Crunchy, sweet and nutty, peanut sesame brittle is a delicious treat that can easily be made at home. Make this crowd favorite snack for holiday gifting or to serve at festivals such as Chinese New Year. {Vegetarian, Gluten-Free}
Chinese peanut brittle, also known as 花生糖 (hua sheng tang), is a traditional snack that has long been enjoyed during festivals and Chinese New Year. It consists of roasted peanuts embedded in a hard, crispy, sweet syrup made from caramelized sugar and honey. The flavor of Chinese peanut brittle is a delightful balance of nutty richness from the peanuts and deep caramel notes from the sugar.
Chinese peanut brittle requires just a few pantry ingredients and it’s quite easy to make. You can make it ahead of time and serve it as a snack or give it as an edible holiday gift.
Chinese peanut brittle ingredients
Making Chinese peanut brittle only requires 7 ingredients and you probably have most of them in your pantry already:
- Peanuts
- Quinoa
- Sesame seeds
- Sugar
- Butter
- Honey
- Salt
Traditional peanut brittle usually uses only peanuts as the base. My recipe also adds sesame seeds and puffed quinoa to the mixture, further adding an earthy aroma and a nicer texture.
How to make Chinese peanut brittle
- Roast the peanuts (if using raw peanuts)
- Puff the quinoa
- Cook the syrup until golden brown and bubbly
- Add the nut mixture
- Pour the nut mixture onto a lined baking sheet
- Roll the mixture with a rolling pin
- Let the brittle cool off
- Cut the brittle into bite-sized pieces
Once cooked and given some time to cool, this peanut brittle is nutty, crunchy, crispy and fragrant. You can serve it as a snack with tea or a dessert after a meal. You can also wrap it up and use it as an edible gift.
Peanut brittle in China is often associated with celebration, particularly around the Lunar New Year. It’s a symbol of prosperity and happiness, as peanuts are considered a lucky food in Chinese culture. It’s commonly given as a gift during traditional festivals.
If you ever get a chance to try it or make it yourself, it’s a delightful treat that’s perfect to satisfy a sweet tooth!
Other Chinese snack & sweets
Chinese Peanut Brittle
Crunchy, sweet and nutty, peanut sesame brittle is a delicious treat that can easily be made at home. Make this crowd favorite snack for holiday gifting or to serve at festivals such as Chinese New Year. {Vegetarian, Gluten-Free}
Ingredients
- 150 g (1 cup) peanuts unsalted
- 50 g (1/3 cup) quinoa
- 50 g (1/2 cup) sesame roasted
- 200 g (1 scant cup) sugar
- 30 g (2 tablespoons) butter
- 50 g (2 tablespoons) honey
- 6 g (1 teaspoon) salt
Instructions
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If using raw peanuts, roast the peanuts in the oven at 350° until fragrant and lightly golden, around 15 to 20 minutes. Shake the peanuts 1 to 2 times during roasting for even cooking. Skip this step if using roasted peanuts.
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While the peanuts are toasting, heat a heavy duty medium-sized pot (stainless steel or cast iron, footnote 1) over medium-high heat until hot. Add the quinoa. Stir constantly until quinoa pops and puffs up slightly, 1 minute or so. Remove from heat and immediately transfer the quinoa to a plate to prevent it from overcooking.
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Prepare a small sheet pan and place it on a heat-proof surface. Line the sheet pan with parchment paper.
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Add butter, honey, sugar, and salt into a medium-sized saucepan. Stir frequently with rubber spatula over medium heat until mixture is bubbling and darkens to medium brown. At this point, stir in peanuts and puffed quinoa all at once and mix to combine so everything is coated.
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Continue cooking another 2 to 5 minutes until the mixture reaches a dark amber color. It should register 300 to 310°F (148 to 154°C) on an instant thermometer.
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Immediately remove the pan from heat and pour the peanut mixture onto the lined sheet pan you prepared earlier. Place a piece of parchment over the mixture and use a rolling pin to roll out the mixture into a 1/2” (1-cm) thick piece while it’s still hot.
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Remove the top piece of parchment paper and let the brittle cool off completely. Then cut the brittle to your desired size.
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Serve the brittle as a snack or dessert. Once it has cooled completely, you can store the brittle in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.
Notes
- You can heat up a stainless steel or cast iron pan directly without any oil. Do not use a nonstick pan because heating it without any ingredients in the pan might damage your pan.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 403kcal, Carbohydrates: 51.1g, Protein: 9.3g, Fat: 20.7g, Saturated Fat: 4.8g, Cholesterol: 10mg, Sodium: 421mg, Potassium: 272mg, Fiber: 3.7g, Sugar: 40.1g, Calcium: 107mg, Iron: 3mg
