SUBSCRIBE BY EMAILSpicy Pine Nut Brittle is a great adult treat perfect for the season. It’s October so people are jumping for joy over pumpkin-spiced everything. I like the pumpkin goodies as much as the next guy, but this month, my mind also turns to candy!
Like I said, this is a wonderful adult treat. It’s not that I think kids wouldn’t enjoy Spicy Pine Nut Brittle, but would they really appreciate those buttery (and expensive) little pine nuts? Would they even notice the subtle difference between peanut brittle and pine nut brittle?
The excuse I use to keep this treat all to my adult self is the added spiciness. Lately I’ve been adding spicy to everything, so why would I stop with candy?
I don’t remember being very interested in peanut brittle as a kid. Wasn’t it the candy the old folks enjoyed? Didn’t your great aunt bring a box (you know — the kind with the cellophane window) when she came to visit?
I guess this might mean that I’m one of the “old folks” now since I love this treat. It’s divine! Divine, and nearly impossible to keep your hands off. The added spice and those luscious pine nuts make this candy a little more sophisticated than standard brittle, and it just says “autumn” to me.
Spicy Pine Nut Brittle is really easy to make, too, and as I was cracking it into pieces, I was thinking about (don’t hate me!) what a great homemade gift it would make for the holidays.
I made a small batch, but this recipe can easily be doubled. I’ve made this brittle using plain old peanuts, but I thought I would be super creative and use pine nuts as a special ingredient.
After doing some searching online, I realized that my idea wasn’t very unique – there are oodles of pine nut brittle recipes out there. It was a first for me, and I’ll be making it whenever the mood strikes.
And friends, if you find yourself with a gift bag of Spicy Pine Nut Brittle around the holidays, don’t say I didn’t warn you!
Looking for more candy recipes? Try one of these:
Chocolate Bark with Pistachios and Sea Salt
Buttermilk Fudge with Orange & Rosemary
Crispy Marshmallow and Almond Butter Buckeyes
Yields 1
This is an easy-to-make candy recipe that you can easily double for more. It makes a great gift-giving option, too!
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tablepoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/2 teaspoons, more or less to taste, dried chipotle powder
- Nonstick cooking spray
- Parchment paper
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Add the sugar, butter, corn syrup, water, salt, and chipotle powder in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat.
- When the butter melts, stir to combine until the sugar dissolves. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- If you have a candy thermometer, boil the mixture until it reaches 350 degrees F, without stirring it. If you don’t have a candy thermometer, boil for 3-4 minutes or until the mixture is a deep amber color.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the pine nuts.
- Transfer the mixture to the lined baking sheet and spread it out as evenly as possible, to about 1/8-inch thick.
- Allow the mixture to cool. When completely cool, break into pieces for serving.
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