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It only takes 6 ingredients to make this easy Microwave Peanut Brittle. It’s 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.
Meggan’s notes
Candy-making can be intimidating, but I’m here to show you fun and easy it can be. As a classically-trained chef with plenty of candy-making experience under my belt, I’ll 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. It’s perfect for homemade gifts, your holiday treats plate, or anytime you’re 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: Adding baking soda to the hot sugar syrup makes lots of tiny air bubbles that give the candy the porous, honeycomb texture it’s 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: Butter a baking sheet or line it with parchment so the brittle doesn’t stick.
- Let it flow: Don’t 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 isn’t 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 it’s known for.
I suggest raw peanuts for peanut brittle since you’re cooking them in the microwave. It’s the same idea as using toasted nuts in homemade granola – you’d 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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Peanut Butter Balls Recipe
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Peppermint Bark
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Peanut Brittle (Microwave)
Ingredients
- 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)
Instructions
- 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: Adding baking soda to the hot sugar syrup makes lots of tiny air bubbles that give the candy the porous, honeycomb texture it’s famous for.
- Yield: This recipe makes about 1 pound of peanut brittle.
- Storage: Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 months.
Amazing! Not normally a fan of microwave cooking… But yummmo!
So glad you enjoyed it, Cindy! Thanks for trusting my recipe! – Meggan
Amazing! Not normally a fan of microwave cooking… But yimmmo!
I did 4 min, 3 min , 1 min. 1st batch was borderline burnt. Every microwave varies
Microwave times are not correct. It seems all times should be reduced by 50%.
Hi Bill, thank you for sharing. Each microwave is a little different and the cooking times can vary. Take care! – Meggan
Am I missing it? Where are the amounts to use of the ingredients?? Wish I could have made this. Surely if 111 people rated this, they must be in the recipe somewhere!
Hi Amy, thank you for your comment and sorry for the confusion. The ingredient amounts are listed in the recipe card in the post. It can be accessed by clicking the large “Jump to Recipe” button on the right of the post towards the top of the page, or by scrolling down to right above where you were able to write a comment. Sorry again! Take care! – Meggan
Do you use raw or roasted peanuts?
Hi Melissa, thank you for your question. I use regular roasted peanuts, but readers have shared they have had better success with raw. I hope you love it! – Meggan
This is a great recipe. I do not recommend using wax paper as the brittle is very hot & will melt the wax. Parchment paper or just well oiled or butter cookie sheet is you’re best bet
Hi Liz, thank you so much for your comment. I agree, and I’ve updated the recipe card to remove wax paper. Thank you again! I’m glad you loved this brittle. – Meggan
Hi, I made this recipe but it turned out more like taffy, I’m guessing it has to do with the wattage of my microwave. Can you please tell me what wattage you used so that I can adjust the cooking time, the taste was great , would like to try it again. Thanks Florence
Hi Florence, thank you so much for your question! My microwave is 1000 watts. Each microwave is different, so it’s best to keep an eye on the brittle, watching for the mixture to turn light brown in step 2, and the peanuts begin to brown in step 3. I hope your next batch comes out perfectly! – Meggan
This was my 2nd time making peanut brittle and it went great, easy peasy and delicious. This will be my forever recipe. Thank you
You’re so welcome, LaRue! I’m so glad you love it! – Meggan
I’ve tried many microwave peanut brittle recipes over the years and this is the best I’ve ever made. I resisted the urge to spread the brittle to make it thinner and it “honeycombed” perfectly. Great taste and I will be my go to recipe from now on. Thank you.
Hi Shirley, you’re welcome! Take care! – Meggan