to the hot sugar syrup makes lots of tiny air bubbles that give the candy the porous, honeycomb texture itโs famous for.
- Yield: This recipe makes about 1 pound of peanut brittle.
- Storage: Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 months.
Can I use plant-based butter for this recipe?
Hi Carol, I havenโt tried plant-based butter in this recipe. Sorry about that. โ Meggan
Best instructions ever. Thank you.
Youโre so welcome, Gary! Take care! โ Meggan
Works with chopped pecans too, even better!
Since my pecans were already toasted, I added them with the butter and vanilla.
Sounds delicious! Take care! โ Meggan
Great! So much easier than in a pot! Important to not try and spread it more thin. Thanks
Youโre welcome, Ka! โ Meggan
I just made the microwave peanut brittle. Canโt wait to taste it. Super easy and it looks great. Thank you.
Can you double this recipe?
Hi Terri, I havenโt myself, but another reader wrote that they doubled the recipe. I would make sure to keep an eye on the color of the peanuts while microwaving. I hope you love it! โ Meggan
Delicious. Every now and then, I overcook a bowl of peanut brittle. I toss it out and make another. Itโs me, not the recipe@ eat up!