Hickory nut brittle
Hickory nut brittle is a traditional, crunchy candy made by caramelizing sugar with hickory nuts, often originating from the American South and Appalachian regions where hickory trees are native. The dish typically includes sugar, corn syrup, butter, and hickory nuts, sometimes with baking soda for a lighter texture. It's a seasonal treat often associated with autumn and foraging traditions.
🍽️ Nutrition at a glance
This confection is very high in carbohydrates and fat, with minimal protein, providing quick energy primarily from sugars and nuts. A typical serving offers a decent amount of magnesium and iron from the hickory nuts, but is calorie-dense at around 200-250 kcal per ounce.
Nutrition breakdown
| Calories | 220 kcal |
| Protein | 3 g |
| Carbs | 25 g |
| Fat | 13 g |
| Fiber | 1.5 g |
| Sugar | 18 g |
| Sodium | 45 mg |
| Magnesium | 35 mg |
| Iron | 1.2 mg |
| Phosphorus | 65 mg |
| Zinc | 0.8 mg |
| Copper | 0.3 mg |
| Manganese | 0.9 mg |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.1 mg |
| Vitamin E | 0.5 mg |
Per 1 ounce (28 g) · estimated, varies by recipe
💡 What's interesting
Culturally, hickory nut brittle represents a foraged food tradition, as harvesting wild hickory nuts is a labor-intensive process. Nutritionally, hickory nuts are unusually high in healthy monounsaturated fats and antioxidants compared to more common nuts like peanuts.
