The Great Pumpkin Pie Spice Brittle

I’ve been looking forward to making a fall version of brittle ever since I created the red velvet cashew version for Valentine’s day. Yes I used the dreaded pumpkin pie spice. Isn’t using it in at least one recipe between Labor Day and Christmas obligatory? Most importantly,  who knew homemade  brittle was so easy? Once you have the steps down, it seems to take no time at all and the flavor combinations are endless.  It also makes a great hostess gift for any season.

For this version I added raw pumpkin seeds to pair with the pumpkin pie spice. I might have used (maybe too much) copper paste color to boost the color but that is totally optional.

The color is not the star of this candy, it’s the taste. Sweet and spicy and the pumpkin seeds are a great change from the normal peanuts. For all the fun everyone is making over PPS this fall, this brittle proves it’s still in the flavor game and a great addition to any Thanksgiving feast. 

(Barely adapted from Stresscake’s Spicy Peanut Brittle)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon orange or copper past food coloring
• 1+1/2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 cups unsalted pumpkin seeds

Directions:

• Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking spray.
• Place water, sugar,  pumpkin pie spice, corn syrup and food coloring in a heavy bottomed sauce pan and heat without stirring until the mixture reaches the hard crack sate (about 302 degrees F)
• In the meantime, assemble all the rest of the ingredients, place  near a  trivet next to the baking sheet along with a heatproof spatula.
• When the sugar mixture is hot enough, removed from heat and move to the trivet. Stir in all the ingredients quickly.
• Pour onto the parchment paper and using the spatula, flatten out and shape into a rectangle if you like.
• Let cool completely and break into pieces.