Made with only four simple ingredients, these candied almonds make the most delicious sweet snack. Made stovetop and ready in minutes.
How do you elevate the humble almond? Candy it up.
Some may think candied nuts are just for the holiday season, but for us, it’s a daily snack. We often do the classic pecans or sometimes go with cashews, but nothing beats the delicious flavors of caramelized almonds.
Table of Contents
Stovetop candied almonds
While almonds are healthy and good in and of themselves, elevating them with sugar and cinnamon every now and then certainly won’t hurt. A single pan and a few simple ingredients are needed to make this delicious almond treat.
- Crispy and sweet. You only need four simple ingredients to transform plain almonds into crispy and sweet candies.
- Quick. These candied almonds are made in less than 20 minutes.
- The perfect snack and gift. Candied almonds not only make a good snack but are also great a gift to friends and family. Put them in mason jars or small bags for the perfect handmade gift.
You don’t need a lot of ingredients to make candied almonds. Here are the only five ingredients you’ll need.
- Almonds. Raw unsalted almonds.
- Sugar. Granulated white sugar is preferred, but brown sugar and coconut sugar will also work.
- Water. To make the sugar syrup.
- Vanilla extract. To flavor the almonds.
How to make candied almonds
Candied almonds are easy to make. Just keep stirring and keep an eye on the syrup to not burn it.
Step 1 – Make the syrup
Start by adding sugar, water, and vanilla extract to a large pan. Stir with a spatula and heat the mixture on medium heat. Keep stirring until the syrup starts to bubble.
Step 2 – Add the almonds and cook
As soon as the syrup starts to bubble, turn the heat to low and add the almonds. Keep stirring until the water evaporates and the sugar sauce thickens. This will take around 7 minutes.
Remove the almonds from the pan as soon as they are coated in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Transfer the almonds onto a tray lined with parchment paper. While the almonds are still hot, use a spatula to break them apart.
- Use more spices. Ground nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger create an amazing flavor.
- Swap water with liquor. Substitute two tablespoons of water with equal amounts of rum, whiskey, or bourbon to spice up your candy almonds.
- Top with sea salt. If you love the combination of sweet and salty, sprinkle the candied almonds with flaky salt as soon as you remove them from the hot pan.
- Cut the sugar. Similar to sugar free candied pecans, you can cut the sugar from these almonds by swapping out the white sugar for allulose.
To store: These candied almonds are the crispiest when eaten fresh. If you want to keep them longer, transfer them into an airtight container or bag and store them somewhere cool for up to 5 days. There’s no need to refrigerate candied almonds.
To freeze: Place leftovers in a ziplock bag and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months.
More sweet snacks to try
Energy Balls, Bars, and Bites
Fruit Leather
No Bake Desserts
Tanghulu Recipe
Energy Balls, Bars, and Bites
Protein Balls
No Bake Snacks
Cereal Bars
Turn the stove to medium-low heat. Add the almonds to the pan and roast them for around 5 minutes. Stir the almonds to get them evenly roasted.
This particular recipe doesn’t work well for the oven as the water in the sugar syrup needs to evaporate and cause the sugar syrup to thicken.
There are no wheat based ingredients in this recipe, making them suitable for celiacs.
Candied Almonds
Ingredients
- 2 cups almonds raw
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 6 tablespoons water
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- On medium heat, heat a large pan or skillet.
- When hot, add the sugar, water, and vanilla extract. Bring everything to a boil, while stirring regularly.
- Once the syrup boils, add the almonds and mix until completely coated. Continue mixing the almonds around until the water evaporates and the syrup darkens.
- Once the water has completely evaporated, remove the almonds from the heat and use a spatula to break them apart. Let them cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
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This was such a good recipe for candied almonds- best I’ve ever made!
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.