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top view of cashew brittle on aluminum foil lined baking sheet
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4.87 from 15 votes

How to Make Cashew Brittle (Peanut too!)

Buttery Cashew Brittle is a delicious and easy treat that only requires 4 ingredients and less than 30 minutes of cooking time! This brittle is cooked to the "soft crack stage", not the hard crack so it's not "burnt" tasting and it is a touch softer!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
resting time15 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 221kcal
Author: Marie

Ingredients

  • 1 cup salted butter (2 sticks)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
  • 1.5 cups cashews (roasted and salted or unsalted) (whole, halves, or pieces)(may substitute with almonds or peanuts)
  • 1 tsp baking soda only if you don't have a candy thermometer (see step 5)

Instructions

  • Line a baking sheet with a lightly buttered sheet of aluminum foil (or to reduce the chance of getting greasy brittle use parchment without buttering)
  • Optional but highly recommended: heat oven to 200F and warm the baking sheet to get it ready for the last step.
  • In a heavy, medium-sized saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, and corn syrup and warm over medium-low heat
    top view of pan with butter, sugar, corn syrup, and cream
  • Stir occasionally and continue heating until the temperature reaches 290 degrees on a candy thermometer (approximately 20 to 30 minutes, will depend on the power of your burner)
    brittle cooking and reaching soft crack stage with thermapen showing temp of 289
  • NOTE: If you're not using a candy thermometer, you may need 1 teaspoon of baking soda. But first, test the mixture after it darkens and looks like lava by dropping in a teaspoonful in very cold water. It is finished when it separates into hard threads that soften when removed from water. If your threads remain brittle after removing from water, add 1 teaspoon of baking soda and stir a little before you add the cashews.
  • Remove pan from heat and stir in cashews or peanuts.
    cashew brittle in pot ready to be poured on flat pan
  • Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, and spread across the pan
    homemade cashew brittle cooling on aluminum foiled lined baking sheet
  • Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes and then transfer to the refrigerator for 5 more minutes.
  • Break into individual serving size, and store in an airtight container

Notes

  • Measure out all ingredients and gather utensils before starting
  • Follow directions exactly and don't double ingredients or substitute ingredients.
  • Saucepans should be sufficiently heavy to minimize scorching and they should be large enough to allow room for boiling without boiling over.
  • Use a wooden spoon or metal to stir the candy while cooking (other materials may melt from the high heat)
  • Stir the candy consistently!
  • Spread over tray that has been kept warm in the oven to help the brittle spread out.
  • Don't dump the brittle all in one big mound; pour it in a circle or in a back and forth motion to help spread it out.
  • Using parchment instead of aluminum foil will help avoid getting oily brittle as parchment doesn't need to be buttered/oiled.
  • Buttering your spatula helps spread the brittle.
  • Cashews or peanuts are added at the end and so they will cook; it's recommended to use roasted and salted nuts.
  • If making brittle when it's very humid out (>55% relative humidity), you may have trouble getting it to set.
  • Use hot water to soak the utensil and pot after making brittle (soak for 20 to 30 minutes)
  • It really helps to use a high quality digital thermometer; candy thermometers are notoriously inaccurate. If you are using one, I recommend to do the ice water test as well (see post for details).

Nutrition

Calories: 221kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 104mg | Potassium: 83mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 355IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.8mg