Do you love sweet & spicy flavors? If yes, this this Jalapeño Peanut Brittle is for you! It's a crunchy, crispy, nutty, spicy homemade treat that is a great twist on traditional brittle. Perfect for the holidays, or for any time during the year.
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Spicy peanut brittle
I love all kinds of wasabi nuts, sweet and spicy treats, and peanut brittle. So it was only a matter of time until I combined those flavors and made some spicy jalapeño peanut brittle!
This spicy candy has just 6 simple ingredients and is very easy to make. I'll show you the trick to make crisp, crunchy brittle that doesn't stick to your teeth as much and isn't too chewy. Spoiler: it's baking soda.
Give this spicy brittle a try! You'll love the delightful nutty crunch, it's pretty addicting!
More sweet and spicy recipes using jalapeños: Spicy Jalapeño Jelly
Why add baking soda to peanut brittle
Remember the baking soda + vinegar volcano experiment? Well, a similar chemical reaction happens in this brittle recipe! Corn syrup, which is one of the ingredients, is acidic. When basic baking soda is stirred in, it reacts with the corn syrup. The reaction is nowhere near as vigorous as when baking soda is added to vinegar. It's just enough to form tiny bubbles throughout the brittle, which make it crisp and crunchy instead of hard and chewy.
And don't worry, the brittle won't taste like baking soda. Just make sure not to use baking powder by accident.
More jalapeño recipes: Cornbread with Jalapeños and Leeks
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 or 2 fresh jalapeños (depending on your preference. Two makes for a really spicy brittle!)
- 1 cup brown sugar (light or dark, your choice)
- ¼ cup light corn syrup
- 1 cup roasted peanuts (skin removed, use salted peanuts if you want to add a salty & sweet element)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
More recipes using jalapeños: Fried Jalapeños
Equipment
- Medium saucepan
- Candy thermometer (candy thermometers can clip onto the pan, which is helpful. An instant read food thermometer would work too)
- Large baking sheet or cutting board
- Parchment paper
- Wooden spoon or metal whisk
- Spatula
- Pastry brush or silicone brush (optional, to grease pan with oil if you're not using butter)
More easy jalapeño recipes: Roasted Jalapeños
Instructions
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease it with butter or a neutral-tasting vegetable oil. You can do this by spreading a stick of butter over the parchment paper, or brush the oil on lightly. Grease the bottom of a spatula and set it aside.
Remove the pith and seeds from the jalapeño and dice it really finely.
Optional step: for an extra crisp nutty brittle, toast the peanuts in a dry pan for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until they start to turn slightly brown and get fragrant. Don't let them burn. Remove from heat and set aside.
Clip the candy thermometer to the saucepan. Add the butter, sugar, corn syrup, and chopped jalapeño. Bring to a boil, and keep stirring until the temperature reaches 300°F (this is called the "hard-crack stage").
Add the peanuts and baking soda and stir quickly to combine with the syrup.
Immediately pour over the prepared baking sheet.
Use a spatula to immediately spread the mixture to about ½ inch thick. Cool it down completely and break it into pieces.
How to store peanut brittle
Store peanut brittle in a sealed container at room temperature for up to two months. Try to keep it away from humidy. Do not store peanut brittle in the fridge.
Recipe variations
Try any of these delicious variations:
- Add a teaspoon or two of vanilla extract along with the baking soda.
- Use salted butter, or a pinch of salt or salted peanuts for a sweet and salty twist.
- Try using roasted almonds instead of peanuts.
If you enjoyed this recipe, let me know with a comment and a star rating below. And don't forget to share it on Facebook and save it on Pinterest for later!
Jalapeño Peanut Brittle
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter - plus a little extra to grease the parchment paper
- 1 or 2 fresh jalapeños - (depending on your preference. Two makes for a really spicy brittle!)
- 1 cup brown sugar - (light or dark, your choice)
- ¼ cup light corn syrup
- 1 cup roasted peanuts - (skin removed, use salted peanuts if you want to add a salty & sweet element)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Special equipment
- Candy thermometer or an instant meat thermometer
- large baking sheet or cutting board
- Wooden spoon or metal whisk
- Pastry brush or silicone brush (optional, to grease parchment paper)
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease it with butter or a neutral-tasting vegetable oil. You can do this by spreading a stick of butter over the parchment paper, or brush the oil on lightly. Grease the bottom of a spatula and set it aside.
- Remove the pith and seeds from the jalapeño(s) and dice it really finely.
- Optional step: for an extra crisp nutty brittle, toast the peanuts in a dry pan for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until they start to turn slightly brown and get fragrant. Don't let them burn. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Clip the candy thermometer to the saucepan. Add the 1 tablespoon butter, 1 cup sugar, ¼ cup corn syrup, and chopped jalapeño. Bring to a boil, and keep stirring until the temperature reaches 300°F (this is called the "hard-crack stage").
- Add the 1 cup peanuts and 1 teaspoon baking soda and stir quickly to combine with the syrup.
- Immediately pour over the prepared baking sheet.
- Use a spatula to immediately spread the mixture to about ½ inch thick—so that the peanuts are mostly in a single layer. Cool it down completely and break it into pieces.
- Store in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 2 months. Keep away from humidity.
Nutrition
The nutritional information displayed is an estimate and not to be used as dietary or nutritional advice. Consult a nutritionist or dietician for nutritional info based on the exact ingredients you use.