Cast Iron Skillet Peanut Brittle Recipe

This recipe has been used by my family for over 40 years. I’m so glad that my stepmom shared her uncle’s recipe with me. I think It is Amazing!! Crispy and delicious, it melts in your mouth. And, only 5 ingredients!

Just peanuts, sugar, corn syrup, salt, and baking soda. The real secret though is using a cast iron skillet and a wooden spoon.

I make quite a few batches every Christmas. It’s not difficult, takes no “stretching” of the brittle, and takes less than 15 minutes from start to finish.

INGREDIENTS/TOOLS FOR EACH BATCH:

1 C. white sugar

1 C. karo syrup

1-½ C. raw peanuts (Must be RAW peanuts — available in bulk food stores)

¾ tsp. salt

1-½ tsp. baking soda

10” cast iron skillet

Wooden spoon
Hot pad for skillet handle

Greased cookie sheet or pizza pan
Scrubber for skillet

Have your ingredients and tools set and ready – the process moves quickly once you start!

IMPORTANT – Before you start:

— Measure out the soda, and keep it on standby.

— Have a greased cookie sheet or pizza pan nearby on a hot pad.

— Make sure an empty kitchen sink is available or you will have scorched brittle in your skillet.

— Don’t forget a hot pad for the skillet handle so you can grab it quickly!

Procedure:

Put all ingredients except soda into the skillet and turn the stove on high (for gas) or med-high (for electric).
Stir occasionally as the ingredients begin heating up. Stir more often as it begins boiling.

3. The brittle is nearing completion and ready for the soda when you notice these things: the color is turning amber, the peanuts begin splitting, and you can smell the roasting peanuts. (On my stepmoms gas stove, it takes exactly twelve minutes and on my electric stove, it takes 15 minutes.)

4. Almost ready to add the soda.

5. Turn off the heat, add the soda, and stir rapidly, but not for long. The brittle will foam up nicely.

6. Soda added and stirred in (all foamy).

7. Immediately, before it scorches, dump it onto the cookie sheet and let it spread out and settle down on its own.

8. Poured out onto greased cookie sheet.

9. Put the skillet in the sink and fill it with hot water. The heat from the skillet and the hot water will very rapidly melt off the remaining brittle. Use a scrubber to easily finish cleaning it up, and you are ready for the next batch.