January 26th is National Peanut Brittle Day #PeanutBrittleDay. When I was pregnant with Charlie did you know Hot Chocolate and Peanut Brittle is what I craved. Until one night they made me both sick and for a while I didn’t want either.
Now, I loved Peanut Brittle again and its been a while since I’ve had any but I think I will pick up Peanut Brittle for David and I this evening. As for Hot Chocolate it’s been so cold here in Texas that Charlie and I’ve been drinking it with Whipped Cream. Would you want to have a cup or two or heck calories don’t count today three cups with me and Charlie. With Whipped Cream or not?
If you love the crunch that comes from salty roasted Nuts embedded in a Buttery hard Sugar bark and broken into multiple pieces, you’ll be excited to celebrate National Peanut Brittle Day on January 26, 2025 with your friends and family. Just make sure no, one is allergic to Peanuts.
It might turn out, your favorite classic Candy comes with a bit of mystery. Though there’s no traceable evidence about the origins of Peanut Brittle, there are multiple theories pointing to all the possible people who may have made the sweet and Salty confectionary first.
There are even narratives describing the creation resulting from a serendipitous mistake. One such mistake is credited to a New England woman in 1890 who was in the middle of making Taffy but accidentally added Baking Soda instead of Cream of Tartar.
Not wanting to waste any ingredients, she continued cooking and ended up with an accidental Peanut Bark. When she tasted it, she realized it was delicious and gave pieces to her friends along with her accidental recipe.
Another theory, bringing the origin back even further, is that Peanut Brittle was originally a traditional Celtic dessert. Celts are thought to have served the Brittle during holidays, supporting the theory that Peanut Brittle began in Europe.
Though there are multiple origin stories regarding the confectionery, it’s absolutely possible that all of them hold some grasp of truth. This would explain the reason why Peanut Brittle from one side of the Country might look and taste differently than Peanut Brittle on the opposite side. And as people move around, trying different recipes, and creating new recipes of their own, all of the possible origin theories begin to turn into one Bark of delicious brittle.
National Peanut Brittle Day Activities
- Did you know recipes for Peanut Brittle go far back, and if you look hard enough you might be able to find recipe for one of the very first printed versions. Try following this recipe and take a crunchy bite out of the past!
- The only thing better than eating Peanut Brittle is sharing Peanut Brittle with people close to you. Create personalized goodie bags to spread the National Peanut Brittle Day joy!
- There are many ways to create your own personalized Peanut Brittle, and as long as you have a base of Sugar, Butter, Baking Soda, and Peanuts, the possibilities are endless!
Why People Love National Peanut Brittle Day
- Not only have most of us grown up with Peanut Brittle, but Peanut Brittle was also around when our grandparents were children and will be around for our great grandchildren to enjoy. No matter the technological advances or where our future family will live, Peanut Brittle will always remain a reliable constant in their lives.
- Did you know there are dozens of Peanut-less Peanut Brittle recipes so that those with Nut allergies can also partake in the delicious treat.
- Peanut Brittle in its essence is just a few core ingredients including Sugar, Peanuts, Salt, Butter, and Baking Soda. When these ingredients meld together in a hot oven, they create an unmatched flavor that instantly makes you feel safe and at home, inspiring a slight and happy “mmmm” to buzz from your mouth.
Recipe for Peanut Brittle Day
Ingredients
Original recipe yields 16 servings
- 1 cup white sugar
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup peanuts
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Directions
- Combine sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt in a heavy, 2-quart saucepan over medium heat.
- Have all ingredients measured out before starting.
- Grease a large rimmed baking sheet. Set aside.
- Combine sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt in a heavy, 2-quart saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir until sugar is dissolved and the mixture comes to a boil, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in peanuts and set a candy thermometer in place. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the temperature reaches 300 to 310 degrees F (150 to 155 degrees C)
- Remove from the heat.
- Quickly stir in butter and baking soda, then immediately pour mixture onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Quickly use 2 forks to lift and pull the mixture into a 12×14-inch rectangle.
- Let cool until completely firm, at least 30 minutes.
- . Use a mallet to break peanut brittle into pieces.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
