Candied Walnuts {Easy Recipe} - Miss in the Kitchen (2024)

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ByMilisa

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Candied Walnuts are so easy to make with just a few ingredients. An addictive snack and perfect to top an ice cream sundae. This is a version of my mom’s secret recipe and a favorite to add to holiday gift baskets!

Walnuts are delicious but toasted walnuts are even better. This simple candied walnuts recipe adds a second step that toasts the walnuts with the brown sugar coating and they are the most delicious candied nut that I’ve ever tried!

Candied Walnuts {Easy Recipe} - Miss in the Kitchen (1)

Table of Contents

Ingredients for Candied Walnuts

Candied Walnuts {Easy Recipe} - Miss in the Kitchen (2)

  • Brown Sugar
  • Butter
  • Water
  • Kosher Salt
  • Vanilla Extract
  • Walnut Halves

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How to Make Candied Walnuts

Candied Walnuts {Easy Recipe} - Miss in the Kitchen (3)

  1. Add brown sugar, butter, water and salt to a pan and stir with a wooden spoon until combined.

Candied Walnuts {Easy Recipe} - Miss in the Kitchen (4)2. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat and boil about 1 minute.

3.Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Candied Walnuts {Easy Recipe} - Miss in the Kitchen (5)

4. Quickly mix in walnuts until well coated using a silicone spatula.

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5. Pour onto a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet in a single layer. A silpat is a silicone baking mat that is perfect for everything from baking cookies to frozen pizzas.

  • Bake for 20 minutes.

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6. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

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7. Break apart and serve immediately.

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How to Store Candied Nuts

Candied nuts will last about a week at room temperature in an airtight container (these are my favorite deli containers for storing everything). Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks or freeze up to 3 months.

Nuts are best served at room temperature.

Recipe Variations for Candied Nuts

  • Pecans can be substituted for walnuts.
  • Add 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice to the brown sugar mixture.
  • A pinch of red pepper can also go in with the brown sugar mixture for a sweet and spicy candied nut.

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Serve candied nuts as an appetizer along with our Spicy Chex Mix for holiday gatherings and it’s also a great addition to a desserts table.

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I make holiday goodie baskets for family and neighbors every Christmas and these Candied Walnuts are going to be the favorite this year. I found these super cute jars with lids from Amazon and they are perfect for making a homemade treat something special.

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Delicious Walnut Treats

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Two Tone Fudge

Layers of butterscotch and chocolate fudge loaded with crunchy walnuts. This is a holiday favorite from my mother in law's recipe box.

Candied Walnuts {Easy Recipe} - Miss in the Kitchen (14)

Easy Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies

Simple chocolate chip cookies loaded with crunchy walnuts. An easy treat for any day of the week and delicious enough for a holidays and celebrations.

Candied Walnuts {Easy Recipe} - Miss in the Kitchen (15)

Walnut Brownies

Rich, fudge brownies filled with toasted walnuts and caramel chips for a decadent and delicious dessert.

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Walnut Cinnamon Twists

All the flavors of a cinnamon roll in a light and fluffy bread twist with crunchy walnuts and a sweet drizzle of icing.

Candied Walnuts {Easy Recipe} - Miss in the Kitchen (17)

Add candied walnuts to your favorite cookies, to top ice cream, or just as a tasty snack but they are also a delicious addition to salads.Once you see how easy and delicious these candied nuts are, you will be making them again and again.

IF YOU LOVE THIS RECIPEAS MUCH AS I DO, PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT ANDA FIVE STAR REVIEW, AND BE SURE TO HELP ME SHARE ON PINTEREST!

Candied Walnuts {Easy Recipe} - Miss in the Kitchen (18)

Print Recipe

4.57 from 16 votes

Candied Walnuts

Candied Walnuts are so easy to make with just a few ingredients. An addictive snack and perfect to top an ice cream sundae. This is a version of my mom's secret recipe and a favorite to add to holiday gift baskets!

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Desserts

Cuisine: American

Keyword: brown sugar walnuts, candied nuts, homemade gift, walnut candy, walnut recipes

Servings: 5 cups

Calories: 399kcal

Author: Milisa

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cups brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 5 cups walnut halves

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°.

  • Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper.

  • Add brown sugar, water, butter and salt to a pan and place over medium heat. Stir with a wooden spoon until all combined.

  • Bring to a boil and cook for about 1 minute.

  • Remove from heat, quickly stir in vanilla and walnuts. Mixing until well combined.

  • Pour onto lined baking sheet and spread into a single layer.

  • Bake for 20 minutes.

  • Remove from oven and place pan on a wire rack to cool completely.

  • Break apart and store in an airtight container.

Notes

Candied nuts can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week. Store in refrigerator up to 3 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.

Best served at room temperature.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 399kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 30g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 225mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 13g

Candied Walnuts {Easy Recipe} - Miss in the Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

Why are my candied walnuts soft? ›

The sugar needs to bake long enough to caramelize and form a brittle coating on the nuts. How do you fix candied nuts that are too soft and sticky? You can place them back into the oven for 5 to 15 minutes or until they dry out more. They will continue to firm and dry out as they cool.

