Easy Homemade Cashew Brittle Recipe: The Ultimate Sweet & Crunchy Treat
There’s something uniquely satisfying about a truly exceptional piece of brittle – that perfect snap, the rich, buttery sweetness, and the delightful crunch of toasted nuts. While peanut brittle often steals the spotlight, this incredible cashew brittle recipe offers a refined twist, delivering an equally addictive yet distinctly flavorful experience. It’s the perfect sweet treat to keep in your pantry for whenever a craving strikes, or to lovingly package as a thoughtful gift for loved ones, especially around the holidays. With just a few simple ingredients and a straightforward process, you’ll be creating batches of this golden, crunchy candy that will disappear faster than you can say “cashew!”
Why This Cashew Brittle Recipe Stands Out
Creating delicious treats that bring joy to my family is one of my favorite things to do. My family, in particular, has always had a special fondness for cashews over other nuts, making this cashew brittle a truly cherished recipe in our household. It’s a delightful variation of the classic peanut brittle, tailored to our preferred nut, and it never fails to bring a genuine smile to my dad’s face.
This recipe holds a very special place in my heart. During a particularly challenging time, when our family was grappling with the profound loss of my mother, I made this brittle for my dad. It was a small gesture, intended to offer a tiny burst of sweetness and light during a dark period. That experience taught me a powerful lesson that this brittle embodies: sometimes, the simplest acts of kindness, a homemade treat shared with love, can make the most significant difference. It’s more than just a recipe; it’s a reminder of comfort, family, and resilience.
Beyond its sentimental value, this cashew brittle recipe is incredibly easy to make! You can whip up this wonderfully crunchy and flavorful candy surprisingly quickly. Its stable nature means you can prepare it in advance and have it on hand for weeks, perfect for unexpected guests, a quick snack, or last-minute holiday gifting. While cashews are our favorite, this recipe is also wonderfully versatile. Feel free to experiment with other nuts like pecans or almonds, or even a mix, to find your perfect brittle combination. Let me know how you enjoy it!
Essential Ingredients for Your Perfect Cashew Brittle
The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity. You only need a handful of common pantry staples to create this gourmet-level candy. The key components are, of course, the cashews and a basic sugar mixture.
- Cashews: For the ultimate texture variation, I recommend using a combination of whole, halved, or even chopped cashews. Whole cashews offer a satisfying bite, while smaller pieces ensure every morsel of brittle contains nutty goodness. Using unsalted cashews gives you more control over the final seasoning, especially if you plan to add sea salt.
As for the magical sugar mixture that transforms into golden, crispy brittle, you’ll need the following:
- Granulated Sugar: The foundation of our candy. It provides the sweetness and forms the brittle structure when heated to high temperatures.
- Light Corn Syrup: This is a crucial ingredient in candy making. It acts as an invert sugar, preventing the granulated sugar from crystallizing, which can result in a grainy texture. Corn syrup ensures a smooth, glossy, and beautifully crunchy brittle.
- Water: Helps dissolve the sugar and corn syrup evenly, allowing the mixture to reach the desired temperature without burning. It evaporates during the cooking process.
- Unsalted Butter: Adds a rich, creamy flavor and helps to tenderize the brittle slightly, making it more enjoyable to eat. It also contributes to the beautiful golden color.
- Vanilla Extract: A splash of vanilla deepens and enhances the overall flavor profile, complementing the buttery cashews and sweet caramel notes of the brittle.
- Baking Soda: This is the secret ingredient that gives brittle its characteristic airy, crispy texture. When added to the hot sugar mixture, it reacts with the acid (if any, or simply the heat) to release carbon dioxide bubbles, which are then trapped as the candy cools, making it light and easy to break.
Sea Salt: While optional, a generous sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top of the freshly poured brittle adds that irresistible sweet and salty contrast that elevates the candy to another level. It beautifully cuts through the sweetness, making each bite even more delightful.
How To Make Cashew Brittle: A Step-by-Step Guide
Making brittle can seem intimidating, but by following these steps carefully and paying attention to temperatures, you’ll achieve perfect results every time. Remember, candy making requires speed and precision once the sugar reaches its critical stage, so “mise en place” (everything in its place) is key!
Step 1: Prep Your Workspace
Before you even think about heating sugar, prepare your work surface. Generously butter a large, rimmed baking sheet. A 13×18 inch half-sheet pan is ideal, as it allows for a thin, even spread. Also, butter a heat-proof rubber spatula. This crucial step prevents the sticky hot brittle from adhering to everything and ensures easy spreading. Set both aside, ready for action.
Step 2: Measure All Ingredients (Mise en Place!)
This is arguably the most important step in candy making. Measure all of your ingredients accurately and have them ready to go in separate bowls before you start cooking. Once the sugar mixture reaches temperature, things move very quickly, and you won’t have time to measure. Having everything prepped ensures a smooth and stress-free process.
Step 3: Craft the Sugar Mixture
In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan (a 3-quart saucepan works well), combine the sugar, light corn syrup, water, and butter. A heavy bottom helps distribute heat evenly and prevents scorching. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir these ingredients continuously until the butter is melted and the sugar has completely dissolved. Once it begins to boil, clip a reliable candy thermometer to the side of the pan, making sure the tip is submerged in the mixture but not touching the bottom. Continue to boil the mixture, stirring only occasionally to prevent crystallization on the sides, until the thermometer precisely reads 315 degrees F (157 degrees C). This is known as the “hard crack” stage, essential for brittle’s signature snap.
