CrockPot Peanut (Not Brittle) Candy

Peanut Not-Brittle Candy. This tastes just like a Pay Day candybar!!! So easy to make and is a wonderful gift too!
Day 237.

I made some really good candy the other day, with all of the ingredients you would use to make peanut brittle. 

But the crockpot doesn't really get hot enough to make peanut brittle, so you get this awesome chewy fudgey peanut wonderfulness which is an awful lot like a Payday candy bar.

The Ingredients.


There's a lot of sugar here. Because it's CANDY.

--3 cups of sugar (Baker's sugar has finer granules and will dissolve well)
--1 cup light corn syrup
--4 cups of your favorite nuts (I used 3 cups dry roasted lightly salted peanuts and 1 cup raw almonds. because I care about health.)
--4 Tbl butter
--2 tsp vanilla extract
--2 tsp baking soda

--parchment paper or Release foil

The Directions.

I used my 6 quart Smart Set crockpot for this. I like the Smart Set because I can set it for 30 minute intervals and it will beep for me when the 30 minutes is done. 

And I seem to need the beeps, because I tend to wander off if I find something shiny.

Drop the 4 tablespoons of butter into your crockpot

Add the sugar and the corn syrup on top of the butter. Pour in the vanilla.

Cover your crockpot and turn to high for one hour.

Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or release foil.

After an hour, stir well to mix everything around. 

Add the baking soda. It will sizzle and make fun noises.

Your sugar mixture will be kind of milky-yellow and the sugar might still look granulated.

Cover again and cook on high for another 30 minutes. Check and stir in nuts.

Cover and cook again for another 15-30 minutes, or until the sugar mixture is brown and looks the color of peanut brittle. 

Or a payday candy bar.

Stir in your nuts.

Then, USING OVEN MITTS, carefully (CAREFULLY! seriously---use the oven mitts) pour half of the pot onto each cookie sheet and spread out with a spatula.

It will be lumpy.

that's because there are nuts.

Let cool at room temperature for about an hour, then tear into pieces.

Prepare to be amazed.

The Verdict.

This makes about 3 pounds of candy.

 Everyone who tried it (10 of us, minus my cousin who for some reason doesn't care for nuts) couldn't get enough. 

It's quite tasty.

I'd like to make it again, but melt semi-sweet or dark chocolate in the mini 1.5 quart crock to pour out and then layer the candied nuts on top. 

mmm.

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Posted by: Stephanie O'Dea | A Year of Slow Cooking at August 24, 2008

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What they say about this article

  1. Anonymous8/24/2008

    YUM!

    www.recipecorner-susanne.blogspot.com

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  2. Anonymous8/24/2008

    O-M-G this looks so delicious! Peanuts are one of my favorite nuts. I'm practically drooling over the photo. haha

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  3. Left you an award over on my blog

    ... and YUM! I'm making some of this!

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  4. Anonymous8/24/2008

    This sounds delish! Can't wait to try it out...

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  5. OMG could this look any better?? Cant wait to try it!

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  6. Yum yum! Looks delicious!

    because I care about health
    Love it ;)

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  7. Yeah, I think I'll be making this come holiday time. So, you know, I can give it to people instead of eating it all myself. Which I totally would. YUM.

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  8. Anonymous8/24/2008

    lmao @ the wandering off if u find something shiny comment

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  9. Your health-conscious choice of nuts cracked me up!

    I may make this as a reward for sticking so thoroughly to my recently decreed non-gluten and non-soy-ness.

    Since I'd be making it just for myself, of course I'd be forced to consume the entire recipe. Myself. Very sad.

    :)

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  10. Oh Steph My hubby is drooling right now.Thanks for posting the recipe..

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  11. did you get spam or nasty comments is that why it's moderated?? Michelle

    just curious

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  12. they really were very good! We ate them all day long yesterday.

    Michelle, sort of. I had a guy named Charles write in all caps and he told me that I should take a food photography class and that my food looked like green slimy poop. It hurt my feelings, and I cried (it had been a long day) and decided that it was a sign that I should moderate for my own sanity, so when I'm out of the house for long periods of time I'm not worried. And it's also a good way to ensure I read every comment.


    xoxo
    steph

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  13. I have no idea how I found your blog; but I do love it.
    Here's a link to a LOT of crock pot recipes....excuse if you already have it!

    http://www.nikibone.com/recipe/crockpot.html


    Enjoy.
    Ellyn

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  14. You're funny. And when you said "semi-sweet chocolate," my eyes rolled back in my head and I couldn't read anymore.

