10-Minute Microwave Peanut Brittle is buttery and crunchy, and the perfect balance of sweet and salty. It comes together so easily in the microwave. It is a great candy to make for the holidays and ideal for homemade gift giving.
This is my favorite time of the year. I absolutely love holiday baking and homemade gift giving. My “to make” list of Christmas candy and cookies grows year after year.
By the time Thanksgiving rolls around, my list is two to three times what I actually have time for. I always end up making the same 6 or 7 tried-and-true recipes like this 10-minute microwave peanut brittle then adding a couple of new cookies or candies to the mix.
Seriously, this candy is so simple to make. It is sweet, but not too sweet. I love that this yummy peanut brittle is made in the microwave, freeing up your oven for other delectable treats. I cook in my microwave a lot. Living in Florida, I try to avoid heating up the house with the oven, so we backyard grill often and cook in the microwave.
What is the difference between peanut brittle and toffee?
It’s true, peanut brittle and toffee share a number of similarities. They both involve boiling sugar and water and other ingredients to make a hard and sweet treat. But they differ in that peanut brittle — as you probably guessed — contains nuts, whereas toffee typically doesn’t. As well, brittle is exactly that: brittle. Because it is cooked at a higher temperature than toffee, it is hard and easily broken apart. Toffee, on the other hand, because of its lower temperature, is relatively soft and creamy. It can be bent and pulled apart.
Why is baking soda added to peanut brittle?
Baking soda does a couple of things. First, it reacts with the sugar to create tiny bubbles of carbon dioxide gas. As a result, the brittle takes on a lighter color, more like caramel than amber. Those tiny bubbles also change the consistency and texture of the brittle, which becomes somewhat crumbly and easier to break apart. When you bite into brittle and there’s that oh so satisfying crunch, you have the baking soda to thank.
Pro Tips
- You will need to move quickly while making this peanut brittle, so it does not set until you have it spread out onto the baking sheet. I recommend having all of your ingredients measured ahead of time.
- You will need to have cooking spray on hand to keep the brittle mixture from sticking to your spatula or spoon and the sides of the bowl. Using no-stick spray will make cleanup much easier.
How To Store Peanut Brittle
If you are not going to enjoy the peanut brittle right away or are packaging it up for gift giving, I recommend placing a piece of parchment paper between each layer. Preferably, store peanut brittle in an airtight container.
Cleanup Tip: Peanut brittle is very sticky and then it hardens. For easy cleanup, soak the bowl and utensils in hot water, dish soap and a little white vinegar. Let it sit for one hour and cleanup should be a breeze.
YUM.
This peanut brittle is so simple to make and perfect for holiday gift giving. Whip up a quick batch for watching holiday movies with the family. You know I am all for easy recipes and this is one of my favorite recipes for the holidays.
10-Minute Microwave Peanut Brittle
Equipment
- microwave oven (I recommend the Galanz ExpressWave Microwave from Walmart)
- large glass bowl
- silicone spatula
- rimmed baking sheet
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 cup salted, roasted peanuts
Instructions
- Butter a large rimmed cookie sheet or jelly roll pan or simply spray it with cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, combine cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda. Set aside.
- In a large glass bowl that is suitable for the microwave, combine sugar and light corn syrup.
- Place bowl in microwave oven. Microwave on high for approx. 4 minutes.
- Carefully remove the bowl from the microwave. It will be hot.
- Stir mixture with a silicone spatula and return to the microwave for an additional 3 to 5 minutes. Keep an eye on the sugar and corn syrup mixture and remove when it becomes light golden brown in color. If it gets too dark, it may be burnt.
- Remove from the microwave with pot holders, as the bowl and ingredients will be very hot. Stir in the vanilla and butter, until combined.
- Stir in the cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda mixture. Stir in the salted, roasted peanuts.
- If you like things extra salty, add a pinch of salt.
- Using a silicone spatula or spoon sprayed with no-stick spray, spread the mixture onto your greased baking sheet. Spread it out evenly until it is about the same thickness as the peanuts.
- Allow peanut brittle to sit for about 1-2 hours or until hardened. Mine is usually ready within a hour, but it may vary depending on where you live and the humidity level. Using your hands, break peanut brittle into pieces.
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