Step 4: Incorporate the Cashews
As soon as your sugar mixture hits 315°F, immediately remove the saucepan from the heat. This stops the cooking process and prevents the sugar from burning. Swiftly add all of your cashews to the hot sugar mixture. Stir them quickly and thoroughly with your buttered rubber spatula, ensuring every cashew is coated in the molten sugar. Work quickly here, as the mixture will start to cool and thicken.
Step 5: Add Baking Soda and Vanilla, Then Spread
This is where the magic happens! Quickly add the baking soda and vanilla extract to the cashew-sugar mixture. Stir them in vigorously and immediately. You’ll notice the mixture will lighten in color and begin to foam and aerate – this is the baking soda doing its job, creating those tiny air pockets that make brittle so wonderfully crispy. Without delay, pour the entire mixture onto your prepared, buttered baking sheet. Using your buttered rubber spatula, quickly spread the brittle into a thin, even layer. The thinner you spread it, the crispier your brittle will be. While it’s still warm and soft, liberally sprinkle some sea salt over the top for that perfect sweet and salty balance.
Step 6: Cool and Break
Now comes the hardest part: patience! Allow the brittle to cool completely and harden at room temperature. This can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on your environment. Do not try to rush this by refrigerating it, as moisture can make your brittle sticky. Once it is thoroughly cooled and hard, gently lift it from the baking sheet and break it into smaller, irregular pieces using your hands. The satisfying crack is part of the fun! Store your homemade cashew brittle in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks to maintain its crispness.
Tips for Brittle Perfection
- Humidity is Your Enemy: Avoid making brittle on very humid days. High moisture in the air can cause the brittle to become sticky and chewy instead of crisp.
- Accuracy with the Thermometer: A reliable candy thermometer is your best friend. Don’t eyeball the temperature; reaching the exact 315°F is crucial for the “hard crack” stage.
- Don’t Scrape the Sides: Once the sugar mixture begins to boil, avoid scraping down the sides of the pan. This can introduce sugar crystals into the mixture, leading to grainy brittle.
- Safety First: Hot sugar is extremely dangerous. Wear oven mitts or use thick towels when handling the hot pan, and be very careful when pouring and spreading. Keep children and pets away from the kitchen during this process.
- Thin is In: The thinner you spread the brittle, the easier it will be to break and the more satisfyingly crisp it will be.
Variations to Explore
While this cashew brittle is perfect as is, you can customize it to your liking:
- Nut Variations: Substitute cashews with other nuts like peanuts (for classic peanut brittle), pecans, almonds, or even a mix of your favorites.
- Chocolate Drizzle: Once the brittle is completely cool, melt some dark, milk, or white chocolate and drizzle it over the broken pieces for an extra layer of indulgence.
- Spicy Kick: For a delightful sweet and spicy contrast, add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the sugar mixture along with the cashews.
- Toasted Sesame Seeds: For an interesting nutty flavor and texture, sprinkle toasted sesame seeds along with the cashews.
FAQs About Cashew Brittle
Making cashew brittle is, of course, a fantastic use for broken cashews! Their varied sizes actually add wonderful texture to the brittle. Beyond that, broken cashews are incredibly versatile. You can easily use them as a delicious mix-in for your homemade granola, or even incorporate them into granola bars for extra crunch and protein. They also make a superb and elegant topping for ice cream sundaes, yogurt parfaits, or even a simple bowl of oatmeal. Don’t let those delicious fragments go to waste!
While both brittle and toffee are hard candies made primarily from sugar, their key differences lie in their ingredients and resulting texture. Brittle typically contains more sugar and less butter or cream. It’s cooked to a higher temperature (hard crack stage), resulting in a very thin, glass-like, incredibly crunchy, and shatteringly crisp texture. Toffee, on the other hand, incorporates a higher ratio of butter and often some cream or milk. It’s cooked to a slightly lower temperature (firm ball to hard ball stage), which gives it a chewier, richer, and creamier consistency, though it can still be firm. Toffee often has a more pronounced buttery flavor, while brittle highlights the caramelized sugar and nuts.
To maintain its signature crispness and prevent it from becoming sticky, it’s essential to store your cashew brittle correctly. Always store it at room temperature in an airtight container. A cookie tin or a plastic food storage container with a tight-fitting lid works perfectly. Avoid refrigerating your brittle, as the moisture and condensation in the refrigerator can cause the sugar to “weep” or leach out, making the candy soft, sticky, and losing its desirable crunch. If properly stored, homemade cashew brittle can remain fresh and delicious for up to two weeks.
More Nutty Recipes To Try
- Sweet and Spicy Pecans
- St. Patrick’s Day Bark
- Caramel Pretzel Sticks
- Easy Peanut Pralines
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins
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Cashew Brittle with Sea Salt
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 cups salted cashews
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- sea salt for sprinkling
Instructions
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Butter a rimmed baking sheet and a rubber spatula, set aside.
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Measure all of your ingredients so they are ready to go.
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In a large saucepan combine sugar, corn syrup, water and butter. Cook and stir over medium high heat until the mixture starts to boil. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Continue to boil and stir occasionally until thermometer reads 315 degrees F.
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Remove from heat and add in cashews and stir.
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Add in baking soda and vanilla and stir quickly. Immediately pour onto prepared pan. Quickly spread out the mixture with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle with sea salt.
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Let cool completely before breaking into pieces. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.