This vegan peanut brittle is made without corn syrup or butter. It is made with coconut cream, coconut sugar and maple syrup to get the perfect end result!
The texture and flavor of this vegan peanut brittle is just like traditional peanut brittle, you'll be shocked!
This post was originally published on March 14, 2022.
When creating my vegan millionaire bars, I made lots and lots of vegan caramel and from that result I came up with the idea to make this vegan peanut brittle! Some of the best news? You can make this easy peanut brittle recipe without a candy thermometer!
Ingredients
Peanut brittle is a hard candy made with sugar, butter, and nuts. Usually standard butter is used, but with a few adjustments it's easy to make a plant based version!
Nailing this peanut brittle recipe without corn syrup or butter was no easy feat! But I kept going until I got the perfect texture.
The color is a bit darker because coconut sugar is used as opposed to refined sugar, but the flavor and texture is just as amazing as the classic recipe.
Here is what I use:
- Coconut cream
- Coconut sugar
- Maple syrup
- Cornstarch and water mixture
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- Peanuts
How to Make Vegan Peanut Brittle
The process for making this peanut brittle without corn syrup or butter is very important. The key is in how long you cook it. Here are the simple steps:
- Mix coconut cream, sugar and maple syrup in a pot.
- Whisk well as you bring it to a boil.
- Add the cornstarch mixture and continue to whisk until it gets thick and gelatinous like.
- Remove from heat, and add vanilla, salt and peanuts.
- Spread onto parchment on a baking sheet.
- Allow it to cool and harden, then break apart.
Flavor Suggestions
You can also make this easy brittle recipe with different types of nuts, just make sure to chop up larger ones. Try any of the following:
- Pecans
- Almonds
- Walnuts
- Cashews
- Hazelnut
- Macadamia
- Pistachio
- Or try using multiple varieties together!
Preparation Tips
- Place a can of full fat coconut milk in the refrigerator for 2-3 days or the freezer for 2-3 hours then scrape the top layer off for the coconut cream.
- You can also find can of the cream alone such as Thai Kitchen.
- Make sure to whisk the mixture the entire time you are cooking or you risk burning and creating a sticky mess.
- Do not stop cooking until the consistency is thick and gelatinous like to ensure it hardens properly.
- Break the brittle into smaller pieces for more servings, or larger pieces for less.
How to Store Vegan Peanut Brittle
- Place the brittle in an airtight container. If you stack it you can put pieces of parchment paper in between the layers to avoid sticking.
- Keep it in the fridge so it remains hard.
- As it sits at room temperature it can become a bit more chewy.
- If you didn't cook it long enough and it's not hardening, keep it in the freezer to harden it up.
Common Questions
Peanut brittle is usually made with lots of butter and sugar which isn't exactly the healthiest choice. This recipe uses coconut sugar and maple syrup as a sweetener making it a slightly healthier version.
While the origin of peanut brittle is debatable, it's undeniable that it is an incredibly popular treat in the South.
Baking soda reacts with the sugar to create little bubbles that help create a more airy and 'brittle' texture.
More Vegan Dessert Recipes
Satisfy your sweet tooth with any of these plant based recipes:
Vegan Peanut Brittle Without Corn Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon cold water
- ¾ cup coconut cream , see note
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt , optional for extra saltiness
- 1 cup salted peanuts
Instructions
- Mix the cornstarch and water in a small bowl and set aside.
- Place coconut cream, sugar and maple syrup into a small pot and whisk together while heating over medium heat.
- Continue to cook and whisk until you get a slow rolling boil, making sure to whisk the whole time. If you don’t whisk, the sugar will burn and stick to the pot.
- Allow to boil, while whisking, for about 5 minutes until you see it start to thicken.
- Slowly add the cornstarch mixture and whisk for about 4-5minutes until you see it thicken more and get very gelatinous like, almost goopy. You want to make sure to cook until you see this because if you don’t it won’t harden well. Remove from heat.
- Add in the vanilla, salt and peanuts into the pot and stir until mixed. It will be thick and almost like a glob but keep mixing until everything comes together and the peanuts are well incorporated into the mixture. I like to use a spatula.
- Spread mixture, pushing down to form, onto a parchment lined baking sheet or platter.
- Allow it to cool on the counter for about 10-15 minutes.
- Once cool and hard you can break it apart and enjoy!
- Store in an air tight container in the fridge so it remains hard. If you leave it at room temp it can get a little chewy.
Notes
- Coconut cream is the top layer from a can of full fat coconut milk, stored in refrigerator for 2-3 days or freezer for 2-3 hours. You need about 1 can of full fat coconut milk to get ½ cup coconut cream. Some brands also sell the cream alone (like Thai Kitchen).
- I got 12 pieces out of this, but you could do more or less depending on the size you cut them.
- If you don’t cook enough, then the brittle won’t harden at room temperature, it will be more chewy like caramels. If this happens, you can freeze it and store in the fridge to keep it hard. Then next time, make sure to cook until you get a very gelatinous like texture.
- Nutrition facts include the added salt.
Recipe by Veggies Don’t Bite, visit our site for more great plant-based recipes.
Nutrition
Nutrition and metric information should be considered an estimate.
John
Did not turn out for me. Did not harden.
Sophia DeSantis
Hi John, I cover this topic in the directions, notes and post itself. I stress the need to cook long enough and get the texture that is very gelatinous. You need to follow my directions and notes very carefully, looking at the photos I put in the post and reading all the information. It didn't harden because you didn't cook it long enough. If you try again, make sure to cook to that very thick and gelatinous texture, because if you rush it it definitely won't harden.
Jan McNulty
Can I use baking soda instead of corn starch
Sophia DeSantis
Hi Jan! No, baking soda isn't a starch. If you need another option you could try tapioca. Not sure if it will work as well but it also acts as a thickener.
Sarah
Did a practice run becuase my dad loves this stuff, and it turned our great! Can't wait to make it again for him!