Candied Walnuts

Candied Walnuts are great for holiday baking or to munch on as a snack! They’re crunchy and addicting with brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon coating! Try adding these walnuts to classic Dessert Recipes like Walnut Brownies and Chocolate Walnut Fudge for some extra sugary flavor. The cinnamon taste makes these walnuts especially perfect for the holiday season, and you’ll want to mix them into everything you make!

Candied Nuts are a great recipe to make at the beginning of the holiday entertaining season and have on hand to use in baking or to top other desserts. Sugared Walnuts can make any baked goods a little more special with the sweet, caramelized sugar and the crunch they add. They also make a great topping to put over servings of Vanilla Ice Cream or for a Candied Walnut Salad like the recipe you’ll find below in this post. These sweet, crunchy walnuts are even delicious to munch on by themselves. For such a sugary treat, this Candied Walnut recipe is a surprisingly healthy snack. They’re gluten-free, filling, and exceptionally nutritious. It’s an easy recipe for a go-to snack that you can enjoy the next time you’re craving anything sweet. Sugared Walnuts are made with simple ingredients that come together to make any day feel like a special occasion. The uses for these sugar coated walnuts are endless! Chop them and mix into Cream Cheese Frosting to add amazing flavor and crunch to Carrot Cake. Candied Walnuts also make a delicious addition to any holiday Cheese Board.

How to Make Easy Candied Walnuts

• Prep: Start by preheating your oven to 250 degrees. Then line a cookie sheet with tin foil or parchment paper so the sugar doesn’t stick to the pan.
• Coating: Mix together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, quickly whisk your egg white until frothy.
• Walnuts: Toss the nuts with the egg white until they’re all coated. Remove the walnuts with a slotted wooden spoon and put them in the sugar mixture.
• Bake: Spread the sugar-coated nuts out evenly over the parchment-lined sheet and bake for 60 minutes. Stir the nuts every 10 minutes so they get toasted evenly. Continue to cook until they’re caramelized and no longer sticky. Remove from the oven and let them cool on the stovetop.

Recipes You can Use with Candied Walnuts

Frequently Asked Questions

Key Ingredients in Candied Walnuts

• Walnuts: Use raw walnut halves that are already shelled. Look for larger pieces that are not broken if you wish to package the walnuts as gifts.
• Sugar: A mixture of brown sugar and granulated sugar gives these sweet treats a caramelized molasses flavor along with a crisp, crunchy texture.
• Egg Whites: Frothy egg whites are the secret to coating the walnuts with the brown sugar mixture. By using egg whites as a binder, the sugar and spices will stick onto the whole walnut and give it an extra crunch.
• Flavorings: A pinch of salt, some vanilla extract, and cinnamon will enhance the flavor of your Sugared Walnuts. The cinnamon and vanilla gives these Candied Walnuts a balanced warmth, while the salt balances the sugars just right.

Variations on Candied Walnuts

• Nuts: You can use this same candied coating to make other candied nuts. Some good options are pecans, almonds, or peanuts. You could also do a mixture of walnuts, pecans, and other nuts.
• Sweetener: If you’d rather you can use maple syrup, honey, or your favorite sweetener alternative instead of brown sugar in the Candied Walnut recipe.
• Spices: Try adding in other flavors to the coating along with the cinnamon. Ginger or cayenne pepper are both great ingredients to add a little bit of a spicy taste.
• Salted Walnuts: If you want to add a little more salty flavor to balance out the sugar in the Candied Walnuts, sprinkle some sea salt over the top of the almonds before baking them.

More Holiday Snack Recipes

Candied Walnut Salad

• Start by prepping your Candied Walnuts as usual. You want them to be completely toasted and cooled down before you add them to the salad.
• Toss the Candied Walnuts in a large bowl with 3 cups of mixed greens, and ½ cup of dried cranberries.
• To make a delicious homemade balsamic vinaigrette, whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon good quality balsamic vinegar, ½ teaspoon honey, ½ teaspoon dijon mustard, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Pour the dressing over the Walnut Salad and toss again.
• Top with crumbled blue cheese, gorgonzola, feta, or goat cheese.

How to Store Candied Walnuts

• Serve: You can keep Candied Walnuts at room temperature for 1-2 weeks. Keep them in an airtight container so they stay fresh. You’ll want to keep them fairly cool so the sugary ingredients don’t start to get sticky
• Store: You can keep Toasted Walnuts in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 months.
• Freeze: To keep candied nuts for a long time you can store them in the freezer for up to a year.