Candied Walnuts

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.

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.

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.

Melt sugar

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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