Microwave Peanut Brittle Recipe - Food.com (2024)

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Community Pick

Microwave Peanut Brittle Recipe - Food.com (1)

Submitted by Jellyqueen

"I had this recipe years ago and managed to lose it, but found a friend at work that had it and I am back in the brittle business. It is extremely easy and quick to make. Since most people have the ingredients in their pantry and freezers, it is a recipe that can be made up in a few minutes if unexpected guest show up."

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Ready In:
17mins

Ingredients:
7
Yields:

8 oz.

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ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 12 cup white Karo
  • 1 dash salt
  • 1 cup shelled raw peanuts (pecans, walnuts, sunflower seed, etc.)
  • 1 tablespoon margarine
  • 1 12 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

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directions

  • Line baking sheet with wax paper.
  • Spray wax paper with Pam.
  • Combine sugar, salt and Karo in a 3 quart microwave safe glass bowl.
  • Stir in peanuts.
  • Microwave on high until light brown (8 to 10 minutes) stirring at least 2 times during cooking.
  • Remove from microwave and stir in remaining ingredients adding baking soda last (mix will be foamy).
  • Stir quickly and pour onto wax paper.
  • Spread thin for brittle candy.
  • Note: You can use any type nuts you prefer or even sunflower seeds (which is my favorite).

Questions & Replies

Microwave Peanut Brittle Recipe - Food.com (13)

  1. Microwave Peanut Brittle Recipe - Food.com (14)

    what is the wattage of your microwave? I have found that does make a difference.

  2. Microwave Peanut Brittle Recipe - Food.com (15)

    Can i double the recipe ? Or will that be too much to do at one time.?

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Reviews

  1. Microwave Peanut Brittle Recipe - Food.com (17)

    Outstanding peanut brittle recipe! This will now replace my tried and true recipe that I have used for 40 years. Why?...because it is much faster and since it makes about half as much it is easier to handle by myself when it comes to pouring and spreading quickly before it hardens. I cooked this in a 2-quart size glass batter bowl with a handle and pouring spout and it worked perfectly. I used 1 1/2 cups of peanuts because we like lots of peanuts in our brittle. It took about 13 minutes to cook in a 1000 watt microwave (probably took longer because of adding more nuts). I have found that the secret to very thin brittle is to stir the soda in very quickly and pour the mixture out onto the pan while it is still actively foaming, spread it out and then lift the edges and stretch even thinner. I spray my utensils with non-stick cooking spray, as well as my pan and the spout of my batter bowl so it slides right out. Thanks for a great recipe, Jellyqueen!

  2. Microwave Peanut Brittle Recipe - Food.com (18)

    This is absolutely the best. Talk about easy and fast. Everyone loves it. I can see that using raw peanuts is important. I think roasted peanuts would continue to cook and possibly become overdone. Thanks Jellyqueen!

  3. Microwave Peanut Brittle Recipe - Food.com (19)

    A delicious brittle. So simple and easy. I made this with walnuts, golden corn syrup and butter and had great results. I will definitely make this again.

  4. Microwave Peanut Brittle Recipe - Food.com (20)

    Thank you for posting this! I lost this recipe ages ago and have missed it greatly! I use butter instead of margarine, and spanish peanuts with skins on. This really is a no fail recipe, and you never even have to use a candy thermometer, yay! People think I'm utterly wonderful when I make this nut brittle LOL! Gosh no, I never tell them how easy it is to make! I'm like that lady in the old Rice Krispy Treat commercial who splashes water and flour on her face so she looks like she was slaving away in the kitchen LOL!note: it's just sugar, don't worry about it sticking to the bowl, just a hot water soak in your sink will dissolve the mess :)

  5. Microwave Peanut Brittle Recipe - Food.com (21)

    Excellent recipe! Very popular around the office. The only problem I had was with the waxed paper sticking to the brittle, so I switched to the non-stick Reynolds wrap aluminum foil. Perfect!

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Tweaks

  1. Microwave Peanut Brittle Recipe - Food.com (22)

    I've been making this for many years. This will make it easier: Microwave for 4 min Stir Microwave 3 minutes Add butter, vanilla, stir Microwave 1 min Then add baking soda, stir, pour and spread. If too light, increase time in 15 second increments. Too dark, decrease time in 15 second increments.

    • Microwave Peanut Brittle Recipe - Food.com (23)

  2. Microwave Peanut Brittle Recipe - Food.com (24)

    Turned out more like sponge toffee. Maybe heat tray to make it spread out more. Definitely use batter bowl with handle as it was so hot I dropped it onto tray even with over mitts.

  3. Microwave Peanut Brittle Recipe - Food.com (25)

    I made about 15-20 batches (I lost count!) of sunflower seed brittle this last Christmas, for gifts, and it was a HUGE hit! I got raw sunflower seeds from our local health food store. I found that with my microwave (1200 watts), seven minutes with the perfect timing. I made it in a glass Pampered Chef pitcher/measuring bowl and stirred each batch three times while cooking. When the nuts started to get a little golden, I pulled it out and finished the recipe. I LOVED the flavor, as did everyone else. I also did something a little different...I poured it out onto a (WELL-SPRAYED!) sheet of aluminum foil, placed an equally well-sprayed piece of foil on top, then immediately rolled it out with a heat-proof (metal) rolling pin. It created a very thin, crisp brittle that I could not have gotten if I'd just spread it out with the spoon. Make sure you protect the surface underneath from the heat (I used a large, thick, laminated cutting board). This is the first brittle I've tried that I've absolutely loved, and I have to say that it never would have occurred to me to use sunflower seeds instead of peanuts...but the flavors work EXTREMELY well together. Thanks for posting this, JQ...you rock!!! PS: I gave sandwich size bags of this away to a number of co-workers and others. The boyfriend of a co-worker RAVES about this stuff almost every time I see him. He says he still has some of the bag I gave him...and that he's been rationing it out so it lasts. He wants to know when I'm making some more! LOL

  4. Microwave Peanut Brittle Recipe - Food.com (26)

    ymmmmmm....I've been making this recipe every Christmas for many years.The only difference is that my recipe calls for real butter instead of margarine. I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't use the real thing in this recipe! The smell and taste of real butter is what makes this recipe so awesome for me! Also, you don't need to use waxed paper. I just spray my pan with cooking spray and have never had any trouble with it.

