5 Minute Candied Walnuts

These caramelized, candied walnuts are quite a treat. Toss them into your salad, over popcorn, or straight into your mouth. Crunch. Crunch.

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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.

5 minute Candied Walnuts-4

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.

5 minute Candied Walnuts-5 5 minute Candied Walnuts-6

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.

5 minute Candied Walnuts-75 minute Candied Walnuts-8

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.

These caramelized, candied walnuts are quite a treat. Toss them into your salad, over popcorn, or straight into your mouth. Crunch. Crunch. These caramelized, candied walnuts are quite a treat. Toss them into your salad, over popcorn, or straight into your mouth. Crunch. Crunch.

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

4.88 from 665 votes
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
These caramelized, candied walnuts are quite a treat. Toss them into your salad, over popcorn, or straight into your mouth. Crunch. Crunch.
Toss these caramelized walnuts 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. P.S. This recipe can easily be doubled.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 1 cup
  • 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!
Course: Appetizer, snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Candied Walnuts
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

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P.S. If you haven’t allready, make sure to try our honey roasted almonds. They are also amazing

4.88 from 665 votes (361 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  • kathy woods
    July 24, 2025

    Meant use this walnut recipe when making my pear, blue cheese and walut salad,👍👍

    Reply

  • Lil
    July 16, 2025

    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

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      July 16, 2025

      Thank you so much, Lil!

      Reply

  • Debbie
    July 7, 2025

    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.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 7, 2025

      Thank you so much for sharing that with me.

      Reply

  • Caroline Hickam
    July 6, 2025

    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.

    Reply

  • Kelly
    July 2, 2025

    How long are these candied walnuts good for?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      July 2, 2025

      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.

      Reply

  • Lilli
    June 25, 2025

    Excellent and so easy!! This has become my favorite salad addition (and maybe just by themselves…. or on some ice cream …. )

    Reply

  • Paula Johnston
    June 21, 2025

    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

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 22, 2025

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Paula!

      Reply

  • Lea Gilligan
    June 11, 2025

    I have now made these walnuts a few times . They are super easy to make and super delicious. Sometimes I. add salt during cooking.

    Reply

  • Sandra Duncan
    June 10, 2025

    The sugar didn’t cling to the nut. I followed the recipe exactly.

    Reply

  • Betsy
    May 26, 2025

    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?

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      May 26, 2025

      Hello, can you provide more details as to what happened when you tried the recipe?

      Reply

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