Easy Candied Nuts Recipe + VIDEO - The Recipe Rebel (2024)

The Recipe Rebel / Appetizers

written by Ashley Fehr

5 from 5 votes

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings 18

Jump to Recipe

Last updated on June 1, 2020

These Easy Candied Nuts are just 6 ingredients and less than 30 minutes start to finish! They are sweet and salty with a hint of cinnamon — perfect for an edible holiday gift!

PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER

Easy Candied Nuts Recipe + VIDEO - The Recipe Rebel (2)

Table of Contents

  • How to make Candied Nuts:
  • How to store and freeze Candied Nuts:
  • How to customize this Candied Nuts recipe:
  • Easy Candied Nuts Recipe

I will admit, the last few years I haven’t really done a whole whack of Christmas baking and candy making and homemade gifts because, well, kids are crazy.

This year, we have a 1 year old, 3-almost 4 year old, and a 6 year old, and it’s busy. And I don’t like busy (you can ask anybody) — I’m an introvert big time and when I don’t have enough time to recuperate and refill, I start to feel a little crazy myself.

And so, I let go of the expectations that I will spend hours and hours baking and prepping and making edible gifts with cute labels for every person we see ever, and I don’t make homemade Christmas cards and I give myself a little leeway.

But I so badly want to make space for good, homemade treats, so for me this year is all about finding those easy recipes that are just as fun and delicious as the sugar cookies you have to spend 18 hours chilling and rolling and cutting and baking.

Easy Candied Nuts Recipe + VIDEO - The Recipe Rebel (3)

All that to say these Candied Nuts are on that list.

They are easy (really), with just 6 ingredients and super customizable.

They look cute in a small glass jar with a simple ribbon, which means minimal wrapping for you.

They are perfect for snacking or an appetizer or dessert, or even to top a salad.

They are gluten-free and vegetarian. Plus, nuts are full of healthy fats and protein 🙂

How to make Candied Nuts:

Making these Candied Nuts is relatively easy, as long as you have a thermometer. There are other methods but using a thermometer to check if the candy is ready by far the easiest.

Your best bet is to get a clip on candy thermometer like this one. Then you’re on your way to perfect candy coating!

Simply simmer the sugar and milk (I haven’t tried this recipe with non-dairy milk, so I can’t advise on that), until it reaches the correct temperature, stir in the flavorings (cinnamon, vanilla and salt – but you could mix this up if you wanted!), then stir in your nuts.

Feel free to mix up the nuts to suit your tastes — our favorite are almonds, cashews, walnuts, pecans and peanuts.

Easy Candied Nuts Recipe + VIDEO - The Recipe Rebel (4)

How to store and freeze Candied Nuts:

  • You can store these at room temperature in an air tight container (I love to keep them in mason jars as they look so pretty!) for up to 1 week.
  • To freeze, place in a large freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Eat them right out of the freezer or allow to thaw for 10-15 minutes on the counter.

How to customize this Candied Nuts recipe:

I mentioned a few options earlier, but here are some ideas to take this candied nuts recipe to the next level:

  • ¼ teaspoon of salt will give it just the slightest hint of salt, ½ teaspoon will give it a more pronounced sweet/salty flavor.
  • Add in a pinch of cayenne for a bit of spice!
  • Use only your favorite nuts — there’s no reason you need to use a mix! If you love almonds, use just almonds, or pecans, or walnuts, etc.
  • Add more cinnamon, and a pinch of ginger, cloves and nutmeg for a fall spice blend — just start with a teeny tiny amount so you don’t overdo it!

Easy Candied Nuts Recipe + VIDEO - The Recipe Rebel (5)

Pin this recipe to save for later

Pin this recipe to your favorite board

Easy Candied Nuts

written by Ashley Fehr

5 from 5 votes

These Easy Candied Nuts are just 6 ingredients and less than 30 minutes start to finish! They are sweet and salty with a hint of cinnamon — perfect for an edible holiday gift!

Easy Candied Nuts Recipe + VIDEO - The Recipe Rebel (7)

Save

Review

Print

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Cuisine American

Course Snack

Servings 18

Calories 189cal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup granulated sugar 200g
  • 6 tablespoons milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups mixed nuts almonds, pecans, brazil nuts, peanuts, cashews

Instructions

  • In a medium pan over medium heat, whisk together the sugar and milk and heat until boiling.

