Microwave peanut brittle is an easy 15 minute candy recipe perfect for the holidays. It’s a family favorite sweet at every Christmas!
Easy Homemade Peanut Brittle Recipe
This Microwave Peanut Brittle recipe has been a family favorite for as long as I can remember. My mom makes it every single Christmas and everyone always loves it. It has a light melt in your mouth texture with a sweet and salty flavor that is to die for!
Whether you are making a batch to share with your family at the holidays or looking for an easy homemade gift idea, this microwave peanut brittle is perfection.
Peanut Brittle in the Microwave
I had been telling my mom that she needed to get a new microwave since I was a teenager. It took FOREVER to heat things up. I knew it was old and loosing power but she wouldn’t hear it.
Needless to say, 10 years later when she finally moved to a new home and tried to make her microwave peanut brittle recipe in her new microwave it burnt! The cook time was far too much in a fully powered microwave. HAHA!
The old microwave happened to be located in our basement yet seeing we are the ones who bought their old house. After her first failed attempt, she immediately requested her old microwave back. She could gladly have it.
Now every Christmas season, my Dad has to haul the old microwave upstairs from the basement storage room just so Mom can make her amazing Microwave Peanut Brittle!
Microwave wattage for Peanut Brittle
So this presents an issue that is common with making any sort of desserts in the microwave. Whether you are whipping up a batch of Microwave Caramel Corn or Snack Mix, it is important to have a grasp on the power of your small appliance.
The cooking times for this Microwave Peanut Brittle Recipe are for a 1,000 watt microwave.
If your microwave has a different wattage, keep a close eye and nose during the final steps of cooking. It may take you one or two tries to perfect it depending on the wattage and age of your microwave. As microwaves get older, they tend to loose power.
But once you get the recipe down, tuck it away in a special cookbook and keep it for the life of your microwave, because its that amazing! I promise you it is worth the potential failed attempt, because once you master the cooking times of your microwave, it is such an easy recipe that you can crank out batch after batch with ease.
This may all sound overwhelming, but it really is such an easy recipe. The effort doen’t even compare to how much work it is to make peanut brittle on the stove with a candy thermometer.
How to Make Peanut Brittle in the Microwave
After testing this Microwave Peanut Brittle recipe for my new KitchenAid 1,000 watt microwave multiple times, I am excited to share it with you!
Everything comes together in a glass casserole or mixing bowl. The first step is to stir the corn syrup and granulated sugar together and microwave for 3.5 minutes. Next, stir in peanuts and microwave for 3 more minutes, until light brown. Add the butter and vanilla to mixture and stir until well combined. Microwave for an additional 1.5 minutes.
How do you make Peanut Brittle
You will need to work quickly for the next step, so be sure to have your buttered baking sheet already to go. Add the baking soda to the mixture and gently stir until light and foamy. Do NOT over stir. Only stir enough to mix in the baking soda in, in more of a folding motion.
The baking soda adds air to the mixture, which creates more of that melt in your mouth texture. If you stir too hard or too much, it will break down the air bubbles and the brittle will be thin and hard.
Quickly pour the foamy mixture onto the greased cookie sheet. Do NOT use a spoon to spread the mixture around. Instead, gently rotate the pan to spread the mixture around until it is about 1/2 inch thick.
Let the peanut brittle cool for 1/2 hour. When it is cooled, break the candy into small pieces and store in air-tight container.
Peanut Brittle Candy
I remember the stress of first time I made microwave peanut brittle myself very well. Not only was I worried it wouldn’t turn out like Mom’s, but I stared at the bowl with crusted on caramelized sugar when I was all done and thought “Oh crap, I am never going to get this clean!”
The good news is that you just need to soak your glass bowl with soap and water and it all comes off super easy. Just be sure not to add cold water to a hot glass bowl or you will have broken glass!
More delicious holiday sweets!
If you are looking for more great treats for the holidays, check out some of these fantastic dessert recipes!
- Peppermint Chocolate Candy Cane Cupcakes
- Eggnog Fudge
- Cranberry Orange Custard Pie
- Salted Dark Chocolate Pomegranate Tart
Microwave Peanut Brittle
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup + 2 Tbsp
- 1 1/4 cup roasted salted peanuts
- 1 1/2 tsp. butter
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. baking soda
Instructions
- In a glass 1.5 qt casserole or mixing bowl, stir the corn syrup and granulated sugar together and microwave for 3.5 minutes. Stir in the peanuts and microwave for 3 more minutes until light brown. Add the butter and vanilla to the mixture and stir until well combined. Microwave for an additional 1.5 minutes.
- You will need to work quickly for the next step, so be sure to have your buttered cookie sheet ready to go. Add the baking soda to the mixture and gently stir until light and foamy. Quickly pour the foamy mixture onto the greased cookie sheet.
- Do NOT use a spoon to spread the mixture around. Instead, gently rotate the pan to spread the mixture around until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Work quickly, because it will began hardening very fast.
