Candied walnuts are simple treat to make at home! Serve them on salads, with oatmeal, cake, or ice cream, or package them for gift-giving.
photography by Sophie MacKenzie
Say hello to your new favourite sugar and spice treat! Traditionally made around the holidays, candied walnuts are a terrific way to satisfy sweet cravings. They are golden and crunchy, with a perfect balance of sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
We love them sprinkled on sourdough crepes, as a topping for Cuban-inspired sheet pan salmon, or as a finishing touch on sweet cream ice cream. You can also make candied walnuts ahead of time. Simply bake, freeze, and package in jars for pretty and tasty last minute holiday gifts.
Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top, or scroll to the bottom of the post to see the printable recipe card with full ingredient measurements and complete instructions.
Recommended Tools
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Small bowl
- Medium-large bowl
- Rubber spatula or wooden spoon
- Measuring cups and spoons or digital kitchen scale
- Wire cooling rack
- Container(s) with airtight lids
Ingredients
- Cinnamon — Recently opened cinnamon is your best best for maximum flavour.
- Salt — Salt listed is regular iodized table salt.
- Egg white — We use large eggs in our recipes.
- Walnuts — We used chopped walnut pieces, however, you can also use whole shelled walnut.
- Brown Sugar — Look for dark brown sugar, also called old-fashioned brown sugar.
Keep scrolling to see clear and detailed process shots, as well as tips and notes to help you make Candied Walnuts perfectly the first time!
Method
TOP TIPS
1. Use bananas with lots of black spots. Black spots on banana peels equal flavour! Riper bananas are also easier to mash with a fork.
2. Leave some larger chunks of chocolate. Chocolate that is chopped too fine can get lost in this loaf. Leave some larger chunks for pockets of chocolatey goodness!
3. Don’t over-mix. As soon as the flour is just mixed in, stop stirring. Over-mixing can lead to a tough loaf.
Tips & Notes
- This recipe doubles well!
- Be sure to bake the nuts until they are crisp and dry.
- Once cool, store candied nuts in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid.
- You can freeze candied walnuts! Once the nuts are completely cool, store them in a large zip-top plastic freezer bag. Press out all of the air before sealing. Candied nuts will keep in the freezer for up to one month.
How To Store & Freeze Candied Walnuts
- To Store — Cool completely and store in a glass container with a tight-fitting lid. Stored this way, completely dried through, the nuts will keep for up to two weeks on the counter.
- To Freeze — Again, cool the nuts completely then store them in a plastic zipper-top bag. Squeeze out any excess air and store the bag in the freezer for up to one month.
Substitutions
- Use any nuts you like. Almonds, cashews, or a mix of the two with walnuts, are delicious.
- Cardamom pumpkin pie spice, homemade chai spice, or apple pie spice mix are good substitutes for cinnamon.
FAQ
We love adding a hint of cayenne powder to the cinnamon mixture or even mixing some madras curry paste into the egg white before stirring with the nuts. The amount is dependent on your preference and heat level tolerance.
The nuts absolutely must be baked until they are completely dry and crisp. Afterwards, let them cool completely on a wire rack before storing. Moisture is the enemy of candied nuts!
Stored in a glass container with a tight lid, candied nuts should keep at room temperature for up to two weeks.
Use Candied Walnuts With These Recipes
Baked Stone Fruit With Custard & Candied Nuts
Homemade Pumpkin Mousse (Easy, No Gelatin)
Dutch Oven Apple Crisp
Coconut Milk Rice Pudding
Recipe
Candied Walnuts With Cinnamon & Brown Sugar
Description
Equipment
- baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- 2 Mixing bowls
- Wire rack
- Wooden spoon
- Measuring cups and spoons or a digital kitchen scale
Ingredients
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3-½ cups walnuts
- 1 egg white
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300ºF (150ºC) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix together the sugars, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl.
- In a second larger bowl, stir together the nuts and egg white until the nuts are well coated.
- Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the nuts and stir everything together until the nuts are covered in the sugar mixture.
- Spread the nuts into a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Place the sheet in the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring the nuts every 10 minutes, until the sugar coating is glossy and dark golden. Remove the nuts from the oven.
- Cool them completely on the baking sheet set on a wire rack before serving or storing in containers with airtight lids.
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