  5. Microwave Peanut Brittle Recipe - Food.com (27)

    This is SO easy! After making several batches, here's my tips: Set your microwave for two minutes at a time... it gives you a set time to stir between zaps, and you're free to move around for all but that last two minutes. WATCH THE BRITTLE LIKE A HAWK for that last stretch, though- it can go from golden brown to scorched in a moment! Definitely ditch the wax paper and just lightly spray a baking sheet with Pam instead. Once your brittle is spread out, cool it for a few minutes in the freezer, then you can just work a butter knife under the edge and twist... and the whole thing comes up easily in one big sheet. I made several batches and found the easiest way to clean up was to just dunk the emptied cooking bowl and all utensils into a big bowl (or sink full) of hot water and just leave it. Do something else for an hour or so and when you come back the sugar is dissolved. Wash and dry and you're ready for another batch if you want. I did a batch each of peanut, pecan, cashew and almond- I think the cashew was the BEST. Remember to buy RAW nuts though folks! Thanks for a great recipe, Jellyqueen!!

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Microwave Peanut Brittle Recipe  - Food.com (2024)

FAQs

Why add baking soda to peanut brittle? ›

Baking soda is also very important at this stage since it reacts to the heat, creating carbon dioxide that aerates the caramel, enabling it to snap when someone bites into it rather than requiring them to gnaw at it until it breaks or pulls apart.

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.

Why is my microwave peanut brittle too hard? ›

Why is my peanut brittle too hard? Peanut brittle can end up too hard when the temperature gets too high during the cooking process. With a microwave peanut brittle recipe like this one, you may need to adjust the cooking times based on your microwave.

Why did my peanut brittle turn out chewy? ›

Why did my peanut brittle turn out chewy? The likely cause is that the sugar mixture didn't reach the proper hard crack stage temperature. Ensuring it reaches 300˚F is key to getting that classic brittle texture.

How do you keep peanut brittle crispy? ›

#1 - Store in an airtight container

It should come as no surprise that storing your peanut brittle in airtight containers is one of the best ways to store peanut brittle. Keeping air out helps maintain your brittle's freshness by minimizing the amount of moisture that might come into contact with your sweet treat.

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 not turning brown? ›

If your peanut brittle reached 311°F but is a pale milky color, it's likely the candy cooked too quickly. It reached the correct temperature but didn't cook long enough to undergo sufficient Maillard reactions and develop the characteristic brown color and rich, roasted flavor. Next time, cook at a lower temperature.

Can you use parchment paper when making peanut brittle? ›

You'll also want to prepare a baking sheet, with either a silicone mat or parchment paper. The mat/paper will help ensure the peanut brittle doesn't stick directly to pan once it has cooled.

How do you fix crumbly peanut brittle? ›

Reviving stale peanut brittle is possible to some extent. 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 did my peanut brittle crystallize? ›

Cooling down too quickly can prevent the candy from becoming hard. When candy cools slowly on a stone slab, more crystals have a chance to form. With a higher number of micro-crystals, the sugar has more sites on which to crystallize, and so crystallization ultimately happens faster.

Why does my peanut brittle have bubbles? ›

As the sugar is cooking and begins turning amber in color it accumulates small amounts of acid, and that acid reacts chemically with the alkaline baking soda releasing about a zillion minuscule bubbles of CO2 that get trapped, making the sugar porous and, well… brittle.

Does peanut brittle get old? ›

To store: Store peanut brittle (once it's completely cooled) in an airtight container at room temperature. Do not refrigerate as the moisture from the fridge will cause the brittle to soften. Store for 6-8 weeks. To freeze: Peanut brittle can be frozen and stored up to 3 months.

Why is peanut brittle bad for you? ›

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. But, peanut brittle becomes terrible for your teeth once all of those ingredients are combined into the final product.

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 greasy? ›

Many recipes call for buttering a foil-lined baking sheet, which can result in a tasty but greasy brittle. That is, unless you missed a spot while buttering. In which case you have peanut-and-foil brittle.

What is the purpose of adding baking soda, butter, and calamansi juice during peanut brittle processing? ›

Why do you put baking soda in peanut brittle? In short: the alkaline of the baking soda reacts with the acids of the sugar to creates lots of CO2 bubbles. This interrupts the crystalline structure, making it more delicate and easily cracked…and thus more “brittle”.

What does baking soda do in candy making? ›

The secret is in the baking soda. As the sugar is cooking and begins turning amber in color it accumulates small amounts of acid, and that acid reacts chemically with the alkaline baking soda releasing about a zillion minuscule bubbles of CO2 that get trapped, making the sugar porous and, well… brittle.

What is the interfering agent in peanut brittle? ›

Examples of interfering agents include corn syrup and cream of tartar. A key step in making brittle is heating the syrup to the proper temperature.

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