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  15. Anonymous8/24/2008

    Yum.

    My mum used to use a similar peanut caramel mix to top off a slice she made. Not sure what the slice base was made out of exactly, just that it involved custard powder and tasted sort of like shortbread.

    You've just revivied some very powerful childhood memories. If my daughter was not nut allergic I'd be experimenting with that recipe right now.

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  16. Anonymous8/24/2008

    Just had to say that I made the crockpot brown sugar chicken from August 19th today, and it was so good. Definitely a keeper. Also, is there any way you can add a search feature to your site (that's exclusive to your blog). Sometimes I want to go back and find a certain recipe and can't remember which category it's under. Thanks for an awesome blog. I've made at least five of your dishes in the last couple of months and all have been hits.

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  17. Hi Marie, there is!
    at the very top in the Blogger bar there is a search function.

    all Blogger blogs have it!
    search for any key words, and you'll find what you're looking for on just that one blog.
    xox
    steph

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  18. I love the idea about adding chocolate - I have a super easy method to share. We make a candy similar to this, and instead of going to the work of melting the chocolate first, here's what we do. Simply sprinkle your room temperature chocolate chips over the hot candy. Wait 2 minutes, then spread with a spatula. Voila - chocolate covered Paydays. Hope that helps someone.

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  19. it helped me, Liz! what a great tip, thank you!
    xox
    steph

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  20. Do you have a fitness plan that goes along with these great recipes? My family and I have never eaten better. I'm so glad to find your blog.

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  21. This sounds awesome. thanks. I can't wait to try it. I love paydays.

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  22. Anonymous8/25/2008

    Steph,

    Charles sounds like a self-important jerk. Don't let him get you down. Your food photography is just fine -- the stuff doesn't look like green slimy poop at all, it looks real - the way it does in real people's kitchens, not the cover of Gourmet magazine. And in any event, all the things from your blog that I've made myself have been simply delicious, and scarfed down with great enthusiasm by my entire family. You rock! Keep up the good work!

    Hugs from Zoe

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  23. This does look yummy, but I will have to figure out how to make it diabetic :( But I have another question. Just how many crockpots do you have? You may have addressed this before, but I didn't want to go back looking for it. There is just my hubby and I, and I have a 25 year old 6 qt. that still works great, but I think I would also like to get a smaller one. Any recommendations?

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  24. ooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh drooooooooooooollllllllllll, sluuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrrrp, drooooooooool............I LOVE peanut butter and peanut brittle and reeses peanut butter cups and anything having to do with Mr. Peanut. I don't have any almonds in my house, but I might make this today with just peanuts cuz I don't think I can wait long enough to get to the store. Amen.

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  25. OK, this sounds AWESOME! You had me at "payday bar."

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  26. My husband would totally love this - he's way into peanuts, especially in candy!

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  27. Ok, I don't like peanuts...unless they're in a Payday!!!

    And my husband loves peanuts, peanut patties, peanut brittle...all of it. I would so score "good wifey" points if I made this!

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  28. My husband can't wait for me to try this one, pay days are his favorite candy bar. And I just wanted to say, I always think you do such a good job with your pictures. I love the "before" and "after" pictures, and you always make the food look artistic and delicious. Thank you for this blog, I love it!

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  29. I just found your blog and can't wait to try some of the stuff on here. This Not Peanut Brittle sounds delish! YUMMMMM!

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  30. I am not a baker.
    I am not a candy maker.
    I, too, have a love affair with my crockpot (just bought my FOURTH one)!
    This candy looked fabulous, so I had to let go of my "I don't make candy" mantra and try it. Have mercy! It is fabulous, and, yes, I have pretty much consumed most of it myself. Fortunately, I gave some of it away this morning, so I can't claim that I ate all of it!
    Have a great day!

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  31. This looks wonderful. The clincher was when you said you'd add chocolate next time. In my book, if it's going to be a treat, it's got to have chocolate :)

    But I'm a little confused as to how you would do it. I'm afraid I'll end up with a big mess if I try to do it without proper instructions (having never made candy before). Can you elaborate?

