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These caramelized, candied walnuts are quite a treat. Toss them into your salad, over popcorn, or straight into your mouth. Crunch. Crunch.
I love this easy method of making the candied nuts where everything goes into the pan at once. Other methods I’ve tried left me with globs of candy on the nuts rather than a more even coating.
It also roasts the nuts at the same time so you don’t have to pre-toast them, then add them back to the pan to be coated, blah, blah. Who needs extra steps?
It seriously takes about 5 minutes on the stove and 5 minutes to cool. The finished product is delicious! My husband was sampling them right out of the pan. P.S. This recipe can easily be doubled.
Ingredients for Candied Walnuts:
1 cup walnut halves/pieces (you can also use this recipe for candied pecans)
1/4 cup white granulated sugar (not coarse sugar)
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
How To Make 5 Minute Candied Walnuts:
1. Heat a medium non-stick skillet over medium heat, add 1 cup walnuts, 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 Tbsp butter.
2. Heat over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently (with a heat proof non-plastic spatula) so your mixture doesn’t burn (especially towards the end). When the sugar mixture starts melting, stir constantly until all sugar is melted and nuts are coated.
3. Transfer immediately onto a sheet of parchment paper and separate the nuts right away. Using two spatulas will make this task go faster.
You don’t want to give the nuts a chance to turn into a wad of inseparable delicious goodness unless you are the only person who will be enjoying the wad ;). Seriously, move quickly from the time the nuts are coated until they are separated out on the parchment paper.
Once the coating hardens (5-7 minutes), you can transfer them to a bowl and either inhale them right then and there or save ’em for a salad or something.
Enjoy, {crunch} pin it to your “recipes to keep forever” board, {crunch. crunch} and let me know how you liked the candied walnuts! {Crunch. Cruuunch. Crunch}
5 minute Candied Walnuts

Ingredients
- 1 cup walnut halves/pieces, you can also use this recipe for candied pecans
- 1/4 cup white granulated sugar, (not coarse sugar)
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
Instructions
- Heat a medium non-stick skillet over medium heat, add 1 cup walnuts, 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 Tbsp butter.
- Heat over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently so your mixture doesn't burn (especially towards the end). When the sugar mixture starts melting, stir constantly until all sugar is melted and nuts are coated.
- Transfer immediately onto a sheet of parchment paper and separate the nuts right away. Using two spatulas will make this task go faster. You don't want to give the nuts a chance to turn into a wad of inseparable delicious goodness unless you are the only person who will be enjoying the wad ;). Seriously, move quickly from the time the nuts are coated until they are separated out on the parchment paper.
- Once the coating hardens (5-7 minutes), you can transfer them to a bowl and enjoy!
P.S. If you haven’t allready, make sure to try our honey roasted almonds. They are also amazing
Meant use this walnut recipe when making my pear, blue cheese and walut salad,👍👍
I’m not sure if I already left a comment on these delicious, delectable and oh so easy candied walnuts. ;).
But that sums it all up! Another winner Natasha
Thank you so much, Lil!
I added a little bit of vanilla and rum extract to the butter and sugar first in the pan, then the raw walnut halves. Cook and stirred over medium heat for about 10 minutes or so, until the sugar mixture turned into a golden brown thick syrup. Turned off heat and stirred for another minute before transferring to parchment lined baking sheet pan. Very good candied walnuts.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I make these sometime twice a week. Hands down the best snack and topping for yogurt, salad, charcuterie, and more. Thank you, for sharing your quick and easy recipe.
How long are these candied walnuts good for?
Hi Kelly! They can be stored at room temperature in an air-tight container for up to a week. Or you can refrigerate/freeze for longer storage. If you refrigerate, the humidity can make them stick together so watch for that.
Excellent and so easy!! This has become my favorite salad addition (and maybe just by themselves…. or on some ice cream …. )
Love this recipe. I found it easier to separate the walnuts with 2 forks instead of spatulas. I always make a double recipe because I love them in a salad with dried cranberries, feta cheese and balsamic dressing. Thank you
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Paula!
I have now made these walnuts a few times . They are super easy to make and super delicious. Sometimes I. add salt during cooking.
The sugar didn’t cling to the nut. I followed the recipe exactly.
For some reason, I did not have success with this recipe, and not sure why. I make candied pecans (using another recipe) with no trouble. Any thoughts on what may have gone wrong?
Hello, can you provide more details as to what happened when you tried the recipe?