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If you’re looking for a simple recipe to make your friends and family smile this season, check out this super-easy stovetop candied walnuts recipe. Not only is it quick and easy to make, but these walnuts triple up as delicious snacks, great party appetizers, and edible gifts that everyone will love!
Page Contents
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Walnuts – the star of the dish. A deliciously robust nut that holds its own when smothered with caramel crunch.
- Coconut Sugar – a natural sugar with a rich caramel flavor.
- Honey – a mellow natural sugar.
- Butter (or coconut oil) – adds a decadent richness.
- Ground Almonds – add a lovely texture to each bite.
- Mixed Spice (or pumpkin spice mix) – for festive flavor.
- Vanilla Extract – takes these nuts to next-level divine.
- Sea Salt Flakes
How To Make Easy Candied Walnuts ~ Step-By-Step
- Dissolve
Place the coconut sugar, honey, and water into a saucepan, and stir over low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Then, turn up the heat to medium and continue cooking for 6-8 minutes until the mixture thickens.
- Melt
Add the butter and stir until melted.
- Stir
Add the walnuts, ground almonds, mixed spice, vanilla extract, and salt.
-
Working quickly, stir with a wooden spoon until the nuts are well coated.
- Spread
The nuts will be extremely hot, so carefully tip them out onto the prepared baking sheet and spread them into a single layer using a knife. Leave them to cool completely.
- Serve
Divide the candied walnuts into serving bowls, or pack them into gift bags tied with ribbon.
Full recipe and ingredients list in the recipe card below.
What To Do With Easy Candied Walnuts?
My favorite way to enjoy candied walnuts is simply as a tasty snack. But there are so many delicious ways to use them. For example:
- This time of year, candied walnuts make great gifts – just pop them into a cellophane bag and tie them with a beautiful ribbon.
- They’re a great addition to a cheese plate or charcuterie board at gatherings and parties.
- Throughout the rest of the year, candied walnuts are a fantastic crunchy topping for yogurt, yogurt parfaits, nice-cream, ice-cream, and ice-cream sundaes.
- Candied walnuts can also be used as salad toppers in place of croutons.
Recipe Variations
- Spicy Candied Walnuts – If you like things spicy, give them a kick with 1/4 ~ 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, depending on how hot you like it.
- Maple Candied Walnuts – Using pure maple syrup instead of honey gives these candied walnuts a delicious maple-flavored sweetness.
- Chocolate Candied Walnuts – For a truly decadent treat, try drizzling the walnuts (once cooled) with some melted chocolate. I like dark chocolate for the richest flavor, but if you prefer, you can use milk or white chocolate.
- Cinnamon Candied Walnuts – Swap out the mixed spice with cinnamon for a classic festive flavor.
- Ditch The Walnuts – Not a fan of walnuts, no problem. You can use pecans, cashews, almonds, any other nut, or a combination of nuts.
Tips For Making The Perfect Candied Walnuts
1To Stop The Nuts Sticking Together
As soon as the sugar syrup starts to cool, the nuts will start sticking together. So work quickly to get the walnuts onto the baking sheet, and spread them out into a single layer.
2Line The Baking Sheet
To prevent the walnuts from sticking to the baking sheet with no chance of release, line it with parchment paper or use a silicone cooling mat. It’s worth doing, trust me!!
FAQs
Yes! This recipe is gluten-free. Always check the labels of your mixed spice to ensure no wheat, barley, or rye has been added.
Yes! Let the walnuts cool completely, transfer them to an airtight container and then store them for 5-7 days at room temperature. After that, they will start to go bad.
Yes! This candied walnut recipe is vegetarian.
No! This recipe is not vegan, as it contains butter and honey. To make the recipe vegan, swap the butter with coconut oil and the honey with pure maple syrup.
More Snack Recipes
If you like the look of these easy candied walnuts, here are some more snack recipes for you to try.
How To Make Candied Walnuts ~ Full Recipe
Print
Easy Candied Walnuts Recipe
- Total Time: 40
- Yield: 16
Description
If you’re looking for a simple recipe to make your friends and family smile this season, check out this super-easy stovetop candied walnuts recipe. Not only is it quick and easy to make, but these walnuts triple up as delicious snacks, great party appetizers, and edible gifts that everyone will love!
Ingredients
1/2 cup (95 g) coconut sugar
2 tsp honey
2 tsp water
1 tbsp butter (or coconut oil)
3 cups (345 g) walnut halves
1/4 cup (20 g) ground almonds
2 tsp mixed spice (or pumpkin spice mix)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp sea salt flakes
Instructions
- Prepare: Gather and prepare your ingredients, and line a baking sheet with baking parchment.
- Sugar Syrup: Put the coconut sugar, honey, and water into a saucepan, and stir over low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Then, turn up the heat to medium and continue cooking for 6-8 minutes until the mixture thickens.
- Melt: Add the butter and stir until melted.
- Stir: Add the walnuts, ground almonds, mixed spice, vanilla extract, and salt, and stir with a wooden spoon until the nuts are well coated. The nuts will be extremely hot, so carefully tip them out onto the prepared baking sheet and spread them into a single layer using a knife. Leave them to cool completely.
- Serve: Divide the candied walnuts into serving bowls, or pack them into gift bags tied with ribbon.
Notes
Storage: These walnuts will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for 5-7 days.
Vegan Option: To make the recipe vegan, swap the butter with coconut oil and the honey with pure maple syrup.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cooling Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: Snacks
- Method: Hob
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: candy, snacks, walnuts, candied nuts, real food
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