Quick & Easy Nut Brittle

Embark on a culinary adventure with our quick and easy nut brittle recipe that promises to elevate your snacking game to new heights. With the perfect balance of sweetness and crunch, this delightful treat is a testament to the joy that can be found in the kitchen, even on the busiest of days.

Jump to:

• 🤔 What are the origins of nut brittle?
• 🌡️ Equipment
• 🧾 Ingredients
• ⭐ Ingredient notes
• 🥣 Making the nut brittle
• 😃 Awesome combinations
• ❓ FAQ
• 🧺 Storage
• 📝 Recipe

Prepare yourself for a taste sensation that's nuttier than a squirrel in a peanut factory – introducing our Quick & Easy Nut Brittle, made with just seven common pantry ingredients you already have in your kitchen!

These crunchy delights bring together peanuts, almonds, pecans, and walnuts (or any of your favorite nuts!) for a flavor symphony that'll have you doing a happy dance.

Whether you're a certified nut enthusiast or just someone with a sweet tooth looking for the ultimate snack time treat, this nut brittle is about to become the VIP of your pantry.

And for more flavor-packed adventures like grandma used to make, check out our old fashioned peanut butter fudge for a trip down memory lane, my favorite banana nut bread, easy-peasy 3-ingredient homemade peanut butter cups, or a sumptuous nutella babka – because life's too short for bland snacks!

🤔 What are the origins of nut brittle?

Well, that's actually not so easy to answer because no one really knows. There are a few amusing theories and stories going around though. One involves a southern woman who grabbed a wrong ingredient, while another involves a giant lumberjack! It's quite surprising that we don't really know where one of grandma's favorite quick treats originated, even though there are many variations of it around the world.

🌡️ Equipment

I recommend that you use a candy thermometer to make this nut brittle. If you don't have one, however, there are other methods to check that the mixture in the pot has reached the hard-crack stage.

🧾 Ingredients

• Granulated sugar
• Water
• Butter
• Light corn syrup
• Baking soda
• Vanilla extract
• Chopped nuts

See the recipe card below for full list of ingredients and their measurements.

⭐ Ingredient notes

• Nuts - The choice of what nuts to use is totally up to you! For this recipe, I used a mixture of peanuts, almonds, pecans, and walnuts...but you do you!
• Butter - It's also a personal preference whether to use salted or unsalted butter. The choice may depend on whether the nuts you're using are already salted or not, and whether you're more salty or sweet.

🥣 Making the nut brittle

Everything will happen pretty quickly in this recipe, so I recommend that you have all your ingredients ready ahead of time.

Also be aware that when making caramel like this, the sugar mixture in the pot gets EXTREMELY hot, so be extra careful not to burn yourself.

In a pot on the stove, over medium to medium-high heat, bring the sugar, water, butter, and corn syrup to a boil until it turns an amber color and reaches 300℉ (the hard-crack stage). This will take approximately 10 minutes. During this time, DO NOT stir the mixture...we want to avoid crystallization and burning of the sugar. You also may have to make slight adjustments to the heat on your stove to get it to the correct temperature.

Once your mixture has reached the hard-crack stage (or 300℉), remove the pot from the heat and immediately stir in the baking soda and vanilla extract. Be aware that it will bubble and foam up quite a bit as soon as you add the baking soda, so be ready!

FYI, this foaming action that's caused by the addition of baking soda is what gives brittle its texture. When it foams up like this, carbon dioxide is being created, which allows little air pockets to form in the mixture, hence it being "brittle."

Next, stir in the chopped nuts. You'll be able to tell at this point that the mixture is hardening up fast, so move quickly.

Finally, pour the finished nut brittle onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat and spread it out into a thin layer using a silicone spatula (or another spatula wiped down with a little bit of oil).

Finally, it's the hardest part...being patient for 1 whole hour while the nut brittle finishes cooling and hardening at room temperature.

After that hour, you can now reward yourself by using your hands to break the brittle into pieces and enjoying to your heart's content!

😃 Awesome combinations

• Ice cream - Break up the nut brittle into smaller pieces and sprinkle over ice cream.
• Chocolate - Melt some chocolate in the microwave and pour over top of the nut brittle for a great combination!
• Yogurt - Crumble the brittle into small pieces and stir into your favorite yogurt.
• Trail mix - Mix peanut brittle with other nuts, dried fruits, and some chocolate pieces to create a delicious trail mix.
• Coffee or hot chocolate - Enjoy a piece of peanut brittle with your coffee or hot chocolate.

❓ FAQ

🧺 Storage

When stored in an airtight container at room temperature, your nut brittle will stay good for several weeks.

Do you have a sweet tooth like me? Check out a few more of our delicious recipes:

• Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge
• 3-Ingredient Homemade Peanut Butter Cups
• The Best Banana Nut Bread
• Nutella Babka
• Brownie Blondies
• Butterscotch Milkshake
• Fudgy Nutella Brownies with Salted Caramel Sauce
• Chocolate Cake in a Mug
• Sweet Cream Cold Foam Coffee
• Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew

📝 Recipe

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