Why Grandma’s Peanut Brittle Will Always Be the Best
Some recipes are more than instructions — they’re stories. Grandma’s peanut brittle is one of those recipes. It didn’t come from a cookbook or the internet. It lived on an index card smudged with butter, pulled out every December, always made “by feel,” and somehow it always turned out perfect.
Peanut brittle like this wasn’t fancy. It was shiny and golden, snapped clean when you broke it, and filled the kitchen with the smell of caramelized sugar and roasted peanuts. It showed up in coffee cans, wrapped in wax paper, and somehow disappeared faster than anything else on the dessert table.
Why Grandma’s Peanut Brittle Was Always the Best
Grandma never rushed brittle. She stood over the stove, wooden spoon in hand, watching the color like it mattered — because it did.
What made it special:
- Deep amber color (never pale, never burnt)
- Plenty of peanuts — no skimping
- That magic moment when baking soda made it foam and lighten
- Just the right thinness, spread quickly and confidently
She didn’t need a thermometer. She knew when it was ready.
Now, when I make peanut brittle, I understand why she insisted on certain steps and ignored others. I understand the quiet joy of stirring, the importance of timing, and the satisfaction of breaking the brittle by hand instead of cutting it neatly.
WHERE DID PEANUT BRITTLE COME FROM
Legend tells us that around the year 1890, a Southern woman created peanut brittle by mistake. Apparently she was making taffy when she added baking soda instead of cream of tartar. However, not wanting to waste the ingredients, she continued cooking it, resulting in a crunchy brittle instead of a chewy taffy.
INGREDIENTS YOU WILL NEED….
- Sugar
- Corn Syrup
- Water
- Butter
- Baking Soda
- Peanuts
- Salt
The classic homemade candy is perfect for the holiday season. Add the crunchy treat to your holiday cookie trays, give it as a sweet edible Christmas gift, or snack on some while watching holiday movies and wrapping presents.
So here’s to Grandma’s peanut brittle.
May it always crackle just right.
May it always bring people together.
And may we never forget the hands that taught us how to make it.
Grab your apron and scroll down for the complete recipe…..
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1/3 cup water
- 16 ounces roasted or raw peanuts (shelled)
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsps butter
- 2 tsps baking soda
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a pot, combine sugar, corn syrup and water. Cook over medium-high heat until it boils.
- Reduce heat to medium and carefully attach candy thermometer to the pot, make sure you thermometer is not touching the bottom of your pot.
- Continue boiling, stirring occasionally, until candy thermometer reaches 250 degrees F (around 20-30 minutes).
- Stir in peanuts and salt.
- Cook until the mixture reaches 295 degrees F ( about 15-30 minutes).
- Remove from the heat and immediately stir in the butter and baking soda. (You will it see it foam and change colors.)
- Immediately pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and spread with a spatula.
- Cool completely and then break into bite-sized pieces. Store leftovers in an airtight container.