5 Minute Candied Walnuts
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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
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Heat a medium non-stick skillet over medium heat, add 1 cup walnuts, 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 Tbsp butter.
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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.
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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.
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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
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Made these. So delicious. Not overly sweet. Can they be stored
for awhile?
Hi Vivianne, I’m so glad you enjoyed them! You can store them at room temperature in Tupperware for 3-5 days. I wouldn’t refrigerate them since the caramel can become sticky in a moist environment.
Natasha Can you use these candied walnuts in cookies or are they too hard
Hi Sallie, I’ve seen cookies with plain walnuts or pecans on top, but not candied ones, but it also might work really well. If you do try it, do let me know how it turns out. 🙂
I ate the first batch before it did totally cooled down! Thank goodness it was so simple to make that I just made another batch. Next time gonna try it with pecans which I know will taste even better! Thank you for sharing!
You’re very welcome, Marcia! So glad you enjoyed them. Pecans sound delicious!
I’ve made this recipe a couple times, and while the walnuts come out alright, i get a lot of sugar clumps in the end and they are like tooth-grenades! What am i doing wrong?
Hi, It sounds like either the heat needs to be turned down slightly or the nuts need to be removed from the pan a little earlier.
This recipe was so easy and quick! I used a little less sugar. I also added a little salt at the end for the sweet/salty taste I crave. I made them as a snack. I couldn’t stop eating them.
Thank you for sharing your experience!
You can’t beat this method for quickness and ease. I whipped this up to add to a spring greens and goat cheese salad with raspberry vinaigrette. It took a few minutes more and a little higher heat till the sugar melted. I added salt for that wonderful sweet/salty combo.
Oh that sounds so delicious! I love adding candied nuts to my salads! Thank you for sharing.
I made this to add as a topping for fruit salad and yoghurt. Absolutely delicious and so quick to make. Thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review!
I recently had candied walnuts on a cheese board that I ordered as a share instead of dessert. It was a different and tasty addition, along with quince jelly.
This looks an easy recipe, so will definitely try it for home.
Please do try it! I would love to know how it goes.
Hi Natasha. Could you clarify the amount of the unsalted butter. I was taught Tbl was for tablespoon, and Tsp was teaspoon. You listed Tbsp…
I can’t wait to try this recipe in my new air fryer.
HI Vicki, Tbsp always stands for Tablespoons and tsp is for teaspoons. I try to capitalize the T for Tablespoons as well. Tbsp is the culinary abbreviation for tablespoon.
Hi,look forward to making these but have a question. Do you think I could add these glazed walnuts in a cranberry orange bread?
Thank you and have a wonderful Christmas.
Hi Carla, I haven’t tested that but I assume it would be yummy. I hope you have a very Merry Christmas as well.
I love your recipies…when in doubt check Natasha lol So can these nuts be bagged and stored and for how long?
Hi Pat, you can store them at room temperature in Tupperware for 3-5 days. I wouldn’t refrigerate them since the caramel can become sticky in a moist environment.
Love this recipe! Super easy to make and everyone loves them. They are always a favorite either at potlucks or as a homemade Christmas goody!
Thank you!
Easy recipes are my favorite! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Lisa!
I was putting together a few homemade canned goods to gift to some friends stopping by later this morning and decided to look up a candied walnut recipe… of course I went to Natasha’s recipe first and didn’t bother looking at any others! It’s absolutely perfect! I ended up making two batches and on the second, I added 1/8 tsp of maple extract to just change it up a bit. I ended up just mixing the two together after they were cooled and container as one! I’ll be making a few more batches as little gifts for others that stop by as well. Absolutely lovely!
Aww! Thank you for that wonderful compliment and review! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Toni!!
I made this is it didn’t turn out at all like the second picture, it stayed more like the first. I added more butter and added more time. Not sure where it went wrong, maybe the elevation.
Hi Michele, if it stayed like in the first photo, it means it needed a longer time on the stove – maybe the heat was too low? Make sure you are using a non-stick skillet and I would turn up the heat a little and let it sautee longer until the sugar melts.
What is the best way to make this recipe in bulk? Does it only work well in these smaller batches?
Hi there, you may go to the recipe card and click the number of servings to adjust the ingredients too!
Totally delicious and so easy. I used Demerara sugar. Had the walnuts with stewed apples and thick Greek yoghourt. Think I may be addicted. Thank you.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Karen!
Just made these for my Thanksgiving holiday salad. Turned out perfectly. Great easy recipe. Hope I can leave them be till Thursday.
Hi Karla, yes that would work great to leave them at room temperature in a low humidity area.
Thanks for sharing that with us, Karla. I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Absolutely perfect! I’ll never buy pre-candied walnuts again!
Thanks a lot, Lynn for the review!
