They sold thousands of bags. Thousands. They were young, my three older children, so young that their kid brother, Andrew, had not yet been born, when Stephen, Michael and Rebecca sold thousands of bags of peanut brittle. 
I’m not sure just how it became a popular fund-raiser in many of our Pentecostal churches, but there is no telling how many churches have virtually been built by the sales of peanut brittle.
Now here we are again, involved in this delightful way to raise money. Cooked 99 packages this morning, following our 7:00 am prayer meeting over at the church. It’s such a fun and profitable activity.
Hope is one of our CIP graduates and we love her dearly. She is a “hoot,” a vivacious red-head, a veritable dynamo of energy. For the past few weeks she has been helping us cook this delicious candy.
“Hope, how many rings do you have on?”
She grinned at me when I asked in the kitchen 
this morning, paused a little, and together, we bent over her hands and counted. Fourteen. She had on fourteen rings. Those beautiful bountifully bedecked hands cooked, packaged and cleaned this morning as our happy team turned out mounds of luscious candy.
Want some peanut brittle? We cook it up so that it is very tasty…and it’s helping fund our thriving church here in Lake Havasu.
NOTE 10/17/2010: For those who have asked for the recipe and I have not responded, I have posted the recipe on my recipe site. Check it out.
Shirley Buxton 
28 replies on “Peanut Brittle!”
Shirley,
I have been making peanut brittle for years using my grandmother’s recipe. However, it looks like your recipe will make a lot more at one time than mine does. How many pounds does your make? And how many batches can you make in an hour?
Thank you for your help!
Cathy Fornes
Hey, sorry it took me so long to respond. I’m not sure about the weight, but one batch of peanut brittle makes 8 patties or you could stretch it to 10. In an hour you could make 30 to 40 patties.
Blessings…….
LikeLike
I remember making peanut brittle at our church. Why did we slam the pie pans on the table? I haven’t read anyone doing that. Thank you for the recipe! I can’t wait to make it.
LikeLike
where do you buy the peanuts and pans for making large quantities
LikeLike
Elizabeth, we use the lightweight aluminum pie pans–the throw away kind that come in a package of 3 or so. Get them at Wal-Mart or some such place. They last through several times of making the candy, then they begin to break down. You need to check around and find the peanuts at a wholesale price. You can have them ordered through a restaurant or something like that. Large cities such as LA will usually have them cheaper. We buy them by the 25 pound box. Let me know if I can help any more. Sorry I just now saw your question.
LikeLike
It ain’t all in the recipe====U gotta know HOW to cook it!! I learned this from my Dad, who was considered to be the best brittle maker in this area.
True. To learn to make peanut brittle, you need to have someone show you a few times.
LikeLike
I’ll never forget selling thousands of bags of peanut brittle growing up in the South Downey church. My mom would drive me around to beauty salons and send me in – the ladies under the hairdryers would all be scrambling to get their purses and make sure to get their’s before I ran out. We got to keep 10 cents for every bag – and then I remember when it went up to 25 cents a bag that we could keep – wow! It seemed like so much money. I could sell 30-50 bags in about 2 hours going to beauty salons. Maybe I’ll start it again. My mom’s old recipe is around somewhere and I’ll bet those same ladies are still under those dryers. Hmmm….
LikeLike
SPECIAL NOTE: There is now a link to my recipe site in which I post the recipe for the peanut brittle. Scroll back up to the end of the post here for the link.
Happy cooking.
Got a good recipe you would like to add over on the recipe site? I’d love to have it.
LikeLike
Here in California I believe the health dept shut down the churches peanut brittle bussiness. A stupid government thing. I would love to get the recipe or buy it from you. I remember the inside of brittle was so light and not solid. please Email me back I’d like to give some to kids for X-mas they never had your brittle.
LikeLike
I also am thinking of ways in which I can help support my church. I make peanut brittle in small batches in the microwave but would love to have the recipe so us ladies at church can make it in large batches. Enjoyed your site. Thanks
LikeLike
Aloha,
we are a youth hula praise team out in Hawaii desert, Ka’u district. My team goes out to cheer the elderly homes, hospital and home visits, community events and church services. We are in need of raising fund for the holiday mission outreach. I want to make peanut brittle which most of the children never tasted it before. It will help out the youths team and a fun project for everyone to participate in. Please let me know if you can help me out.
LikeLike
I would LOVE to have your peanut brittle recipe!!! I used to buy it at a small gas station in Alabama, and although I never cared for peanut brittle, I totally fell in love with the crispy, melt in your mouth taste…..wanting to attempt to make it myself, I’ve searched online and found many recipes, but I’m afraid I’ll pick the wrong one…..please help. Thanks!!!
LikeLike
Hi, Stephanie. Welcome to my blog. Hope you’re here often.
First thing you need to do is contact those in charge at the swap meet and see if you will be allowed to sell there. All we had to do was get a permit, but some cities require an inspected kitchen etc.
We pour our candy into 10 inch disposable aluminum pie pans and sell one of these patties for $3.00, or 2 for $5.00.
Wish you well.
