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This salted nut brittle recipe is a combination of sweet and salty and is hands-down the best homemade candy you can make.

Pieces of salted nut brittle on a baking sheet

There’s nothing like indulging this time of year. The holiday season is the time for homemade fudge, sugar cookies and salted nut brittle.

My girlfriend turned me onto this “cashew crack” recipe last year and it is too irresistible to eat just one piece.

I’ve always hesitated to make homemade confections because candy making gets a bad rap.

But it’s quite easy to make in about an hour and makes great holiday treats to give over the holidays.

Homemade peanut brittle is what traditionally has been popular but once I tasted this golden brown brittle made with cashews and sea salt, I was sold.

I suppose this recipe could be made with just about any kind of roasted salted nut, but just be sure to coarsely chop them up into small pieces before making.

Ingredients for salted nut brittle

This recipe requires only six easy-to-find ingredients. Be sure to follow the easy tips that follow for perfect brittle.

Sugar. Who doesn’t already have a bag in their pantry?

Water.

Butter.

Corn syrup.

Baking soda. This is a necessary ingredient.

Cashews. Any kind of roasted and salted nut will work in this recipe. It’s also delicious with macadamia nuts.

You’ll also need a large saucepan, a candy thermometer, a silicone or wooden spoon, a cookie sheet and parchment paper.

A candy thermometer in a pan of candy mixture

DO I REALLY NEED A CANDY THERMOMETER?

Yes, it takes the guesswork out of this recipe.

This recipe comes together quickly at the end and a candy thermometer helps you stay on track.

Ideally, cooking the mixture until it reaches a temperature of 280 degrees F worked best for me.

Alternatively, you could drop a small amount of the mixture into a bowl of a very cold water.

If the mixture separates into threads which are hard and brittle, it’s ready for the baking soda step.

It’s also a good idea to have all your ingredients at the ready as well as a prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

HOW LONG DOES NUT BRITTLE KEEP?

Homemade caramel nut brittle will keep for several months in an airtight container.

WHY IS BAKING SODA IN NUT BRITTLE IMPORTANT?

Baking soda helps release air bubbles into the brittle giving it a porous texture.

So be sure not to omit this step and grab a new box of baking soda from the store if it’s been in your pantry for a while.

A hand salting nut brittle on a baking sheet

WHY IS MY BRITTLE TOO HARD?

The main reason brittle gets too hard is because the temperature reaches over 300 degrees F during cooking.

Be sure to use a candy thermometer when testing the temperature.

Things happen fast near the end of cooking and you want a thermometer that is accurate because the temperature rises quickly at the end of cooking.

WHY IS MY NUT BRITTLE STICKY?

In order for nut brittle to reach the hard-crack stage, the sugar strands need to break easily and that happens when it reaches the right temperature.

Taking the mixture off the heat too soon results in a sticky and chewy mess.

The main reason brittle gets too hard is because the temperature reaches over 300° during cooking. Be sure to use a candy thermometer when testing the temperature. Things happen fast near the end of cooking and you want a thermometer that is accurate because the temperature rises quickly at the end of cooking.

MAKE THESE CANDY RECIPES AND HOLIDAY FAVORITES

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