Do candied walnuts go bad? ›

Yes, candied nuts can go bad. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a month for best results.

How to fix sticky candied nuts? ›

Salt: 1/2 teaspoon of fine sea salt makes these taste salty-sweet. If you'd prefer to not taste the salt, reduce to 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Pecans too sticky: If your nuts are still sticky after cooling, heat your oven to 325°F (162°C) and bake for 5 to 10 minutes to help harden the candy coating.

What can I do with too many walnuts? ›

10 Simple Ways to Use Walnuts
  1. Plus-Up Cereal or Oatmeal. ...
  2. Make a DIY Trail Mix. ...
  3. Pair with Fruit, Cheese, and Crackers. ...
  4. Swap-in on Salads. ...
  5. Add to Sandwiches and Wraps. ...
  6. Make-Ahead Walnut Pesto. ...
  7. Just Eat a Handful Plain. ...
  8. Top Your Pizza, Pasta, or Roasted Veggies.
Sep 15, 2022

How do you make walnuts softer to eat? ›

Soak your nuts and seeds anywhere from 20 minutes to 2 or 3 hours, or even overnight in the refrigerator. In general, harder nuts will take longer to soften. If your recipe calls for soaked nuts or seeds and you are low on time, try to squeeze in 20 minutes minimum, or just do a really good job rinsing them.

How long to soak walnuts before cooking? ›

Experts agree that to reap the benefits, one should soak the walnuts for about 6-7 hours or overnight. And on an average, a healthy individual can have 3-4 soaked pieces of walnuts.

How to tell if walnuts are rancid? ›

Walnuts go rancid when exposed to warm temperatures for long periods of time. Heat causes the fat in walnuts to change structure, which creates off odors and flavors. Fresh walnuts smell mildly nutty and taste sweet. If your walnuts smell like paint thinner, you know they're rancid.

Can rancid walnuts make you sick? ›

But if you do, for some reason, eating the occasional spoiled nut is “no big deal,” because we have enzymes in our stomachs that can essentially incinerate the oxidation byproducts. There might be a risk associated with regularly eating fistfuls of oxidized nuts, though.

How to improve the taste of walnuts? ›

According to The Flavor Bible by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg, the best food pairings for walnuts are apples, honey, prunes, sugar, sharp and mild cheeses, brandy, sweet dry wine, whiskey, coffee and many other fruits and spices.

How do you keep candied walnuts from sticking together? ›

How to Make Sure the Glazed Walnuts Don't Stick. Use a silicone baking mat such as a Silpat. Or line your baking sheet with parchment paper. It may help to spray your mat or paper with some cooking spray to help from sticking even more.

Why are my candied nuts wet? ›

If your candied pecans are sticky, it is likely because the sugar syrup coating has not completely hardened. The syrup may still be wet, or it may have started to crystalize. If the syrup is still wet, you can try putting the nuts in the oven for a few minutes to help the syrup harden.

Do I need to refrigerate candied nuts? ›

Storage Instructions: Candied nuts can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for several weeks. Freezing Instructions: They freeze well in an air-tight container for up to two months. Nuts: use any kind of nuts with this recipe, like walnuts, almonds, peanuts, cashews, or pistachios.

What happens if you eat 20 walnuts a day? ›

Excessive consumption of walnuts may cause diarrhea, bloating, stomach pain or kidney stones. Due to the phytic acid they contain, too many walnuts may also inhibit the absorption of dietary iron, calcium and zinc. Recommendation: One ounce (10-14) English walnut halves per day.

Is there a downside to eating walnuts? ›

Excess calories are an obesity risk. Allergy. Among the tree nuts, walnuts and cashews most frequently cause allergic reactions in America. Allergies to walnuts can appear as skin rashes, digestive problems, or respiratory symptoms like cough and wheezing.

What happens to your body when you eat walnuts everyday? ›

Regularly eating walnuts has been consistently shown to decrease cholesterol levels . In a small 2017 study in healthy adults, eating 1.5 oz (43 g) of walnuts daily for 8 weeks produced a 5% decrease in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides compared to not eating walnuts.

Why are my candied almonds not crunchy? ›

Usually if the almonds are soft after candying it means that they weren't cooked for long enough.

How do you harden soft nuts? ›

Instructions
  1. Soak the nuts or seeds in a large bowl with enough water to cover by 3 inches or so.
  2. After about 8 hours, drain them off and rinse them well.
  3. Transfer to a mesh dehydrator tray and dry at 45c-60c until crisp, about 10 hours or until crisp when cool.
Feb 23, 2022

How to make soft nuts crunchy? ›

Here Is the Nourishing Traditions Method for Crispy Nuts:

Soak 4 cups raw nuts in sea salt and filtered water to cover in a warm place at least 7 hours. Drain and spread in a single layer (I found that part out by experience) on pans and dry in an oven on its lowest temp for 12-24 hours.

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