Candied Nuts
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My easy candied nuts recipe turns mixed nuts into a sweet, crunchy, moreish snack. They’re addictive and made with 5 wholesome ingredients!
I like to keep a jar of homemade shelf-stable treats around for my family, and these candied nuts are one of those things that literally disappear faster than I can make them (I blame my partner and sister). I actually started making them because the store-bought ones were overpriced and full of corn syrup. They also only seem to be available during the holiday season!
It did take some recipe testing to nail the crunchy, sweet texture, and in the process, I found that the stovetop method yielded slightly better results than oven-baking! The hot skillet keeps the edges crisp, golden, and caramelized with just the right hint of spice. Saying that, the difference is barely noticeable, so I’ve included both methods for you today. Just be warned- I’d make a triple batch at a time because no one can keep their hands out of the jar.
Table of Contents
Recipe highlights
- Make them diet-friendly. Swap the sugar for a sweetener, and bam! You have low-carb, sugar-free caramelized nuts.
- Fun to customize. Use whatever nuts you want, and add different spices to change every batch’s flavor.
Key Ingredients
Here are some notes on the main ingredients used in glazed nuts. The full list with measurements i in the recipe card below.
- Nuts. I chose a combination of almonds, cashews, pecans, and peanuts, but you can use any mixed nuts you prefer. Just note that if you use small nuts (like pistachios), you’ll want to check on them often so they don’t burn.
- Sugar. I tested all kinds of sugar, and found that white table sugar yielded the crispiest nuts, whereas brown sugar kept them a little softer. Honestly, I’d use whichever you prefer: my partner and I like the former, but my mom prefers the latter because it’s less intense on her teeth.
- Spices. I keep things simple, with a touch of cinnamon and a bit of sea salt to balance the sweetness.
How to make candied nuts
This is how I make this recipe in the skillet:
Step 1- Make the syrup. Heat a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add all of the ingredients (except the nuts) and mix to combine. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
Step 2- Add the nuts. Once the sugar has dissolved, add the nuts and mix to combine. Continue stirring frequently until the nuts are fully coated and the sugar begins to crystallize.
Step 3- Cool. Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to sit for 1-2 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir the nuts to break up large clusters. Transfer them to a plate to cool completely.
How I oven-bake candied nuts
When testing this in the oven, I found they didn’t crisp as well as in the skillet, so I suggest adding egg whites to the coating. Here is how:
Preheat the oven to 250°F. In a large bowl, whip two egg whites with water, then add the nuts and toss to coat. Then toss the nuts in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Transfer them to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for an hour (stirring every 20 minutes) or until crisp and caramelized.
Candied nut variations
- Make them sugar-free. Use a sugar-free sweetener. I prefer allulose as it crystallizes the most like real sugar.
- Use different spices. Don’t stop at cinnamon! Try nutmeg, cardamom, pumpkin spice, or even a pinch of cayenne pepper for some heat.
- Add a splash of bourbon. The alcohol will cook off, leaving behind sweet notes of caramel and vanilla.
Ways to use candied cinnamon sugar nuts
There is no end to what you can do with glazed nuts. Here are some ideas:
- Portion them in cute jars to give as holiday gifts.
- Break them up and place on a spinach salad with warm bacon dressing.
- Sprinkled on almond milk ice cream or healthy pumpkin pie for extra crunch.
Frequently asked questions
Glazed nuts made with sugar remain sticky if they haven’t been cooked long enough. My rule of thumb is to keep cooking until the sugar mixture thickens and clings to the nuts instead of pooling in the pan. Once they start to look slightly sandy (I know that sounds a little strange) and are somewhat amber-colored, they’re done. They will crisp up beautifully as they cool.
The number one reason sugar burns is due to not stirring enough. I know some recipes say it’s due to high heat, but that would caramelize the nuts quicker. It’s the stirring that prevents the sugar from burning, so please don’t skip this step!
I love to make candied nuts for edible gifts. Once they’ve cooled, transfer them into jars (I like 12-ounce jars) and seal immediately. The nuts will keep well for up to 2 months
✅ Nutrition reviewed
Nutrition information has been reviewed by registered dietitian Felicia Newell, MScAHN, RD, CPT.
