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Level up your snack game with my homemade candied almonds recipe. It’s made with only four ingredients and a skillet option.
Love holiday nuts and treats? Try my candied pecans, candied nuts, or candied cashews next.
How do you elevate the humble almond? Candy it up.
Some may think cinnamon sugar almonds are just for the holiday season, but for my family and I, it’s a daily snack. As much as I love plain salted and roasted almonds, nothing beats the flavor of these caramelized almonds.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Crispy, crunchy, and sweet. It’s amazing what you can do with a handful of almonds and a little patience!
- The perfect snack or gift. I love gifting little treats to my friends and family; when I do, I always make a double batch for myself!
- They have a long shelf life. Keep them fresh for up to two months in the fridge or six months in the freezer!
- Versatile. Crush them on top of salads, fold them into a trail mix, or use them to make my Almond Roca.
Ingredients needed
- Almonds. You’ll want to use raw and unsalted almonds.
- Granulated sugar. I tried white sugar and brown sugar, and I preferred the sweet crunch of white sugar. That said, brown sugar can also work.
- Cinnamon. A must for candied nuts!
- Egg white. Coating the nuts in the egg white before adding the sugar mix helps them stick nicely and also prevents the almonds themselves from burning.
How to make candied almonds
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- Prep. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.
Step 2- Whip the egg white until frothy.
Step 3- Combine. Add the almonds to the egg white mixture until fully coated. Add the sugar mix and mix well.
Step 4- Bake. Transfer the almonds onto a lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Oven-free option!
If you’d prefer to make these candied almonds in a skillet, I have you covered!
Add the sugar and cinnamon, along with 1 1/4 cups of water, in a saucepan or skillet over medium heat. Let everything simmer until a syrup forms. Add the almonds and mix until combined. Transfer onto a lined sheet to firm up.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Cut the carbs. Swap the sugar for a sugar-free sweetener (I prefer allulose!).
- Add spices. Try ground cinnamon, nutmeg, or pumpkin pie spice.
- Or a pinch of salt. To elevate the other ingredients.
- Serve them warm. While I usually serve these at room temperature, they taste really good fresh off the stove.
Storage instructions
To store: Leftover candied nuts can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one month or in the fridge for two months.
To freeze: Place almonds in a ziplock bag and store in the freezer for up to six months.
Frequently asked questions
Turn the stove to medium-low heat. Add the almonds to the pan and roast them for about 5 minutes, stirring to ensure they are evenly roasted.
More fun snacks to try
Candied Almonds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar and cinnamon.
- In a large bowl, whisk the egg white until frothy.
- Add the almonds to the egg white mixture until fully coated. Add the sugar mixture and mix until combined.
- Transfer the almonds onto the lined sheet and bake for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Remove the almonds from the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes before stirring once more to prevent clusters.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally updated March 2023, updated and republished August 2024
My mother loves almonds a lot. I really want to surprise her with this for Christmas.
Excellent recipe. I have also used pecans and walnuts in lieu of almonds
This was such a good recipe for candied almonds- best I’ve ever made!
I am severally allergic to egg whites!! My tongue swells & my throat starts to close. So my question is can anything else be uses in replacement of egg whites???
Make the skillet option- no egg white needed
Cinnamon is mentioned, but not in the list of ingredients. How much? I’m looking to replace cinnamon with turmeric because it’s really good that way:)
These are so addictive I might need a 12-step program! The precious few I have given away, have been given rave reviews also. I never thought I would ever make something “candied!”
I followed this recipe using the sugar-sub I had onhand, which was erythritol and everything was great – except the erythritol left a slight menthol after taste which is not in keeping with the recipe. Also, I may have overcooked them a bit b/c I wasn’t sure they would set up. The did so beautifully.
I made this recipe exactly as written and the results were fabulous! Could not be more delicious. The reason I’m writing is to share a tip. After stirring the almonds a few times after taking them off the heat I stepped away for about 5 minutes. When I returned, they were hopelessly stuck together and stuck to the bottom of the pan. I put them back on low heat and was able to separate them after a few minutes. Next time, I’ll pour them onto a Silpat to cool.
Fabulous- Thanks Sharon!
That was our business before COVID! Nothing better than walking through a mall or being at an event and smelling the cinnamon roasted almonds and getting them fresh.