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  32. This looks wonderful. The clincher was when you said you'd add chocolate next time. In my book, if it's going to be a treat, it's got to have chocolate :)

    But I'm a little confused as to how you would do it. I'm afraid I'll end up with a big mess if I try to do it without proper instructions (having never made candy before). Can you elaborate?

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  33. Hi Rachel,

    I think what I would do is melt a bag of chocolate chips in the crockpot on low---once they've been in for an hour, stir, and check to see if they are melty. then pour onto the prepared pans and spread out. Let the chocolate sit.

    then make the peanut candy and spread on top of the hardened chocolate.

    yum!
    xooxx
    steph

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  34. Anonymous1/20/2009

    I saw this today and was totally excited that I had all the ingredients. So I went to work and just finished them, and they are cooling as I type. I left a little in the crock to taste, I couldn't wait for them to cool! LOL I burnt my tongue, but it was worth it; these are sooo good! Thanks!! :)

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  35. oh no, Heather! lol!
    I'm glad you liked them :-)
    xoxo
    steph

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  36. Anonymous2/05/2009

    I meant to make the chocolate covered peanuts tonight, but realized I only had the ingredients for this instead-- not a bad trade-off! This is delicious! I added melted chocolate to the top, and I'm making my husband take it to work so we don't eat it all. Because we are well on our way.
    Thanks!

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  37. Anonymous2/19/2009

    If you are ever up for re-experimenting with this, try cooking it as long as you need to, and adding the baking soda AS you are pouring it out to cool.

    Well, actually, add it a minute before, stir it mostly in, and do the last stirring and pouring/scooping at the same time.

    The soda reacts with the sugar to make fizzy bubbles (like soda pop), which get trapped in the melted sugar, to give you lighter candy texture. When you keep cooking after that, it just deflates the bubbles.

    I can't say exactly how it will work with this, because as you already know candy is fiddly, lol. I suspect it will turn out even more like payday insides tho.

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  38. Is it chewy as in pull your caps off chewy?

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  39. Hi Lindsey!

    It's more chewy like a payday, not sticky like caramel. I think your teeth should be okay.

    xoxo steph

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  40. In honor of halloween I am working my way down your candy list. Made this one with last night - layered it over melted semi-sweet chocolate chips, then put more chocolate chips on top. Turned out great, but crunchier than I expected based on the description. Maybe I cooked it too long - mine was very dark brown. So good that I ate it for breakfast this morning as I was breaking up the pieces -- oops. I'm excited to try the Rocky Road Candy tonight.

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  41. Ok, Its christmas time, the time of candy...so I made some of yours :)

    First-Picked recepits...winners - Chocolate covered Peanuts (Made them last year was told i WOULD make them again this year) and Peanut not brittle.

    Made the Choco nuts, Then realized I now needed more nuts for nut brittle...to store I go

    Got Nutz (in all ways) and plopped an obscene amount of butter (YEAH!) Sugar and Vanilla into the crock...Did Christmas Cards...Stired..More cards

    Put in the Baking Soda, never heard the "Fun Noises" but saw it turn the color of pancake syrip

    Poured in the nuts and stired it like crazy, worried a little about the stiffness but seems ok once laid out to dry on wax paper.

    Taste result.....good....(Insert Homer Simpson Drowl here)

    Thanks a Ton Stephanie for making me look like I might actually know how to cook something and Merry Christmas;)

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  42. I cooked mine too long too but I'm just gonna stretch a little and say that it's butter rum flavored. If the family doesn't like it I'll eat it in the corner of the garage myself. Thanks Steph!

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  43. Anonymous12/16/2010

    I made a half recipe today and it turned out great! I used a smaller crockpot and cooked the syrup for 1 hour. I then stirred in the baking soda. It was done after only cooking for 10 more minutes! Thanks!

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  44. Anonymous5/11/2011

    Peanuts are legumes, not nuts :)

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  45. Oh this looks good :) Hubbys allergic to chocolate so this will be something everyone can eat :D

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  46. Can't wait to do this, a chocolate version too.

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  47. I am sooo doin' this tomorrow. We just finished harvesting, drying and shelling our first time peanut garden. Brittle is one of my favs. Mix that with the ease of using my slow cooker...I am there. I'll have to use a regular timer to keep those shiny things at bay

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  48. Hi - 3 year after last comment - you have "stir in nuts" twice - since no one else has asked, I assume it doesn't much matter. Have a nice day. :-)

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