LikeLike
I was thinking about selling my homemade peanut brittle in a swap meet here in Las Vegas,Nv. I was wondering if you could give me any hints on how to get started or at what price would be fair. I was thinking about selling in decorative canisters that I make. I’ve just started thinking about doing this because I am a stay at home Mom and we need the extra money in these trying times. Thanks, God bless.
LikeLike
looking for the pentacostal church recipe,love love,love it can anyone help me out,the peanut brittle of course!
LikeLike
Is it possible to get the recipe for your famous peanut brittle? I made it with the ladies at church years ago for fundraisers but I never had the recipe myself. I would sure appreciate it. Thanks!
God Bless, Deb
LikeLike
I’m so excited, can you PLEASE send me the recipe for the wonderful Penecostal peanut brittle? I have been looking for it for years. I cannot order any, or I would. I know this is a great way for the church to raise money. I love to bake and make candy, would you please be so kind to email me the recipe?
In Christ,
Deb.
LikeLike
The ladies up in WA state (in Lynnwood, WA where Elder Coon used to pastor) made some of the best peanut brittle I ever had. I admit, though, that peanut brittle is not one of my favorites. CASHEW BRITTLE? Now we’re talking!
LikeLike
Dear Shirley,
Such a wonderful gift you just gave me!!!
The belated ” thank you” was like a present all wrapped up and was just newly opened.
I am sure you gave thanks many times but this was special to me!
Bless you many times over!
LikeLike
We still do Peanut Brittle here in Safford….especially around the holidays….in fact we are going in to our candy season right now.
We go every year to a place on Skid Row in Los Angeles called Gust Piccolous and buy peanuts in bulk for the best price we can find anywhere….about $1.09 a lb now….and make quite a few bags over the next 3 months.
LikeLike
Oooooh how I remember the “peanut brittle” days in Garden Grove 39 years ago!!!! It then was the “best “church project around.
Delish!!! Lots of fun too with several of us ladies, then the kids hitting the stores and small manufacturing areas.===it was well in demand!!!! There really are some little secrets to making it “just right” (especially shaking those pie tins!!) ha ha
You know one thing I remember about you back in those days, Wynona, is that you were always co-operative, supportive, and involved in everything. Hope I thanked you enough then. I’m thanking you again now! Sincerely, I thank you.
LikeLike
I love to make and EAT Peanut Brittle. BUT I have to admit – I hated selling it! I remember standing outside of Safeway or Sprouse Reitz, freezing and talking myself out of asking the next person, “Do you want to buy a bag a peanut brittle?”… because I could just “tell” that they had sugar diabetes, no teeth, false teeth, kids can’t have sugar, no money… the list went on and on! =D But somehow I always managed to sell enough to get to Jr. Camp or Youth Convention. Eventually I graduated to MAKING it! Thank God. =D
I’m laughing, Lori, for I feel much the same way you do about selling peanut brittle–selling anything as far as that is concerned. Just don’t like doing it.
Here in Lake Havasu we’re selling nearly all of ours in stores. I buy pretty baskets, we have a nice sign, and we’re moving around 100 bags a week–like to get it up to 200. Last year we did sell a few times at the swap meet–sell around 50 bags in a couple of hours. The problem is the swap meet is on Sunday. We would go early, set up, leave a sign that we had gone to church and would be back later. We were having our morning service at 9:00; now we have it at 10:00 so our thinking is that by the time we got back over there, the swap meet would be winding down. So we haven’t been back since the swap meet opened in Sept. Gets so hot here, they close down for the summer.
LikeLike
I learned how to cook this glorious, golden concoction from my good friend, Carole Kerr. She’s been making peanut brittle for years along with a lot of other delicious candy, and she now sells online too. Good stuff! 😆
I understand Carole has quite a little business going on.
LikeLike
Shirley, This looks yummy.
It is yummy. Drop by and I’ll load you up with some.
LikeLike
I would love some…do you ship??
Well, Dean, I could probably ship you some…or trade for gulf shrimp..or….I know rib eye steaks. Sounds like a deal, huh? (A deal for me, that is!)
LikeLike
I wish I knew how much peanut brittle I’ve made. I started out as one getting the ingredients ready, then graduated to being a “shaker”, then was taught the art of cooking (for it is an art!). Peanut brittle is surely a memory for anyone that has been a Pentecostal for many years!
Gayla, sounds like you’re a pro. If we find ourselves short on a crew around here, I’ll know who to call.
LikeLike
Even as a shy child, I loved selling peanut brittle! It probably had to do with the nickle or dime per bag sold we would receive. I also loved being underfoot when the ladies of Truth Tabernacle were making it. It was so much work, but they seemed to have so much fun making it!
Great memories we have over the sweet, sweet, stuff.
LikeLike
I don’t think I want to buy peanut brittle long distance, but I’d love to have the recipe you use. I think there is an art to getting the thickness just right, and I am not sure I mastered it yet. I keep trying, though.
Becky, I’ll send the recipe to you by email–probably be tomorrow though. We have a CIP session in a few hours.
LikeLike
[…] Jump to Comments Take a look here to see one of the delightful things we do as a fund-raiser for Christ Alive! […]
LikeLike