Recipe: Peanut Butter Candy (4 recipes using simply syrup)

Dear Arlene, Here are some recipes that fit your description. Happy Cooking! - Betsy

---

PEANUT BUTTER CANDY

2 cups sugar
1/4 cup hot water
2 cups peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)

Boil 2 cups water and sugar together. Fold in peanut butter. Spread in sheet pan. Cool and slice.

---

PEANUT BUTTER CANDY (with vanilla)

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla

Boil sugar and 1/2 cup water for 1 minute; remove from heat and add peanut butter and vanilla. Beat with mixer, using low or medium speed until it will pour or is thickening.

---

This recipe using corn syrup but gives more detailed instructions that that might help when trying the first recipes:

CRUNCHY PEANUT BUTTER CANDY

3 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 3/4 cups light Karo corn syrup
1 cup hot water
4 cups peanut butter

Boil sugar, syrup and 1 cup hot water to 300 degrees F (hard crack stage). Spread peanut butter in the bottom of a large cookie sheet, with sides. Do not skimp on peanut butter. Pour hot mixture over peanut butter and stir in as fast as possible. Work up in rope like strands. Cut with scissors and store in air-tight containers. This recipe makes a lot of candy.

---

This recipe is interesting because it says "do not use Jif peanut butter". I wonder if Jif was one of the first peanut butters to add hydrogenated oil and if these recipes work better with natural/pure peanut butter?:

PEANUT BUTTER CANDY

2 cups sugar
2 cups water
2 cups peanut butter (do not use Jif)
3/4 cup light Karo corn syrup

Cook sugar and 2 cups water together to 300 degrees F. Add peanut butter and mix well. Pour on cookie sheet. Cut in strips while still hot. Then cut in small pieces with scissors.