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    Home » Desserts

    Candied Walnuts

    Published: Oct 30, 2022 · by Nico

    Jump to Recipe

    Are you wondering how to make candied walnuts at home? Here's a simple step-by-step recipe you can make with 3 ingredients in 10 minutes.

    Candied walnuts are a sweet, crunchy, and delicious treat to eat as a snack, candy, or as an addition to desserts and winter salads.

    Candied walnuts on a plate
    On this page:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Serving suggestions
    • Storage
    • More favorite snack ideas
    • Recipe

    Check out our best plant-based dessert recipes!

    You'll love this recipe for candied walnuts because it's easy to make, with only 3 ingredients, and yields irresistible, crunchy, sweet, nutty, light, and shiny walnuts.

    Candied walnuts are regular walnuts that are toasted, then coated with caramelized sugar.

    Caramelized sugar is really simple to make. You only need a small saucepan with a thick bottom, sugar, and heat.

    As you apply heat, the sugar melts and changes color from white to a rich caramel color. That's when you add in the walnuts, stir them in, then quickly transfer them onto a sheet of parchment paper to cool.

    After a few minutes of cooling, the caramel dries and hardens around the walnuts, coating them in a crunchy and shiny shell you won't be able to resist.

    This is a beautifully simple recipe, and we hope you enjoy it.

    Separating sugar-coated walnuts

    Ingredients

    walnuts and sugar

    Walnuts

    You can use walnuts, pecans, almonds, peanuts, cashew nuts, and hazelnuts.

    Sugar

    We make this with white sugar. Brown sugar works too.

    Salt

    Add a pinch of salt to enhance the flavor of the candied walnuts and leaves a tang on the tongue, but this is optional.

    Instructions

    Prep equipment

    Line a baking sheet or cooling rack with parchment paper and prepare two forks to handle the walnuts.

    It's essential to prep the equipment in advance as the caramel cools down quickly, and you won't have time to do so later.

    Toast nuts

    Next, toast the walnuts. You can do so in a non-stick skillet on the stove on medium heat for a couple of minutes.

    Or you can toast them in an air-fryer for about 3 minutes or in the oven for about 6 minutes, in both cases at 350°F or 180°C.

    toasting walnuts in a pan

    Melt sugar

    Add the sugar to a small saucepan with a heavy bottom.

    sugar in a pot

    Melt the sugar on medium-low heat until it turns into syrup. It should take 1 to 2 minutes.

    Stir occasionally with a silicon spatula or with a spoon to prevent the sugar from burning, especially around the edges of the pot. Don't stir too much; it'll mostly melt on its own.

    Tip: If your sugar starts to smoke/burn at any point, turn the heat off for a moment to let the pan cool down a bit.

    melting sugar

    Coat nuts in caramelized sugar

    When the sugar has completely melted and reached a rich orange-brown caramel color, turn off the heat. Add a pinch of salt and the toasted walnuts.

    Tip: at this stage, you can add a sprinkle of cinnamon or other spice, such as vanilla extract, cayenne pepper, or simply more salt, that'll stick to the candy coating.

    melted sugar and spoon

    Carefully move the walnuts in the caramelized sugar, and try to coat each piece with the help of a fork. This should take you about 1 minute.

    Tip: try to be fast as the sugar starts to harden immediately.

    walnuts covered in sugar

    Transfer the nuts-sugar mixture to the parchment-lined baking sheet and separate the nuts from one another with a fork.

    Try to arrange them on a single layer. You need to work quickly as the sugar cools down fast.

    Separating sugar-coated walnuts

    Let cool down completely in a dry corner of your kitchen and away from the sun until the sugar has hardened (about 30 minutes).

    Candied walnuts on baking sheet

    Serving suggestions

    You can use candied walnuts as:

    • As homemade candy to bring to friends as a gift.
    • As a tasty snack on yogurt with homemade granola.
    • Chopped up and sprinkled onto desserts like ice cream, muffins, or a delicious brownie cake.
    • With cheese on a platter.
    • Tossed in one of our crunchy winter salads.
    Candied walnuts in salad

    Delicious salads for candied walnuts

    Add a handful of candied walnuts to these winter salads for a guaranteed crowd-pleasing dish:

    • Pear salad with candied walnuts instead of roasted almonds.
    • Red cabbage slaw with carrot and apple is a colorful holiday salad and side dish.
    • Easy red cabbage salad with pinto beans and orange wedges.
    • Fennel and orange salad with pomegranate seeds.
    • pear salad with pear, orange and ricotta cheese
      Pear Salad
    • red cabbage salad with orange
      Red cabbage salad
    • Fennel salad in a bowl
      Fennel and Orange Salad
    • red cabbage slaw with apple and walnuts
      Red Cabbage Slaw

    Storage

    Store candied walnuts in an airtight container in a dry corner of your kitchen and away from sunlight for up to 1 month. Do not refrigerate.

