Sunflower Seed Brittle in pieces.

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I love making nut and seed brittles around the holidays. They are the perfect gift to make in batches, wrap and gift to friends, family and coworkers. For this holiday season, I chose sunflower seed brittle and the family loved it.  Of course, I always have my all time favorite Microwave Peanut Brittle packaged and ready to go but this is a nice change.

I also decided to “season” my brittle with cinnamon and nutmeg for extra flavor. I don’t ususally add spices to brittle recipes, but this time I did and really liked the results.

Testimonial

“Just made it tastes sooo yummy. I’m allergic to nuts now as an adult but in my childhood I loved peanut brittle n thought humm can I make with sunflower n pumpkin seeds. First batch used only sunflower but plan to make again with half sunflower half pumpkin seeds. Thanks for recipe and great instructions.” ~ Isabell

Why is this Sunflower Seed Brittle a good choice for gift giving?

  • It is the perfect solution for all those with nut allergies.  This gives you an option for when you are making brittle as gifts.
  • Easily substitute other seeds like pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds.  I’ve even made this with chia and hemp seeds for a secret nutritional boost!
  • This is so easy to make and I call it one of my fool-proof candy recipes
I get asked questions all the time about making brittle, so here are my most frequently asked questions and answers.

Absolutely. I often do. You can see my Microwave Peanut Brittle recipe for tips and timing. You’d follow the same instructions on that recipe but would substitute sunflower seeds.

If you are making any kind of nut or seed brittle recipe on the stove, you definitely need a candy thermometer so you know when you are at that hard crack stage. It is almost impossible to determine by just “looking at it”. I have had good luck doing it in the microwave without a thermometer but just follow the timing in the recipe I referred you to above and make sure you are stirring in one minute intervals.

You can use any nut, seed or combination that you like. Be creative. Last year, I made Pistachio Brittle which was a big hit.

NO. Hot sugar is very, very hot and you can get burned easily if you aren’t careful. In addition, you have to move quickly so I don’t recommend this for young aged children.

Make sure you work quickly. Stir in your baking soda rapidly, add the nuts, stir and pour onto prepared sheet. Spread it out quickly (it starts to harden fast) and as thin as you can get it.

With those tips, you should be ready to make brittle anytime you like. You may want to see my tips for Wrapping Candy, Nuts & Baked Goods. Brittle packages well and lasts a long time so it makes the perfect gift. Put a few pieces in cellophane bags with a bow is an easy way to gift a lot of people. Holiday boxes and tins, make excellent vessels for a large batch of the candy.

Homemade candy making doesn’t have to be hard. You just need a candy thermometer and patience. Have fun!

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How to Make Sunflower Seed Brittle

  • To get started, line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper or tin foil; set aside. Spray a wooden spoon with non-stick cooking spray; set aside.
  • In a large, heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla and heat over low heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Stop stirring the mix and let the mixture come to a boil. Cook until the mixture reaches 300 degrees F. on a candy thermometer. (hard crack stage)
butter, sugar and spices in pot.
thermometer in pot of bubbling sugar.
  • Once the caramel comes to temperature, remove the pot from the heat and add the teaspoon of baking soda. Stir quickly with the wooden spoon sprayed with cooking spray. Add the sunflower seeds and continue stirring until combined.
  • Quickly and carefully pour the mixture out onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread it out as much as possible. Immediately sprinkle with the flaky salt.
Sunflower Seed Brittle poured onto baking sheet.
  • Once cooled and hardened, break it into small pieces.  You can enjoy it right away or put it in a covered container and leave at room temperature until you are ready to enjoy.  BTW, this makes a great topping for cakes and cupcakes, or try it on my Pumpkin & Sweet Potato Soup with Brittle…soooo good!
Sunflower Seed Brittle in pieces on a baking sheet.

PRO TIPS

  • NEVER refrigerate brittle.  It gets sticky and not what you are looking for.
  • Preheat your oven to 200 degrees F. and place your baking sheets covered with foil in the oven to heat.  This will give you extra time to pour and spread your brittle mixture before it starts to harden.  It makes the job much easier.
  • Store in a dry, cool place.  I keep mine in gift tins or a good plastic container with a lid.

Alternatively, box it up as a gift for friends and family.  Whether this is for you or neighbors, everyone loves it.  I hope you enjoy it.  If you like this recipe, be sure to leave a rating and comment below.  I’d love to hear from you.

Sunflower Seed Brittle in a box.

If you’d like to try your hand at other homemade candy, try these recipes:

Swirling Chocolate Peppermint Bark

Toasted Coconut Marshmallows

Dark Chocolate & Pomegranate Cups

Chocolate Covered Halva

Dark Chocolate Macadamia Nut Fudge

Summarize and Save This Content

CHAT GPT CLAUDE GEMINI PERPLEXITY GROK
Sunflower Seed Brittle in pieces.

Sunflower Seed Brittle

I love making nut and seed brittles around the holidays.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Candy
Cuisine General
Servings 1 Pound

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

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Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 1/2 Cups Granulated Sugar
  • 3/4 Cup Light corn syrup
  • 1/4 Cup Unsalted butter
  • 1 Tsp. Ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 Tsp. Ground nutmeg
  • 1 Tsp. Pure Vanilla bean paste or extract
  • 1 Tsp. Baking Soda
  • 2 Cups Sunflower seeds, roasted and salted
  • Large pinch of flaky salt (Maldon is a favorite)
  • Cooking spray

Instructions
 

  • Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper or tin foil; set aside. Spray a wooden spoon with non-stick cooking spray; set aside.
  • In a large, heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla and heat over low heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Stop stirring the mix and let the mixture come to a boil. Cook until the mixture reaches 300 degrees F on a candy thermometer. (hard crack stage)
  • Once the caramel comes to temperature, remove the pot from the heat and add the teaspoon of baking soda. Stir quickly with the wooden spoon sprayed with cooking spray. Add the sunflower seeds and continue stirring until combined.
  • Quickly and carefully pour the mixture out onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread it out as much as possible. Immediately sprinkle with the flaky salt. Let cool completely and then break into pieces. The brittle will be very thick and dense so spread quickly and use pressure to get it as thin as possible. Enjoy!
Keyword candy, seed
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