Candied Peanuts Make Valentine’s Day Sweeter

This Valentine's Day, instead of buying candy off the shelf for your special someone, why not try making them a batch of candied peanuts instead? These deliciously simple treats require only four ingredients and are so easy to make, my 12-year-old son whipped up a batch all by himself last week.

How good are candied peanuts? They're so yummy, my daughters stole my bag of peanuts and left me with only a handful to enjoy. They're so tasty, my mother called my son the night after we delivered a bag to her and said that all she wanted for her birthday was a tin full of candied peanuts. They're so good, I bet you're thinking of making some right now.

How do you make them?

Candied peanuts start with raw peanuts. These can be found at your grocery store, and they are much cheaper than most other nuts. I bought them in 8 oz. bags for around $2.00 each. You'll need about three bags if you want to make the same amount I did. You'll also need a couple of cups of sugar, some water and a bit of vanilla extract.

Just remember the magic ratio

I found bunches of recipes for candied peanuts online, but most came down to the same magic ratio: 1 to 2 to 4. That's one measure of water, double the measure of sugar, and double again the measure of peanuts.

For my son's batch, we used 1 cup of water, 2 cups of sugar, and 4 cups of raw peanuts. We could have used ½ cup of water, 1 cup of sugar and 2 cups of peanuts for a smaller batch, or 2 cups of water, 4 cups of sugar, and 8 cups of peanuts to make enough to share with all our friends. It's completely up to you how much you make, but keep the ingredients in this ratio to turn out a great batch of candied peanuts.

Don't get in a hurry

My son was not prepared for all the stirring he'd have to do to make these delicious treats. Candied peanuts begin with the sugar and water, heated until all the sugar dissolves over medium heat while stirring. Add about a teaspoon of vanilla for each ½ cup of water you use. Then add the peanuts and continue stirring, never letting the mixture burn. Slowly, almost magically, the water will be absorbed or evaporate away, leaving the peanuts covered in a thick, sugary coating that is extremely hot to the touch.

Using extra care not to burn yourself, quickly dump the peanuts onto an ungreased pan. I took this part of my recipe from Christy Jordan's Southern Plate. Spread them out evenly in a single layer, and cook for about 30 minutes in a 300 degree oven, stirring them around every 10 minutes.

Spice things up if you'd like

After you remove the peanuts from the oven, you can spice things up if you'd like. I found recipes that called for a sprinkle of sea salt, a dusting of cinnamon, and even a hint of pepper. My son wanted to make his plain, and I have to admit, they really were perfect once they cooled down enough to eat. But if you want to try spices to add a little variety, go for it. I think a salty and sweet combo would be an extraordinary Valentine's Day delight!