Candy lovers and sweet tooth owners everywhere will love this simple and delightful recipe for homemade Cashew Brittle!
The irresistible crunch of roasted cashews pairs perfectly with light, sweet, and crispy brittle to make the best candy, and it's easy to make with this step-by-step recipe.
Why This Cashew Brittle Recipe is So Good
- Making cashew brittle at home will save you money! Buying a box of this salty candy at a shop will set you back a few bucks. When you make your own, you will see that the ingredients cost much less.
- It's an easy candy recipe, with just a few simple ingredients! We're giving you step-by-step instructions in the recipe card, along with photos to help you make the best cashew brittle.
- The rich flavor of cashew brittle with roasted salted nuts and crispy toffee is just divine! You may not want to share your candy, but your friends and family will surely appreciate it when you do.
- For a fun gift idea, divide your homemade brittle into individual decorative bags or airtight boxes. Add a bow and a tag and get ready to see your gift recipient smile! You can do the same with our Vegan Gingerbread Cookies and chocolate Christmas Pretzels.
Tips and Tricks for Making Cashew Brittle
- Roasted, salted cashews are a must for this sweet and salty candy! Feel free to use other types of salted nuts, like peanuts, pecans, or almonds in this recipe.
- The toffee may bubble up when you add the baking soda. Don't worry, just stir until the mixture calms down a bit. Baking soda is important in this recipe, as it helps soften the candy so that it's easy to bite into.
- Avoid trying to leave out or substitute anything for the corn syrup. This liquid sweetener is the best option for making cashew brittle that doesn't turn grainy and hard.
- Use a candy thermometer. Until you are a pro at candy making, you'll want to be sure that the syrup is cooked to the right "stage" for brittle. In this case, you're looking for a "hard crack stage", or a temperature of 300-310 °F (149-154 °C). Use a manual thermometer or a digital thermometer made for candy making.
- You should be able to break the brittle apart with your hands easily, but for more uniform pieces, you can try using a long knife to encourage the brittle to break in straighter lines.
You can use cashews in all types of recipes! They work particularly well in my Cashew Pesto recipe, or in vegan dishes like this dairy free cashew queso.
More Easy Sweet Recipes
Crunchy, sweet, tasty nut recipes are a real treat for the family. Check out these recipes: Candied Pecans, Candied Cashews, Peanut Candy.
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Cashew Brittle
Candy lovers and sweet tooth owners everywhere will love this simple and delightful recipe for homemade Cashew Brittle!
Equipment
- Large saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups roasted salted cashews salted cashews
Instructions
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat and spray it lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water. Stir the mixture over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved completely.
- Bring the syrup to a boil and cook until it reaches the hard crack stage (300-310 °F (149-154 °C)- about 8-10 minutes. You don’t want to stir the syrup while it’s cooking but you can carefully swirl the pot as needed. Make sure to watch the syrup closely as it can burn very quickly!
- Once the syrup reaches the hard crack stage, remove the saucepan from heat. Quickly add the butter, vanilla extract, and baking soda. Stir to combine.
- Next add the cashews and stir to coat the nuts evenly. The mixture will cool very fast so make sure to work quickly.
- Pour the cashew mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and use a spatula to spread it out into an even layer– about ¼ inch thick. You can also place a piece of greased parchment paper on top of the candy and use the parchment to press it into an even layer.
- Allow the cashew brittle to cool at room temperature until it hardens– about 30 minutes.
- When the brittle is set, break it into your desired size pieces and transfer to an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to one week.
Notes
- Roasted, salted nuts are a must for this sweet and salty candy! Feel free to use other types of salted nuts, like peanuts, pecans, or almonds in this recipe.
- The toffee may bubble up when you add the baking soda. Don't worry, just stir until the mixture calms down a bit. The baking soda is important in this recipe, as it helps to soften the candy so that it's easy to bite into.
- Avoid trying to leave out or substitute anything for the corn syrup. This liquid sweetener is the best option for making cashew brittle that doesn't turn grainy and hard.
- Use a candy thermometer. Until you are a pro at candy making, you'll want to be sure that the sryup is at the right "stage". In this case, you're looking for a "hard crack stage", or a temperature of 300-310 °F (149-154 °C). You can use a manual thermometer or a digital thermometer made for candy making.
- You should be able to easily break the brittle apart with your hands, but for more uniform pieces, you can try using a long knife to encourage the brittle to break in straighter lines.
- Store homemade cashew brittle in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
Nutrition
Calories: 505kcalCarbohydrates: 71gProtein: 8gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gSodium: 403mgPotassium: 290mgFiber: 2gSugar: 58gCalcium: 28mgIron: 3mg
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