Our delicious cashew brittle combines the sweetness and crunch of classic peanut brittle with the rich, buttery flavor of cashews to create a brittle that will knock your socks off!
When we think of easy, delicious dessert recipes for special occasions, we always think of brittle. It’s one of those sweet treats that’s so easy to make but holds a special place in everyone’s heart, so it’s perfect for special occasions.
Our cashew brittle is a more luxurious take on classic peanut brittle. It still has all the sweetness and crackly crunch, but it also has a more buttery flavor, thanks to cashews.
This recipe is a great addition to the dessert table at special occasions and holiday gatherings, served alongside other sweet finger foods like Christmas toffee, Valentine Crack, or Easter sugar cookies.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Limited Ingredients: It only takes six – SIX – ingredients to make this recipe, and they can all be found in most kitchens and any grocery store.
- Easy: This is a super-easy microwave version of brittle that requires no pot or candy thermometer.
- Customizable: You can easily tweak this recipe to create different flavors.
- Classic Flavor and Texture: The base is made with a classic brittle mixture, so it has all that sweet flavor and crunchy, crackly texture.
- Great for Make Ahead: Brittle lasts for a long time and can even be frozen, so it’s great for making ahead of time.
Key Ingredients
You can find the full list of ingredients and their exact amounts in the recipe card at the end of the post.
- Sugar and Light Corn Syrup: A mix of sugar and light corn syrup creates the crunchy, brittle base.
- Baking Soda: Baking soda causes a reaction that creates that classic brittle texture.
- Cashews: Cashews add buttery flavor and crunch to the brittle.
Variations
- Nuts: Of course, you can use peanuts for a classic brittle. However, you can also use any of your favorite nuts to create an almost endless number of brittle variations.
- Mixed Nut Brittle: Try a combination of your favorite nuts for a mixed nut brittle.
- Dark Corn Syrup: Use dark corn syrup for a deeper, richer, more caramelized flavor to your brittle.
How to Make Cashew Brittle
Step 1: Cook the sugar and corn syrup in the microwave until thinned. Then, add the cashews and cook again until the mixture is light golden brown.
Step 2: Add the butter and vanilla, and microwave again for another minute.
Step 3: Add the baking soda and mix well. Then, immediately pour the mixture onto a prepared baking sheet and spread it into an even layer.
Step 4: Cool completely. Then, break into pieces and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Be sure to use fresh baking soda to ensure the proper reaction that gives the brittle its wonderful texture.
- A quick, coarse chop is all you need to make the cashews the perfect size for the brittle.
- Work quickly when spreading out the brittle. It sets up fast!
Cashew Brittle FAQs
Cashew brittle is a variation of peanut brittle in which the peanuts are replaced with cashews for a richer, more buttery flavor.
No. Toffee is rich, buttery, and chewy, with a deep caramel flavor. On the other hand, brittle is thinner, crispier, and has a purely sugary flavor with a hard, glass-like snap.
Soft brittle is usually the result of undercooking the brittle mixture. To achieve that glass-like crack, the sugar mixture must cook to a temperature of around 350°F to reach the “hard crack” stage. Be sure to follow your brittle directions exactly and not the color of the brittle mixture, as well. It’s usually ready when it reaches a golden color.
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Cashew Brittle
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- 1 cup cashews, coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- In a microwave safe glass bowl, or an 8 cup measuring cup, stir together sugar and corn syrup.
- Microwave on high for 3 ½ – 4 minutes.
- Stir the cashews into the bowl and microwave for 2-3 minutes on high (2 minutes is perfect for me) until the mixture is light brown or golden color.
- Stir in the butter and the vanilla. Microwave for an additional 1 minute.
- Next, add the baking soda and mix well.
- Immediately pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and spread out in an even layer to desired thickness.
- Work quickly as it sets up fast.
- Let cool completely then break into pieces
Notes
- Be sure to use fresh baking soda to ensure the proper reaction that gives the brittle its wonderful texture.
- A quick, coarse chop is all you need to make the cashews the perfect size for the brittle.
- Work quickly when spreading out the brittle. It sets up fast!
- Microwaves vary so adjust the time that works best for your specific microwave.
what size pan should be used for the cashew brittle?
This was so good! It has all the sweet flavor and crunchy texture of regular brittle, but the flavor is so much more buttery.
Nice! This was even better than regular peanut brittle. It’s perfect for a cashew-lover like me.
This looks so addictive! Would love to try this over the weekend. Thanks for the recipe!
I love this sweet, crunchy treat. Brittle is my new favorite candy snack and this could not have been easier to make!