Brazilian Peanut Candy (Paçoca)

Crumbly, nutty, and irresistibly sweet — a beloved Brazilian confection made with just roasted peanuts, sugar, and salt pressed into dense, melt-in-your-mouth squares or rounds that are deeply fragrant, naturally rustic, and completely addictive. A cherished street food and festival treat that has delighted generations across Brazil.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups roasted unsalted peanuts, skins removed
• 1.5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 0.5 cups granulated sugar
• 0.5 teaspoons salt
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (optional, for a richer result)
• 2 tablespoons whole milk or water, if needed for consistency

STEPS

1. Roast the peanuts: If starting with raw peanuts, spread them on a dry baking sheet and roast in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 12–15 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until deeply golden and fragrant. Let cool completely then rub in a clean kitchen towel to remove the skins. If using pre-roasted peanuts skip straight to the next step — but always use unsalted for the best control over the final flavor.
2. Process the peanuts: Add the completely cooled roasted peanuts to a food processor. Process in long pulses for 2–3 minutes until the peanuts are very finely ground and begin to clump together and release their natural oils — the texture should be like very fine, slightly damp sand that holds together when pressed. Do not over-process into peanut butter — stop while the mixture is still dry and crumbly with no paste forming.
3. Add the sugar and salt: Add the sifted powdered sugar, granulated sugar, and salt to the food processor. Add the softened butter if using for extra richness. Pulse until everything is evenly combined and the mixture looks uniform. The mixture should hold together firmly when a small amount is pressed between your fingers. If it is too dry and crumbly add the milk or water one tablespoon at a time and pulse again until it just barely holds together.
4. Press and shape: Line a square 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Pour the peanut mixture into the dish and press very firmly and evenly using the bottom of a measuring cup or glass until compacted into a smooth, uniform layer about 1-inch thick. The harder and more evenly you press the cleaner and more defined the final pieces will be.
5. Set and cut: Let the pressed candy rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to firm up. Lift the parchment out of the pan onto a cutting board and cut into squares or rectangles with a sharp knife. The candy will be slightly crumbly at the edges — this is completely authentic and expected.

NOTES Tips: The texture of the ground peanuts is everything in this recipe — the mixture should be very finely ground and slightly damp from the natural peanut oils but still crumbly, not paste-like. Stop processing the moment it begins to look like wet sand. Pre-roasted peanuts save significant time but make sure they are plain and unsalted — salted peanuts throw off the seasoning of the finished candy. Pressing the mixture very firmly and evenly into the pan is the most important step for clean, defined pieces — loose pressing results in crumbly pieces that fall apart. The powdered sugar gives a fine, melt-in-your-mouth sweetness while the granulated sugar adds a subtle crunch — using both together gives the best traditional paçoca texture. These keep stored in an airtight container at room temperature between layers of parchment paper for up to 2 weeks and actually improve over the first day or two as the sugars and peanut oils meld together into a deeper, more cohesive flavor.