  • Without stirring (resist the urge to touch it!), let the mixture boil on medium heat until it reaches 242-248 degrees F or firm ball stage on a candy thermometer. This took about 10 minutes for me. You can also test it by dropping a small amount into a glass of very cold water — if it forms a firm but pliable ball, it’s ready.

  • Stir in cinnamon, vanilla and salt. Add nuts and stir until coated.

  • Spread onto a parchment lined baking sheet and separate or let harden in large chunks — whatever you prefer.

  • Let cool until candy coating is firm, then store in an air tight container for up to 1 week at room temperature, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Company’s Coming.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 189cal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 37mg | Potassium: 149mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 10IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 0.9mg

Keywords candied almonds, candied pecans, edible gifts

Want to save this recipe?

Create an account easily save your favorite content, so you never forget a recipe again.

Register Now

Tried this recipe?

Tag @thereciperebel or hashtag #thereciperebel —
I love to see what you’re making!

Tag @thereciperebel
Easy Candied Nuts Recipe + VIDEO - The Recipe Rebel (8)

Meet Ashley

My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!

Read More

You May Also Like

Appetizers

Homemade Rotel Dip

Appetizers

Chicken Bacon Alfredo Potato Skins

Appetizers

Cream Cheese Fruit Dip

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Claudia Wood says

    OMG these are good. First of all, this was a rescue mission. I made another recipe and it was almost tasteless. Then I found yours and thought maybe I could start with what I had already made. So I got the sugar and milk on the boil and then discovered I had no candy thermometer. Seems the meat thermometer survived our move but not the candy thermometer! So I brought it to a boil and gave it about ten minutes, tried the drop in water and hoped I was correct. I stirred in the nuts and they are now cooling. I managed to burn my tongue being impatient…lol. They are amazing and now I am not sure I want to give them away!!

    Reply

    • The Recipe Rebel says

      Glad it worked for you Claudia!

      Reply

  2. Christina says

    Can you use Planters Mixed Nuts? Or is it better to use un salted nuts?

    Reply

    • Ashley Fehr says

      You can use salted nuts, they will just be a little saltier 🙂

      Reply

  3. Cathy Shultes says

    This would be the perfect gift for my coworkers! Can you tell me if I should be using raw nuts or roasted nuts for this recipe

    Reply

    • Ashley Fehr says

      Either would work, but roasted would give the nuts great flavor!

      Reply

  4. Robyn says

    I’m not sure if I am completely missing it, but how much makes a serving?
    I need to count carbs for insulin dose..
    There doesn’t seem to be a crazy big amount of carbohydrates.
    I’m very excited to make some and share as gifts, but I know I will end up eating some myself?
    Thank you for sharing,
    Robyn

    Reply

    • Ashley Fehr says

      Hi Robyn! I’m sorry it’s not more specific. The recipe makes about 18 servings. Since you need exact numbers your best bet would be to weigh the entire batch after making, and then divide the entire weight by 18 servings. I hope that helps!

      Reply

  5. Kentuckylady717 says

    SORRY, I went back and there it was….how did I miss it the first time?? There are 2 recipes showing at one time…I guess that was how I missed it…..
    Don’t know if my computer has an issue or that is the way you have it !!

    Reply

    • Ashley Fehr says

      So glad you found it! I don’t see two recipes at one time but there might be something happening that I don’t see.

      Reply

  6. KENTUCKYLADY717 says

    They look delicious.
    No, haven’t tried them , but sure plan on it…

    Would love to see video’s where you make them…..that would be cool.
    I love to watch videos of how you make and put things together….

    Reply

    • Joyce says

      Hi love the recipe! Wondering if I can use salted roasted nuts? If so I will also cut down the salt, but how much, in the recipe.
      Thank you,
      joyce

      Reply

      • Ashley Fehr says

        If you are using salted nuts I would likely omit the salt completely.

Leave A Reply

Easy Candied Nuts Recipe + VIDEO - The Recipe Rebel (2024)

FAQs

Why are my candied nuts soft? ›

Usually if the almonds are soft after candying it means that they weren't cooked for long enough. However, this recipe cooks all of the water out of the sugar syrup and then takes it a step further where the the sugar then re-caramelizes allowing the almonds to harden.

