Easy Stovetop Sugar Free Candied Nuts (Keto, Paleo, Vegan)
These easy stovetop sugar free candied nuts are your 5-minute holiday recipe! Loaded with cinnamon and with the best crispy, crunchy texture, these addictive keto candied nuts are completely paleo, vegan and gluten-free!
Easy Keto Candied Nuts
A reader asked me a while back my thoughts on artificial sweeteners and whether I ever consumed them.
I know some people are team splenda/Aspartame whereas others are the complete opposite- team honey, maple syrup and agave. Then there are some who are in the middle- They use the natural liquid sweeteners, white or brown sugar and on occasion, use the artificial ones. I am part of that team.
I’m not about to get into some big discussion about how splenda gives you cancer, how stevia is like nail polish or how white sugar is made by the devil. A simple google search will provide you with all those details.
Out of interest, I took into consideration my daily consumption-
ARTIFICIAL AND NATURAL SWEETENERS
- Artificial sweeteners- Sucralose in my protein powder, protein enriched snacks (quest bars or sometimes even these protein bars) and Diet soft drinks on occasion.
- ‘Natural’ Artificial sweeteners– Monk fruit sweetener, liquid stevia, and monk fruit sweetened maple syrup.
- White Sugar- 1 packet in my coffee.
- Natural sweeteners- Coconut palm sugar and sucanat.
- Liquid sweeteners- Maple syrup, agave nectar, brown rice syrup and sometimes honey.
As you can see, I use a variety of sweeteners very consistently. Whether it be in my recipes or day-to-day eats, they are present.
I’ve always been intrigued with whether or not a ‘Natural’ sweetener like granulated stevia or an erythritol blend would work in caramelizing nuts. After my American trip and getting my fix of Nuts for Nuts, I wanted to make my own. I initially wanted to do it the way I made my spicy honey roasted peanuts but thought to try it out the way I caramelize vegetables, onions or apple- on the stove top.
STEVIA CANDIED NUTS
After experimenting with healthy sugar free candied pecans and healthy sugar-free candied almonds, it was time to go full throttle and give ALL the nuts a try.
You guys, these keto candied nuts are EVERYTHING, and I only say that because I couldn’t stop at one…and had to make a double batch.
They are crispy, crunchy, sweet, slightly salty and with a hint of cinnamon.
The sweetener crystallized perfectly and formed delicious clusters- something I was fearful wouldn’t happen. These take less than 10 minutes to whip up and smell incredible- you can even change up the nuts to suit your taste/needs/fancy pants.
For those of you who enjoy giving edible gifts over the holidays, these healthy candied nuts are perfect! They last for up to 2 months in a sealed container and are also freezer friendly.
Easy Stovetop Sugar Free Candied Nuts (Keto, Paleo, Vegan)
Ingredients
- 3 cups raw nuts of choice I used cashews, almonds and Brazil nuts
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 1 cup granulated sweetener of choice
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- Heat a large frying pan or deep pot on medium heat. When hot, add the sweetener. sea salt, cinnamon and water and mix until fully combined. Allow to heat up, stirring occasionally.
- When the sweetener 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 crystallise.
- 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
What are your preferred sweeteners?
Do you use artificial sweeteners?
Have you ever used artificial sweeteners in baked goods/cooking?
Woohoo! So happy to see another carmelized nut recipe with stevia. I’ve played around with it a bit myself and I’ve noticed that stevia works just fine. 🙂 If I had to pick a sweetener team, I’d be Team Honey all the way. Because not only is it one of my favorite sweeteners but it’s also what I call my boyfriend, friends, random kind stranger…etc. Being born a southern American girl makes “honey” pretty much a staple nickname to us around here.
Haha, I love that story- Honey Kaylin.
So excited to try these for the holidays – the vanilla seems like its a great touch! Will probably use coconut sugar. Thanks!
Thanks buddy! the first batch I used coconut sugar and it worked a treat!
I’m a part of the team in the middle…. I use some white sugar in my baking but I’m also a huuuuuge fan of subbing maple syrup/honey when I can. YAY NUTS LOVE NUTS hehehh
stop saying nuts. Nuts.
Wow, very nice idea of sugar free caramelized nuts.
Thanks, Sadhna! 🙂
OMG I love caramelised nuts. They are selling them at all the Christmas markets around London, so I’m stocking up every time I go by one!
Oh those markets must smell incredible!!!!
I love snacking on nuts so these flavoured nuts are definitely a recipe I need to make!
Thanks Thalia! 🙂
I hate sweetners but LUV coconut palm sugar (it’s soo awesome!) These look delish Arman, and the pictures are pretty damn good too 🙂
How epic is coconut palm sugar? I am obsessed with using it as my sweetener of choice!
Cheers mate- coming from you it’s borderline knight worthy.
Oh my goodness yes! I’m living in Thailand at the moment and don’t seem to eat a lot of nuts (besides the peanuts in my pad thai of course) but now that the holidays are showing their face I definitely want to change that!
Oh wow! hope things are cooling down for you- I’m actually replying from Malaysia haha! Hi!
These look amazing and so easy! I am not an artificial sweetener fan – i just don’t like the taste at all. I actually prefer unflavored protein powder – i mostly just use it in smoothies and i think it tastes better. I used to use xylitol is baking sometimes, but then i found out it was cat poison, which kind of creeped me out. My go-to sweeteners are honey or brown sugar. I have never actually tried coconut sugar – I need to!
What! Can poison?! I never knew that!
I need deez nuts.
You do need deep nuts. NutZ i mean.
I use Sunwarrior Protein Powder. I got used to the “dirt” taste after awhile. Lol. I really like baking with coconut sugar too.
LOL! Lauren, I tried mixing it in yogurt once and it went all over my face lol!
So I’m pretty sure that I drank like a litre and a half of diet coke over the weekend (not even exaggerating) so I wasn’t planning on drinking any this week…but then you mentioned it and now I’m craving it again. Dammit Arman.
I try to stick to natural sweeteners and stevia most often, but aspartame or sucralose (or sugar) sneaks it’s way in there sometimes. I’m not super worried about it though.
Well. Remember that red bull I told you about? Turns out it’s not sugar free (well, not in Malaysia). It’s 25% reduced sugar. Fail whale.
I pitch my tent in the middle camp as well, although I do try to avoid artificial sweeteners for the most part. Even stevia I’m not a huge fan of. Honey and maple syrup, on the other hand? I can legit eat it by the spoonful. Even molasses, which I seem to get a huge craving for around this time of the year. Still waiting for it to hit…
That I am well aware of. I actually remember you nibbling dates in Toronto too. I wonder if that’s considered savoury next to a spoon full of honey now haha!
I’m sort of in the middle too. I like white sugar/brown sugar/honey/maple syrup for baking. I don’t bake with artificial sweeteners and I do try to limit them, but I just need to have a Coke Zero every couple of weeks. I know it won’t kill me!
Coke zero > diet coke.
However- Pepsi max > coke zero > diet coke.
However- Diet Mt.Dew > Diet root beer > Everything else.
However- Arman > Chelsea.
I LOVE NUTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂
So do I!