Peanut Brittle. That's what that funny little cluster in the photo is. Ridiculously delicious. Ridiculously unphotogenic. Ridiculously "more-ish". Ridiculously easy to make. Ridiculously easy to burn. Ok, now that that's all out of the way, let's have some brittle...
It's been a while since I made a nut brittle -- years. The last time I attempted making some without regular sugar I ended up with a sticky maple mess, so the prospect of trying it again was not very appealing -- hence "years". But somehow the sight of coconut sugar on my shelf alongside some peanuts sealed the deal. Before I knew it, I was holding delicious dark and handsome brittle in my hand... and I was happy.
Ok, confession time... maybe it wasn't exactly "before I knew it". Maybe it was "a few burnt pots later" but you know what I mean... It just took me some to figure out how to make it work with coconut sugar. And speaking of burnt pots -- a few tips:
1. It's very easy to burn sugar when working on candy recipes, so watch your pot and thermometer like a hawk as that temperature rises. All it takes is a few seconds of distraction... and you have a "situation."
2. To avoid burns, better take it slower and heat up the sugar on a lower heat setting (I know, it can be a slow process sometimes... but nothing is more daunting than having to scrub off that pot if things go awry, so in fact you're saving yourself time by going slower here). P.S. if you ever do burn the pot, try the baking soda trick (boil a bit of water in the pot mixed with a layer of baking soda -- the bubbling action helps the burnt residue to separate a bit, which makes it easier to scrub off later. I do this on repeat sometimes -- because I'm a serial pot burner no matter what I make ??).
3. You're heating up a sticky substance to A VERY HOT temperature. Please be careful not to burn yourself.
4. You sort of need to work quickly once the mixture is ready, so make sure you have all your things lined up and ready to go beforehand so you're not scrambling.
Coconut Sugar Peanut Brittle
Crunchy, sweet peanut butter brittle made from coconut sugar instead of refined. Gluten-free vegan dessert, perfect for snacking.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 pieces
- Category: Candy
- Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients
- 1 cup roasted peanuts (I roasted some raw ones in the oven)
- 1 cup coconut palm sugar
- 6 tbsp water
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Have your roasted peanuts, salt, a wooden spoon, a rolling pin, and 2 sheets of parchment paper ready on the counter.
- Place sugar and water in a medium-small heavy-bottomed sauce pan (heavy-bottomed is important, otherwise the sugar is more likely to burn. I used one that's 2.5QT). Warm on medium high heat until the sugar is dissolved into the liquid, stirring occasionally. Once mixture begins to simmer, lower heat (I had mine set somewhere between 3 - 4 out of 9 settings). Stick a candy thermometer in the pan and allow the mixture to cook until it reaches 275F (close to hard crack stage). Keep a close eye to make sure the mixture doesn't burn towards the end of the process.
- Once sugar mixture is ready, take it off the heat, quickly stir in salt and peanuts. Scoop the mixture out onto a sheet of parchment paper. Cover with a second piece of parchment and roll out into a flat shape with a rolling pin (it helps to hold the edges of one corner in place by pressing it to the counter with your waist / hip as you roll away from yourself). Allow the brittle to cool an hour or two -- until dry. Remove the parchment paper and snap the brittle into pieces. Enjoy! Store in an air-tight container at room temperature or refrigerate.
Amy says
This sounds so good Audrey! I used to love peanut brittle, and was wondering if it could be made with coconut sugar! Now I know ;).
Audrey says
Thanks Amy -- I'm glad we wonder about similar things :D
Shirley @ gluten free easily (gfe) says
Wow, that brittle looks delicious! I always loved peanut brittle, but haven't had any in years. Love that you made it using coconut sugar, Audrey. :-)
xo,
Shirley
Audrey says
Figured someone had to try it with coconut sugar some day, so may as well be me ;) Thanks Shirley! I've not had brittle in a few years, but since I made this I've been making batch after batch.
The Vegan 8 says
These look so good Audrey! I think I would have trouble not eating the whole batch at one sitting, haha! I love coconut sugar sooo much for caramel and toffee, it is the best!
Audrey says
Haha. Yes, the struggle is real... ?
Lucie says
Oh I'd say it's very photogenic if my sudden uncontrollable peanut-chocolate cravings are anything to go by :) Love your anti-burning tips, I'm so guilty of trying to heat things up way too quickly (being my impatient self). NOT worth it. And I love that it only calls for 4 (or 2 really) ingredients! <3
Audrey says
I'm guilty of being impatient, but also of being distracted at the wrong moment because I've always got multiple recipes going on at once... And that baking soda trick comes in handy quite often over here unfortunately ?
Natalie | Feasting on Fruit says
The ingredient list looks so simple, but I know I could screw this up quite easily. Me and candy making don't always get along so well, but it hasn't stopped me yet! You know when you paint a room you have old painting clothes, well I think I need an old candy making pot so I don't mind when I burn the heck out of it :D I think the dark caramelized color is quite pretty actually, and after my creme brûlée experience I wouldn't have thought it was possible with coconut sugar. Totally worth risking the bottom of my pot for this :)
Audrey says
Ah, yes, I rarely get to candy making for all the same reasons -- I somehow manage to always get distracted at all the wrong times... :D And yes, I love the darker amber of the coconut sugar.
Ksenia @ At the Immigrant's Table says
Hey Audrey! After drooling over your pics on IG for a while, I decided to check out your blog... And I'm sooo glad I did. Beautiful, inspiring, and approachable. I'll be back for more before you know it!
Audrey says
Aw, thank you so much, Ksenia :) Appreciate it!