Classic Dairy-Free Peanut Brittle Recipe (Vegan-Friendly)

Some peanut brittle recipes are naturally made without dairy, but these days, it’s very common to find versions made with a little, or a lot, of butter, and sometimes even with cream. The dairy adds body to the texture and richness to the flavor. This classic dairy-free peanut brittle recipe is adapted from one that uses just a little butter. We have a few tricks and modifications for the best vegan-friendly results.

Special Diet Notes: Classic Dairy-Free Peanut Brittle

By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, tree nut-free, optionally soy-free, vegan, and vegetarian.

Classic Dairy-Free Peanut Brittle

Author: Adapted from Allrecipes

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: American

1 cup white sugar
½ cup light corn syrup (see Corn Syrup Note below)
¼ cup water
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 cup raw unsalted peanuts (see Peanut Note below)
2 tablespoons dairy-free buttery spread
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
1 teaspoon baking soda

Grease a large jelly roll pan or cookie sheet, and place the pan in a warm oven (lowest heat setting).
Place the the sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt in a heavy 2 quart saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the peanuts. Set a candy thermometer in place, and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the temperature reaches 300ºF, or until a small amount of mixture dropped into very cold water separates into hard and brittle threads.
Remove the pan from the heat, and immediately stir in the buttery spread, vanilla (if using), and baking soda.
Pour the mixture onto your prepared cookie sheet in a circular motion, to help evenly distribute the peanuts and brittle. Carefully (it’s hot!) tilt the pan to even the mixture out, so it is roughly 12×14 inches.
Let the brittle cool completely before breaking it into pieces.

Peanut Note: If using roasted peanuts instead of raw, add the peanuts once the candy thermometer reads 250ºF. If added sooner, the roasted peanuts might burn.

Corn Syrup Note: If you need to make peanut brittle without corn syrup, you can use honey, brown rice syrup, golden syrup, or light molasses.

3.5.3229