This is my great grandma Dixie’s peanut brittle recipe. It is a little over 60 years old. My great grandmother went out to buy some snacking peanuts for my great grandfather Glen. She ended up accidentally buying Spanish peanuts, which have no flavor or salt on them. They were the cheapest peanuts there were, and they are still cheap today. Glen took a handful of them and put them in his mouth. He then proceeded to spit them out because they were not very tasteful.

Dixie then looked at the bag and realized they were baking peanuts. She decided to try making the peanut brittle recipe on the back of the bag. Her and Glen were very skilled bakers already so she knew right away that some of the baking details were not quite right in the recipe given. She ended up taking that recipe and modified it over the years to find the best outcome of peanut brittle. Dixie even added some of her own touches to it as well, using what she already knew about making candies. That is how we got to the recipe I am giving to you all today. It is a bit difficult to make, but on my second try, I mastered it. I am so happy to be passing it along to you all now!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c water
• 2 c sugar
• 1 c corn syrup
• 2 c raw Spanish peanuts
• 2 tbs butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tsp baking soda

What You Will Need:

• Candy thermometer
• Wooden spoon

Instructions:

1. Get all your ingredients ready so that you can move quickly while cooking.
2. Make sure to have a greased pan ready as well. The mixture hardens super quick so you will have to transfer it onto the pan quickly.
3. NOTE: you will want to use a wooden spoon for mixing. Metal will have a reaction with the peanut brittle.
4. Boil water in pan.
5. Add sugar and corn syrup to boiling water.
6. Boil until it reaches about 230 F degrees on the thermometer.
7. NOTE: you need to be constantly stirring while going through this entire process. Candy is very delicate and will burn easily if not properly kept. If you cook it too long it will burn and if you cook it too little it will turn out chewy
8. Add the Spanish peanuts to the mixture, still constantly stirring.
9. Turn the heat down to a high medium, it just needs to be bubbling on the top.
10. The mixture will start to turn a golden brown. Cook until the thermometer says 300 F degrees.
11. Take the mixture off the heat and QUICKLY add the butter, baking soda, and vanilla (in that order).
12. Mix quickly and then carefully pour the final product onto your greased pan.
13. Cool in the fridge for about 15 minutes and then crack into pieces.
14. Enjoy your peanut brittle!

Gallery • 10 Photos

60 year old recipe card. Madeline Streepy photo.