How long do candied nuts last? ›

How Long Do Candied Pecans Last? Store your candied pecans in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week or in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. If you give them as a gift, be sure to include storage instructions.

How do you keep candied nuts from sticking? ›

They were not baked long enough or they were not baked at the correct heat temperature. Another reason could be that they they were not spread out properly in the tray to allow even baking. How to keep candied nuts from sticking? Toss the nuts with a spoon every 10-15 minutes during baking.

What is the softest edible nut? ›

Choose soft nuts if you have dentition issues or trouble chewing. The softest nut would be cashews.

How do you make hard sweets soft? ›

In the case of soft candies, they have a higher content, and when the air is less moist than the candy then some of the moisture will be released into the air, making the soft candy hard. How do you soften hard candy? The only way to soften it is to put it in water and let it melt.

Do candied nuts go bad? ›

Ba-dum-dum. Okay, all bad dad jokes aside, these candied walnuts will last quite a while. All nuts do go rancid eventually, but as long as you cool them completely and then store them in an air-tight container, they should be good for about a month. You might also like our Candied Pecans recipe or Candied Almonds!

What is the best way to store candied nuts? ›

To Store: Candied nuts can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for several weeks. To Freeze: They freeze well in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

Can you tell if nuts are rancid? ›

Nuts smell sour and rancid and aren't quite pleasant. In terms of texture, stale nuts tend to feel softer and lose their trademark crunch when stale. Lastly, rancid nuts taste just like how they smell – sour and bitter.

How long can you store homemade candied nuts? ›

Candied pecans will keep tightly sealed in an airtight container for one to two weeks.

What are candied nuts called? ›

Candied almonds or Praline are nuts (usually almonds) of French origin, that have been cooked in a special way, so they end up coated in browned, crunchy sugar.

How to reheat candied nuts? ›

To re-heat for serving in conventional oven: Preheat oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread 1/4 pound of glazed nuts on a non-stick cookie sheet and cover with aluminum foil. Heat at 250 degrees for approximately 7 minutes; increase time to 10 minutes for 1/2 pound of nuts.

What is the Christmas nut? ›

Pistachio – Pistachios are the Christmas Nut. In my home growing up, the only time we ever saw the pistachio was at Christmas time. It was always exciting to see the special treat, and the many sweet and delightful combinations of treats made with them. They are said to bring good luck to the holiday.

What is the traditional Christmas nut? ›

Receiving a handful of walnuts, hazelnuts or almonds was a coveted gift, symbolic of prosperity and good luck. Over time, this tradition has continued, with nuts becoming a staple of our Christmas fare.

Why are my candied almonds chewy? ›

Again, you likely didn't bake the almonds for long enough. The almonds will also be slightly soft when they're still warm, so if you've sampled them before they've cooled completely to room temperature wait a little longer before eating them.

Why are my candied almonds soft? ›

Let them cool completely then store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Why are my candied almonds soft? If they are soft you likely did not bake them long enough. Follow the directions exactly.

Why are my nuts not crunchy? ›

In terms of texture, stale nuts tend to feel softer and lose their trademark crunch when stale. Lastly, rancid nuts taste just like how they smell – sour and bitter. At this point, it is not recommended to consume stale nuts as the oxidation has caused the nuts to lose their beneficial properties.

How do you harden soft nuts? ›

Just toasting them in a dry pan or oven should be enough to revive them, but they'll also go in any recipe that requires nuts. We got through most of ours by toasting them with spices, to eat as nibbles or to add crunch to soups, stews and salads.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Lakeisha Bayer VM

Last Updated:

Views: 6454

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (69 voted)

Reviews: 92% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Lakeisha Bayer VM

Birthday: 1997-10-17

Address: Suite 835 34136 Adrian Mountains, Floydton, UT 81036

Phone: +3571527672278

Job: Manufacturing Agent

Hobby: Skimboarding, Photography, Roller skating, Knife making, Paintball, Embroidery, Gunsmithing

Introduction: My name is Lakeisha Bayer VM, I am a brainy, kind, enchanting, healthy, lovely, clean, witty person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.