Sunflower Seed Brittle

This easy 3-ingredient Sunflower Seed Brittle recipe is a sweet, nutty, and crunchy treat perfect as a healthy snack or delicious edible holiday gift idea! Naturally gluten-free, vegan, and paleo, this low-sugar brittle recipe is easy to customize with flavors, spices, and liquid sweeteners like vegan honey! Make it crisp and crunchy or soft and chewy, everyone will want a piece!

Turn that bag of roasted sunflower seeds into a delicious, sweet, and nutty (healthy) candy! No nuts here, this easy 3 ingredient brittle recipe is perfect for food allergy friends and ideal for holiday gift-giving! You can keep it plain and simple, letting the delicious nutty flavor of the sunflower seeds shine or customize it with cozy spices and flavor extracts for a personalized treat!

Why You'll Love This Sunflower Brittle Recipe

No candy thermometers needed, this super easy and quick recipe doesn't require any special candy-making skills and is simple enough for even kids to make! Don't waste your money on hard and stale, tooth-cracking store-bought brittle that's probably cross-contaminated with nuts and not allergy-safe. This brittle is fresh, delicious, and customizable during every step of the process! No corn syrup or butter is needed! This recipe is:

• Gluten-Free
• Vegan & Vegetarian
• Allergy-free (Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Peanut-Free, Wheat-Free, Sesame-Free, Fish-Free, Shellfish-Free, Coconut-Free, Corn-Free)
• Paleo & Grain-Free
• Refined Sugar-Free, No Corn Syrup
• Kid-Friendly
• Simple, Quick, & Easy
• Healthy Sweet Snack or Edible Gift

Ingredients For Sunflower Seed Brittle

• Roasted Sunflower Seeds: You want to use roasted sunflower seeds for this recipe. Raw sunflower seeds are chewy and lack flavor. Lightly roasted seeds are so nutty and flavorful! You can use salted or unsalted. Salted seeds make this brittle a delicious sweet and salty snack, you can also choose unsalted to reduce sodium or add your own salt to control the salt level.
• Vegan Honey: This recipe does not use corn syrup like classic brittle. Similar to this sesame seed crunch candy, the sweet, super sticky, slightly floral, and smoky flavor of honey is a perfect complement to the nutty seeds.
• Granulated Sugar: To make this brittle low in sugar, you can use sugar-free sweeteners such as Swerve. Erythritol will work just as well as typical granulated cane sugar.

Best Liquid Sweeteners To Use

If you can't find vegan honey or you don't like the flavor, there are a few other options that will still make your brittle delicious!

• Brown Rice Syrup: Brown rice syrup is a delicious mild sticky liquid sweetener that works perfectly in place of honey or corn syrup. Naturally gluten-free and perfect for candy.
• Coconut Syrup: Coconut syrup is another natural syrup that is thick and sticky enough for candy-making and a healthier option than corn syrup.

I do not recommend using maple syrup. Maple syrup is too watery and liquidy to use for this recipe. I don't find maple syrup to be sticky enough for holding the seeds together. If you're to vegan and want to use normal honey, 100% go for it!

How To Make Sunflower Seed Brittle

1. Add the granulated sweetener and liquid sweetener to a non-stick pot and bring it to a boil.
2. Add the roasted sunflower seeds to the hot sticky mixture and allow it to heat up again after the seeds bring the temperature down.

3. Continue stirring the mixture so nothing burns or sticks to the pot. Add any additional flavors during this step.
4. Allow the brittle to thicken, about 10 minutes until most of the liquid is reduced.

5. Once the mixture is no longer bubbling and super thick, carefully turn off the heat.
6. Pour the hot and sticky candy onto a non-stick Silpat or a lightly greased piece of parchment paper and smooth it out evenly to cool and harden.

How To Customize Your Homemade Sunflower Brittle

Personalize the sunflower seed candy with different flavor variations and add-ins!

• Add More Seeds or Nuts: Mix up the flavor and crunch by using a mixture of seeds such as pumpkin, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, or nuts if you don't need to worry about allergies! Peanuts, pistachios, pecans, hazelnuts, anything your heart desires!
• Dried Spices: Cozy holiday season calls for some cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, or cloves! Add in some dried lavender, cardamom, or maybe a dash of peppercorns for some kick!
• Flavoring Extracts: A splash of culinary extracts like classic vanilla, peppermint, maple, rum, or something fruity like lemon or orange will make your brittle really stand out!

How To Break Your Brittle Candy

Once your seed brittle has cooled completely, you can easily use a sharp knife to cut the brittle into uniform squares or use your hands to break it up into rustic misshapen pieces. Using your hand is easier as it allows the brittle to break naturally into pieces without crumbling.

How To Make Softer Brittle

If you want a chewier and softer brittle, you will need to reduce the cooking time. By cooking the brittle less, and not letting it get to "cracking temperature" (320F°). Since this recipe does not require a candy thermometer, just keep an eye on your boiling brittle and remove it from the heat while it's still easy to stir. This brittle will cool better if placed in the fridge and will be sticky to the touch, regardless of cooling time.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

• Roasting Raw Seeds: You can roast your own raw sunflower seeds if desired! You can roast raw sunflower seeds in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes or on the stove over medium-high heat for 5 to 10 minutes until fragrant.
• Line Your Baking Sheet: When pouring out the hot candy, make sure you use a lined baking sheet. A silicone mat is best, but you can also use parchment paper. I recommend greasing the parchment paper with oil spray or vegan butter for extra ease.
• Spread It Thin: You want the brittle to be thin with a silicone spatula. Thick brittle is difficult to break into pieces and awkward and clunky to eat!
• Cool It Completely: It's best to leave the brittle to cool overnight. Do not try to break warm brittle!

How To Store

You can store leftover sunflower seed brittle in a closed container for up to 3-4 weeks at room temperature. Line the container with wax paper and use wax paper in between single layers of brittle to prevent sticking. The brittle should be kept cool and away from moisture.

More Homemade Candy Recipes:

• Sesame Seed Crunch Candy
• Vegan Peppermint Bark
• Irish Potato Candy
• 4-Ingredient Mounds Bars
• 3-Ingredient Maple Tahini Freezer Fudge
• Gluten-Free Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Print

Easy, delicious, and will make you forget about the peanut brittle! This nut-free sunflower seed brittle is a perfect sweet and crunchy snack that everyone can enjoy! Less sugar, no butter, you won't be able to stop at one piece so plan accordingly!

So tell me:

+ How will you customize your brittle?

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