Candied Nuts
Ingredients
- 3 cups nuts I used cashews, pecans, almonds and peanuts
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- Heat a large frying pan or deep pot on medium heat. When hot, add the sugar, salt, cinnamon, vanilla, and water and mix until fully combined. Allow to heat up, stirring occasionally.
- When the sugar has completely melted, add the nuts and mix until fully incorporated. Watch over the pan and continue stirring often until most of the sugar has been coated and is beginning to crystallize.
- Remove pan from the heat and allow to sit for 1-2 minutes. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, stir the nuts once more to avoid overly large clusters and set on a plate or chopping board to cool completely.
Notes
- Clusters: For more cluster-sized portions, allow them to sit for 10 minutes.
- TO STORE: Caramelized nuts can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks or in the refrigerator for up to one month.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze them in a freezer-safe container for up to two months.
- TO OVEN-BAKE: Preheat the oven to 250F/120C degrees. In a large bowl, whip 2-3 egg whites with water, then add the nuts and toss to coat. Then, toss the nuts in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Transfer them to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for an hour (stirring every 20 minutes) or until crisp and caramelized.
Nutrition
More holiday sweets
Originally updated February 2023
Excellent recipe. Thank you for this recipe. Ive been making candied nuts for a few years but I’ve always been a little disappointed that they didn’t taste like the kind from the mall. This recipe rocks!
Aw, thank you Holly! How funny- it was the candied nut stalls in New York which inspired this recipe, which is why I was so pedantic about it and tested it so many times before posting. I’m glad it ticked your boxes 🙂
I used walnuts and although tasty the coating is not crunchy
Hi Rose- thank you for your comment. Did you use a different sweetener? I’d love to troubleshoot why it wasn’t crunchy.
Great recipe. Made with raw nuts. Now im worried I should have used roasted nuts. Did I mess it up? Im not so patiently waiting for them too cool to tell if they should have been roasted.
Not at all, Kelly- Raw nuts is perfectly fine. The only difference is the roasted ones have a more robust taste (the exact difference that raw versus roasted nuts would have in flavor).
Hi Arman, thanks so much for all of your wonderful recipes! I appreciate them! Do you or anyone else here use salted nuts as it would be so easy to buy the large salted mix nuts from Costco for this recipe? Thank you again!
Hi Diane- thanks so much for this lovely comment. I love using salted nuts, but for this recipe, it would only work well if you love the sweet and salty combination (think kettle corn). Otherwise, salted nuts are best to enjoy on their own or in a trail mix 🙂
My mother said: These are delicious. Where did you get the recipe?
I said: It had a five star rating from 115 reviews, how could it go wrong?
My mother said: Make that 116.
So here we are.
Thank you 🙂
That’s so nice to hear! Very glad you both enjoyed these 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
I’ve made quite a few different candied nut recipes and yours is the nicest, I cannot wait to gift these to family for Christmas, Merry Christmas to you and yours.
I accidentally bought unsalted nuts for Christmas snacks…. bland and yuck. Made this recipe. Very easy and delicious! Thanks for sharing.
AJT! Oh I hear you- Unsalted nuts have a place, but maybe not for a Christmas snack. I’m so glad you used them to make this recipe and it turned out well. I appreciate you sharing your review- although now I’m craving some salted nuts haha!
Dear Arman, I tried your recipe and liked it very much. But I wanted to point out you do not lost in preparation where to place the vanilla so I mixes the vanilla with the water after I mixed salt, sugar, and cinnamon together.
Liking your recipe I remain Alessandria.
Alessandra- thanks so much for pointing that out, I’ve made the fix 🙂
OMG this is sooo good and so easy. Will be a regular recipe. Thank you for sharing.
So welcome, Brenda!
So easy, and soooooooo good!
First time making this very easy recipe! I used brown sugar instead. Cooked on medium low heat once mixture came to a boil. My family likes spice, so I added 1T cayenne, 1/2 T nutmeg. Absolutely delicious!
I’ve been trying a few nuts recipes and this one is absolutely the best! Delicious and quick. Lovely clusters.