- Let the peanut brittle cool for at least 1/2 hour or until it is hard and smooth to the touch. When it is cooled, break the candy into small pieces and store in an air-tight container.
Baker B says
Why don’t you post the wattage of the microwave you used. Terms old and new/modern whatever aren’t helpful.
If we know your wattage we can guesstimate better our changes needed.
Please everyone post your wattageand changes to help us all.
@Pam who posted her trial at 1100 watts — thank you!!!
Danielle Green says
You are absolutely right and thank you for pointing that out. Sorry I didn’t include this before. I made this recipe in a 1,000 watt microwave.
Robert Jarvis says
Yes it can be done on the stove but you need a candy thermometer or know how to do the crackle test in water
Yvonne says
Can it be done on the stove??
Danielle Green says
I have never made this recipe on the stove.
Patsy says
Its 1.5. There’s a decimal point between 1 and 5
Rhonda Wilson says
1 point 5 minutes. Just like the first time is 3 point 5 minutes. her font used it is hard to see the” points”.
Susie says
Just made a batch, it tastes great, but it is kind of sticky! It sticks to your teeth! Where do you think I went wrong ? Thank you
Danielle Green says
Sounds to me like it might have been a bit undercooked. Perhaps your microwave is a bit older or just a little lower power. In that case, just add a minute or two in the beginning of the cooking time.
Susie says
Thanks so. Much !! I will try that. Peanut Brittle is one of my favorites! This is so easy that I can whip up a batch anytime ?
Pam says
I have made 2 batches . They turned out great. I followed instruction exactly. I have a 1100 watt microwave. I love Peanut Brittle but most of the ones you buy are so hard. This is crispy , crunchy. Perfect.
Danielle Green says
So glad you loved it! My Dad always says its the best because it almost melts in your mouth.
Sandy Rich says
I have always made this BUT this year it was kind of burned. I followed the same receipt. What advise do you have on that ?
Danielle Green says
Did you use a different microwave? Honestly each microwave will vary a little bit in their power. I just made a batch at my mom’s house and it was a little more done than when I make it at my house. Reduce the cooking time by a couple minutes if you end up with burnt brittle. I know that doesn’t help the burnt batch, but you will know how to cook it in your microwave from now on.
Sheila says
So I tried to double the recipe and it is more like crunchy caramel. ? what would you suggest on cooking time for doubling? Or are single batches better?
Danielle Green says
We never double this recipe. I always just make subsequent batches in the microwave using the same bowl.
Bridget Neal says
Why does it say aft the end of the directions microwave for an astronautical 15 minutes?
Danielle Green says
I’m not sure where you are seeing the extra 15 minutes of microwave time. Perhaps you are seeing the Total Time to make which is 15 minutes.
Donna says
I know, I was confused until I read the total cooking and prep times.
3.5 was surprising, 35 mins seemed alot
1.5 at the end
I’m going with 3 to 5 and 1 to 5 mins
Tks
Danielle Green says
3.5 is 3 1/2 and 1.5 is 1 1/2
C Storey says
3 . 5
1 . 5
there is a period in between
3.5 meaning =Three and a half min
As in
1.5 means = one and a half min
The period for fractions is hard to see .
Terry says
Put cookie sheet in the oven about 200° take out just before peanut brittle is ready and then butter it makes it spread out easier when you shake it
Danielle Green says
Love that tip!
Rachel says
Awesome tip! I’m going to try this.
LuAnne says
I butter the pan before I put it in the warm oven. I take it out as soon as I add the vanilla and baking soda to the brittle. You still have to be quick but it’s a little easier when the pan is warm.
Judy Cromer says
I have always used raw peanuts for this recipe but I’m going to try the roasted peanuts…this is so easy but be careful when working with the hot candy as it will burn anywhere it touches immediately…I’m going to try this year, to do this with pecans or cashews…fingers crossed!!
Melissa Howell says
Honestly, I don’t think I have ever made peanut brittle! I have been too scared to do it! But this recipe looks so easy, I just might give it a try!
Melissa Howell says
Honestly, I don’t think I have ever made peanut brittle! I have been too scared to do it! But this recipe looks so easy, I just might give it a try!
Malinda Linnebur says
My mom always made her peanut brittle this way because it’s so much easier! I have yet to try and I need to change that!!
Malinda Linnebur says
My mom always made her peanut brittle this way because it’s so much easier! I have yet to try and I need to change that!!
Coleen Koehl says
My daughter does her peanut brittle like this and it’s always so good! Way easier than the old fashioned way!
Mary says
Do I need a higher wattage oven for it to work better?
Julie Evink says
I always make mine in the microwave! We love it and it’s so easy!
Tom says
Do you microwave on high?
Danielle Green says
yes!
Coleen Koehl says
My daughter does her peanut brittle like this and it’s always so good! Way easier than the old fashioned way!
Julie Evink says
I always make mine in the microwave! We love it and it’s so easy!