    More favorite snack ideas

    If you love sweet and savory snack ideas, here are some guest-friendly and tasty recipes:

    • Roasted chickpeas: ready in just 20 mins, a great appetizer, and salad topping
    • Sweet potato chips with a perfectly crispy texture and light taste
    • Italian rice balls with risotto leftovers, handy finger food for game nights and special occasions!
    • Homemade granola recipe with oats, almonds, raisins, and a sugar-free cinnamon coating
    • roasted chickpeas
      Roasted Chickpeas
    • sweet potato chips no oil
      Sweet Potato Chips
    • Italian rice balls
      Italian Rice Balls
    • Granola with yogurt and blueberries
      Homemade Granola (Oil-Free)

    For many more easy dessert ideas, check out our desserts category page.

    Recipe

    candied walnuts on a white plate

    Candied Walnuts

    Author: Nico
    Here's a simple step-by-step candied walnuts recipe you can make with 3 ingredients in 10 minutes.
    Candied walnuts are a sweet, crunchy, and delicious treat to eat as a snack, candy, or as an addition to desserts or winter salads.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Share Recipe
    5 from 4 votes
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 5 mins
    Cooling time 30 mins
    Total Time 10 mins
    Course Candy
    Cuisine American
    Servings 1 cup
    Calories 1150 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 cup walnuts
    • ½ cup sugar
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt

    Instructions
     

    • Line a baking sheet or cooling rack with parchment paper and prepare two forks to handle the walnuts.
      It's essential to prep the equipment in advance as the caramel cools down quickly, and you won't have time to do so later.
    • Next, toast the walnuts. You can do so in a non-stick skillet on the stove on medium heat for a couple of minutes.
      Or you can toast them in an air-fryer for about 3 minutes or in the oven for about 6 minutes, in both cases at 350°F or 180°C.
      toasting walnuts in a pan
    • Add the sugar to a small saucepan with a heavy bottom.
      sugar in a pot
    • Melt the sugar on medium-low heat until it turns into syrup. It should take 1 to 2 minutes.
      Stir occasionally with a silicon spatula or with a spoon to prevent the sugar from burning, especially around the edges of the pot. Don't stir too much; it'll mostly melt on its own.
      melting sugar
    • When the sugar has completely melted and reached a rich orange-brown caramel color, turn off the heat. Add a pinch of salt and the toasted walnuts.
      melted sugar and spoon
    • Carefully move the walnuts in the caramelized sugar, and try to coat each piece with the help of a fork. This should take you about 1 minute.
      walnuts covered in sugar
    • Transfer the nuts-sugar mixture to the parchment-lined baking sheet and separate the nuts from one another with a fork.
      Try to arrange them on a single layer. You need to work quickly as the sugar cools down fast.
      Separating sugar-coated walnuts
    • Let cool down completely in a dry corner of your kitchen and away from the sun until the sugar has hardened (about 30 minutes).
      Candied walnuts on baking sheet

    Video Recipe

    Candied Walnuts is a fun and easy Holiday recipe

    Notes

    Nutrition information is for the whole batch of candied walnuts.
    TIPS
    - If your sugar starts to smoke/burn at any point, turn the heat off for a moment to let the pan cool down a bit.
    - Once the sugar has melted, you can add a sprinkle of cinnamon or other spices, such as vanilla extract, cayenne pepper, or simply more salt, that'll stick to the candy coating.
    - Once you add in the nuts, try work fast as the sugar starts to harden immediately.
    - Check out our "serving suggestions" chapter to get ideas on how to use candied walnuts.

    Nutritional Values

    Nutrition Facts
    Candied Walnuts
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 1150 Calories from Fat 693
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 77g118%
    Saturated Fat 7g44%
    Trans Fat 0g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 55g
    Monounsaturated Fat 10g
    Cholesterol 0mg0%
    Potassium 518mg15%
    Carbohydrates 116g39%
    Dietary Fiber 8g33%
    Sugar 103g114%
    Protein 18g36%
    Vitamin A 23IU0%
    Vitamin B6 1mg50%
    Vitamin C 2mg2%
    Vitamin E 1mg7%
    Vitamin K 3µg3%
    Calcium 116mg12%
    Folate 115µg29%
    Iron 3mg17%
    Manganese 4mg200%
    Magnesium 185mg46%
    Zinc 4mg27%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Did you like this recipe?We are not much on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Leave us a comment below instead, it would mean the world to us 🙂

    If you liked this walnut recipe, you might also like the following:

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    Nico and Louise founders of the Plant-Based School.

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