Mock Peanut Brittle

All the shattery crunch of peanut brittle without the fussy candy thermometer or hard-crack stage. Corn syrup and sugar get boiled together, peanut butter is stirred in off the heat until melted, then the whole thing gets poured over corn flakes and spread thin on wax paper to cool and harden.

The corn flakes are the genius move. They give this candy its brittle-like snap and shatter while the peanut butter provides the nutty flavor you expect from traditional brittle. Four ingredients, about ten minutes of active cooking, and you’ve got a snack that disappears faster than you can make it.

Stir the peanut butter in off the heat. The residual warmth of the sugar syrup is enough to melt it smooth. Keeping it on the burner risks scorching the peanut butter, which turns bitter fast.

Pro Tips

• Spread the mixture as thin as possible on the wax paper. Thinner means crunchier, more brittle-like pieces.
• Work fast once you pour the hot mixture over the corn flakes. It starts setting as it cools and gets harder to spread.
• Let it cool completely before breaking apart. Handling it warm makes a sticky mess.
• Store in an airtight container. Humidity softens the candy and it loses its snap.

Variations

• Use crispy rice cereal instead of corn flakes for a different texture.
• Drizzle melted chocolate over the top after spreading for a chocolate peanut butter version.
• Stir in a handful of roasted peanuts with the corn flakes for extra nut crunch.