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Cashew Brittle
Cashew brittle is a sweet, salty, and crunchy old-fashioned candy recipe that everyone loves.
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Simple, sweet, and salty, this homemade cashew brittle is absolutely irresistible and delicious. A classic candy, cashew brittle is the perfect old-fashioned candy that everyone loves.
MORE RECIPES: Peanut Brittle | Blueberry Cheesecake Cookies | Chocolate Peanut Toffee
Buttery, rich brittle is an easy-to-make homemade candy recipe. A holiday classic, this sweet, salty, and crunchy homemade cashew brittle is sure to be one of your favorite treats.
Perfect to give as a gift or to share with friends and family, you will love this addictive treat. Wrap it in a cellophane bag with a ribbon and give it along with other decadent homemade candy recipes.
Made with sugar, corn syrup, and cashews, buttery cashew brittle is a delicious, crunchy treat to have on hand for guests, family, and friends. Easy and delicious, cashew brittle is a delicious and simple candy treat to make at home.
Cashew Brittle Ingredients
- Sugar - granulated sugar
- Water
- Corn syrup - light corn syrup
- Butter - unsalted butter
- Baking soda
- Cashews - roasted & salted cashews
- Vanilla - vanilla extract
Please remember that you are working with very hot sugar that can cause severe burns if not handled properly. Always keep the little ones away from the stovetop while making this cashew brittle and remember to never walk away from the hot pot.
Because your hot sugar mixture can go from perfect to burnt very quickly, you want to make sure you keep an eye on the temperature. Keep your cashews, baking soda, and vanilla extract handy because you have to work very quickly with this recipe.
The reason you do not want to stir, or disturb, the cooking sugar in the beginning is so that crystals do not form in your cooked sugar. Once your sugar starts to turn a light golden color you can very carefully move the sugars around the bottom of the pot so that you don’t get a burn spot.
How to Make Cashew Brittle
FIRST STEP: Line a large rimmed baking sheet with a silicone mat or piece of parchment paper. Set aside.
SECOND STEP: In a large stock pot fitted with a candy thermometer, bring the water, granulated sugar, light corn syrup, and unsalted butter to a boil. This should take anywhere from 12 to 16 minutes. DO NOT STIR OR DISTURB THE COOKING SUGARS UNTIL YOU START TO SEE THEM GETTING LIGHTLY GOLDEN IN COLOR. You want your brittle mixture to reach 300°F (hard crack stage) on your candy thermometer. Turn off the heat to the pot immediately. If you have an electric stove, remove the pot from the burner so that your sugar mixture does not keep cooking.
THIRD STEP: Working very quickly, stir in the baking soda, vanilla extract, and cashews. Be very careful as the baking soda will cause the sugar mixture to bubble up rapidly.
FOURTH STEP: Immediately pour your hot brittle mixture onto your prepared baking sheet and quickly spread out the cashew brittle into as even a layer as possible (an approximate 9×12-inch rectangle). You will need to work quickly as the brittle will start to harden almost immediately.
FIFTH STEP: Allow your cashew brittle to cool on the counter completely before breaking it into pieces.
Can I use different nuts for this brittle recipe?
You can substitute your favorite nuts, or a combination of nuts, in this recipe. We like roasted and salted peanuts or almonds as well as cashews.
What is Karo syrup?
Karo syrup is a brand of corn syrup that does not contain any high-fructose corn syrup.
Why is my cashew brittle chewy?
Your cashew brittle will turn out chewy if the mixture hasn’t reached the proper “hard crack” temperature when it was cooking.
How to Store Cashew Brittle
ON THE COUNTER: This cashew brittle can be stored in a sealed container, or individually bagged portions, at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. If you plan to keep it for a longer time, then we suggest packing it into individual storage bags as the pieces may start to stick to each other over time.
IN THE FREEZER: This easy treat can be frozen in an airtight container for up to three months.
Cashew Brittle
Cashew brittle is a sweet, salty, and crunchy old-fashioned candy recipe that everyone loves.
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 17 minutes
Servings 6
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup light corn syrup (I used Karo Brand)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups roasted & salted cashews
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Line a large rimmed baking sheet with a silicone mat or piece of parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large stock pot fitted with a candy thermometer, bring the water, granulated sugar, light corn syrup, and unsalted butter to a boil. This should take anywhere from 12 to 16 minutes. DO NOT STIR OR DISTURB THE COOKING SUGARS UNTIL YOU START TO SEE THEM GETTING LIGHTLY GOLDEN IN COLOR. You want your brittle mixture to reach 300°F (hard crack stage) on your candy thermometer. Turn off the heat to the pot immediately. If you have an electric stove, remove the pot from the burner so that your sugar mixture does not keep cooking.
- Working very quickly, stir in the baking soda, vanilla extract, and cashews. Be very careful as the baking soda will cause the sugar mixture to bubble up rapidly.
- Immediately pour your hot brittle mixture onto your prepared baking sheet and quickly spread out the cashew brittle into as even a layer as possible (an approximate 9×12-inch rectangle). You will need to work quickly as the brittle will start to harden almost immediately.
- Allow your cashew brittle to cool on the counter completely before breaking it into pieces.
Nutrition
Calories: 703kcal | Carbohydrates: 103g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 496mg | Potassium: 265mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 91g | Vitamin A: 350IU | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 3mg
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