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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!
Looking for more elegant snacks? Try my banana chips, peanut butter crackers, candied pecans, and candied almonds next.
Growing up, my friends and I would always sneak candied nuts by the handful when my mom wasn’t looking. It turns out she always knew. Go figure…
Anyway, store-bought glazed nuts may taste great, but they’re loaded with corn syrup and other additives. That’s why I started making them from scratch, and now MY mom is the one sneaking them behind my back!
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Make them diet-friendly. Swap the sugar for sweetener, and bam! You have low-carb, sugar-free caramelized nuts.
- Make them on the stovetop or oven. I prefer the stove top method, but when time is of the essence, I’ll make them in the oven.
- Fun to customize. Use whatever nuts you want, and add different spices to change every batch’s flavor.
- They’re great room temp or warm. Like warm nuts, these are fabulous when served warm.
Ingredients needed
- Nuts. I chose to use a combination of almonds, cashews, pecans, and peanuts, but you can use any mixed nuts of your choice. Just note if you use small nuts (like pistachios), you’ll want to check on them often so they don’t burn.
- Sugar. I used white sugar, which gives the nuts a firmer crunch, but if you want them to be softer, use brown sugar.
- Cinnamon. A must for sweet glazed nuts!
- Vanilla extract. Another essential flavor addition.
- Sea salt. Helps balance the sweetness.
- Water. Mixed with the sugar to act as the glaze.
How to make candied nuts
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
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 crystalize.
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.
Can I bake these in the oven?
Yes, you can bake these nuts, but I suggest using egg whites to help them caramelize in the oven. Here’s how to do it:
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.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Make them sugar-free. Use a sugar-free sweetener. I prefer allulose as it crystalizes 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 on top of spinach salad with warm bacon dressing.
- Sprinkled on almond milk ice cream or healthy pumpkin pie for extra crunch.
Storage instructions
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.
Frequently asked questions
Glazed nuts made with sugar remain sticky if they haven’t been cooked long enough. If you’re using a sugar-free sweetener, you may need to leave the nuts out to dry for a few hours until they fully harden.
More sweet treats you’ll enjoy
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, 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 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
Nutrition
Originally updated February 2023, updated and republished August 2024
Hi!
I subbed Stevia for the sugar (Type 1 diabetes), but it was a little bitter. That was the only difference in the recipe. What should I do next time to avoid that? I added a little monk fruit to the finished product and that helped a little.
Thanks!
Hi Anita- I’m not surprised it didn’t work, stevia tends to crystalize and leave an odd texture. You can try allulose.
Best candied nuts recipe. Everyone loved them at Thanksgiving!
Thanks for this recipe, I made them as one of the snacks for our New Years party, they were a tremendous hit. So easy to make and delicious.
taste delicious~ thank you!
sooooo good! really satisfied my sweet craving!! thanks so much for the recipe!
Made these yesterday and they are really good. I used peanuts. They have a grate texture. The only thing I would change next time is to add some more salt or maybe play around with the seasonings in addition to salt & cinnamon. I might try a little bit of pepper or clove or something to give more interest. I have eaten most of the 1st batch so I will be making more soon. Oh, and I love this technique – stovetop is so much easier than the over and water works better than oil.
Thank you, Jessica!
I have made this recipe many times. My family loves it. I usually use coconut sugar. But, I have mixed that with a monk fruit brown sugar substitute with success.
Love it! 😀
Trues with splenda and nope didn’t work. I ended up using swerve powdered sugar drying them in the oven and eating them that way.
I apologize in advance if this was asked & answered in the 119 comments above, but that’s a lot of extra reading to do tonight (this morning) when I shouldn’t even be online looking at recipes….Anyway, I know there are seemingly infinite choices of sweeteners we can use to make this, but which one did you actually use in this (as well as your healthy sugar free candied pecans and almonds) recipes? [I’m guessing monkfruit, based on your link, but is that it?]
Hi! I used monkfruit 🙂
Been following your ig and checking out your site for a while, but this is the first recipe I’ve made. I used pecans and a monk fruit/erythritol blend and it came out great – sweet, crunchy, and delish.I sent them to a diabetic friend as a gift. I just made more and added crushed red pepper and cocoa to this batch. Sweet, rich, and spicy, Delicious in yogurt. Thanks for all your work developing and sharing these recipes. Love your photography too.
That is very sweet of you, thank you!
I have read several recipes for sweetened nuts now and I am going to do this: Use your recipe except add 1/2 Tsp of Chili Powder–which will give it a nice spicy flavor, then use part Splenda Naturals and part erythritol > I will cook the liquid as you suggested, but then I plan on roasting it in the oven at 350 for about 15 minutes, turning and watching. I think the oven will make a more crunchy light nut. Will try just a very small batch this way and if the sweetness is too bitter, I’ll revert to liquified banana, which is very sweet . Stevia is bitter by itself, I use drops (scant) in tea sometimes. The secret to Stevia and erythriotol is to use way less than you would sugar. I am going to use the nuts in a blanched green been and fennel cold salad with goat cheese and lemon vinegrette,
I’d love to hear how this comes out!