Here’s how to make candied walnuts in the oven for that crackly cinnamon coating! They keep for weeks and make any salad feel special (or eat them by the handful).
Here’s my easiest way to make candied walnuts! I’ve experimented with the skillet and oven methods, and I’ve found that baking them makes the best crunchy, cinnamon-spiced candy coating for the rich, chewy nuts. It’s also loads easier than the skillet!
These walnuts taste incredible by the handful and they’re great for topping for salads, ice cream, pancakes, oatmeal and more. Or, you can use them as DIY housewarming or holiday gifts. I love snacking on them plain and even putting them in my kids’ lunches as a treat!
5 Star Reader Review
“These are delicious! I swapped out the reg sugar for allulose and the brown sugar for coconut sugar, and I’m finding it hard to stop snacking on them. :) Thank you for sharing this recipe.” -Jenn
Candied Walnuts Vs. Glazed Walnuts
Candied walnuts are walnuts coated in a crunchy sugar coating, similar to candied pecans. The typical method for making this tasty treat is to coat the nuts in egg whites, sugar, and spices, then bake them until crispy. It makes a candy-like coating that stays crisp for weeks!
My glazed walnuts are similar but they have a smoother, glossy exterior and they’re not as shelf stable. I prefer the candied nuts, if you have time to make them!
Key Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make candied walnuts:
- Walnut halves: The raw, halved nuts are what you want here.
- Granulated and light brown sugar: Granulated sugar gives you the crackly texture and brown sugar adds a molasses flavor.
- Egg white: This is the binder that helps the sugar and spices stick. It might sound odd, but it works like a charm.
- Cinnamon and ginger: These bring bold cozy flavor to the nuts.
- Vanilla and salt: These add a nuance that completes the flavoring.
How To Make Candied Walnuts
This candied walnuts recipe is a no-fail way to make crunchy, shelf-stable nuts. All you need are a few ingredients and an oven! While you can candy walnuts on the stovetop, the oven is an easier and more reliable method.
Simply bake at 325°F until the candy coating is hardened. It takes just about 30 minutes and works every time, where stovetop methods you risk a soft or powdery coating. Here are the basic steps (or jump to the recipe below):
- Mix: Mix the dry and wet ingredients separately, then toss them with the walnuts.
- Spread onto a baking sheet: Spread the nuts in a single layer on a parchment lined sheet.
- Bake 30 minutes at 325°F, stirring once. Bake 15 minutes, then stir. At this point, the nuts will look very foamy: that’s ok! Continue to cook until they are light brown and hardened.
Storage and Leftovers
This method for candied walnuts results in crunchy, warm-spiced walnuts that last for weeks at room temperature or frozen for months. I am always surprised at how well these hold up! They’re perfect for housewarming or holiday gifts, too. Here’s how to store them:
- Store at room temperature for up to 2 weeks in a sealed container.
- Store frozen for up to 2 months. Place the nuts in a freezer safe sealable bag: if you can, suck all remaining air out using a straw. (Removing extra air helps the nuts to stay fresher for longer.)
- Make sure to fully cool the nuts before storage. Allow the nuts to cool for at least 45 minutes so they don’t have residual moisture when stored.
- For gifts, store in lidded jars. These candied walnuts make great DIY housewarming or holiday gifts. Indicate on the jar to store for up to 2 weeks.
Ways To Use Candied Walnuts
Once you’ve made a batch, there are loads of ways to use candied walnuts. The easiest, of course, is by the handful! But we love to use them in other ways, too. Here are a few ways to use candied walnuts:
- Salads like apple salad, beet salad or strawberry salad
- Ice cream to make an instant showy dessert (like homemade vanilla ice cream, peach ice cream or pumpkin ice cream)
- Pancakes like classic, banana pancakes or pumpkin pancakes
- Waffles like classic or blueberry waffles
- French toast: try classic French toast
- Oatmeal like creamy oatmeal or baked oatmeal
- Yogurt as a topping for a yogurt parfait
- Appetizer spread like a cheese board or antipasto platter
More Walnut Recipes To Try
Got lots of walnuts? Here are some great walnut recipes to use them:
- Blend them into Walnut Butter
- Try tasty Vegan Walnut Taco Meat
- Make Walnut Pesto with Basil
- Toast them for Banana Nut Muffins
Dietary Notes
This candied walnuts recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free and dairy-free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Place them in a single layer on the baking sheet and use the full cooling time so that they can crisp up.
A mix: I like using both granulated sugar and brown sugar for the best texture and nuance in flavor. You can use maple syrup in my glazed walnuts recipe.
Yes, up to 2 months. Cool them and freeze in a sealed bag with the air sucked out with a straw. Bring them to room temperature before serving.
How To Make Candied Walnuts
Pin RecipeHere’s how to make candied walnuts in the oven for that crackly cinnamon coating! They keep for weeks and make any salad feel special (or eat them by the handful).
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 3 cups 1x
- Category: Essentials
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 egg white
- 1 teaspoon water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups (12 ounces) raw walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Whisk the granulated sugar, light brown sugar, cinnamon, ground ginger, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white, water and vanilla extract until foamy. Toss the walnuts with the egg white mixture with a spatula until well coated. Add half the sugar mixture and stir with a spatula until fully coated, then add the remaining sugar mixture and stir until coated.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pour the nuts in an even layer on top. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the tray from the oven and stir (the nuts will look foamy at this point). Bake for another 15 minutes until lightly browned. Cool about 10 minutes before eating and completely (about 45 minutes) before storing. Store in an airtight container up to 2 weeks and frozen in a freezer-safe bag (with the air removed with a straw) for up to 2 months.
from A Couple Cooks https://ift.tt/jTwEDta
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