Giving them away for Christmas yea wonerdful, can you use almond’s to vicky
Hi Victoria, I think you could make that work. My favorite almonds recipe is our Honey roasted almonds.
My butter separated and made the walnuts very greasy, although I followed instructions precisely. I wonder if it wouldn’t have been better to melt butter and sugar first, then add walnuts. Still, my kids liked them.
Hi, did you possibly use a course sugar? Make sure to use granulated so it melts at the same time as the butter and incorporates better. Also, make sure not to heat over heat that is too high.
Hi! I used granulated sugar as per the recipe but it really never melted with the butter ,to coat the nuts … it coated them but the nuts aren’t gooey … we will still eat them but I’m not sure why it didn’t work .. bummer
Hi Trisha, make sure to try the recipe as written with the same measurements of all the ingredients. If you did, it sounds like the sugar and butter didn’t melt adequately and needed some additional time, see step 2 for instructions, and avoid using very high heat to speed up the process as this could burn your sugar syrup. I hope you give it another try, with better results this time.
Holy how I didn’t expect this to turn out so good –I don’t work with sugar much, so this was my first time making candied walnuts. I was worried it wouldn’t turn out when it came out of the pan still gooey and soft, but I came back and it was perfectly crunchy, a little salty, and delicious! Thank you for making your instructions so clear and easy to follow. I love a low effort high yield recipe!
Love it! Thank you for sharing your experience trying out this recipe, Jessica. I’m happy to hear that you enjoyed it!
Followed recipe exactly and results were amazing – so easy ! I had to fend the husband off to have enough left to top roasted butternut squash !
Thank you for a wonderful easy recipe! If there is any left , how long would this keep for ?( in fridge) Will double next time !
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it! You can store them at room temperature in Tupperware for 3-5 days. I wouldn’t refrigerate them since the caramel can become sticky in a moist environment.
You might want to add a half tablespoon of butter. Otherwise it was great!
Being food-challenged, I thought this sounded super easy, and I wanted to add them to a beet/goat cheese salad. I found it took an eternity, and my walnut were just coated in sugar! Eventually, after re-reading the instructions, I threw them back in a hotter skillet, and this time, after another 3-4 mins, finally saw the sugar caramelize. Hurrah! I think I finally got it! Hopefully they’re still edible, as I must’ve cooked them for 15+ minutes! I’m not sure cooking should be this stressful, though!
I’m so glad it worked out for you, Samantha!
Very easy and delicious. I did use salted butter because that’s what I had and they tasted great. Thanks.
Glad you liked the result, Marilyn. Thanks for sharing that with us.
Does it have to be unsalted butter?
Hi Sue! It’s best with unsalted butter, but I also haven’t tested with salted butter for the added sodium, but it should still work. I hope you love this recipe!
Worked flawlessly. Honestly, I didn’t even have the right tools and guesstimated the ingredients. I’m staying in an RV that’s on uneven ground and minimally equipped. My luck for going with the cheapest air BNB lol. My butter was half melted, and I only had a 1/4 cup measuring cup for the sugar and walnuts so I couldn’t combine them at the same time. I only had a cast iron that I brought with me and my “stove” was a portable butane camp stove. The dollar store nearby had parchment paper.
It was surprisingly easy. You KOW when they’re done.
I felt that they might do well with some heat, though. Maybe a bit of red pepper flakes or diced jalapeño added at the end.
Hi there, thanks for sharing your experience making this recipe. Glad you enjoyed it and you were able to make it work, great job!
Thank you for this recipe. Did this today for a cake topping.
Followed the recipe and just stirred it through. Came out nice and crunchy!
Yay! That’s so great, Catherine! Thank you so much for sharing that lovely review with me!
Easy all around! Simple ingredients, clear directions,
absolutely yummy walnuts (on Cherry G… you know)! Love it.
Thanks for your good comments and feedback!
I burned mine the first time. I added everything in there, and the sugar took forever to turn liquid. At the time when it turned liquid, everything was burnt. I was stirring constantly too. Second time I melted the butter and sugar, and it turned liquid pretty fast, then I added the nuts and tossed them in the caramel color liquid and lightly toasted them. Second time was better. Glad I had some extra nuts!
I’m glad it worked better the second time, Kate! I’m wondering if the heat was up too high the first time around.
They were the hit of the bbq.
Everyone asked for recipe.
Next time I will make two double batches . Thanks
That’s awesome! Thanks for sharing that with us, glad this was a hit.
I was looking for an alternative to the expensive salad topping I frequently bought to pair with a certain salad and these hit the spot! I too added a sprinkle of kosher salt. Yum.
Thank you for this easy and delicious recipe.
You’re welcome, Andrea! Glad you enjoyed this recipe.
Wow! These were so yummy paired with strawberries, grilled chicken, spinach salad! I tripled the recipe as I had 12 oz walnuts, and added a slight pinch of salt.
Thanks for recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! THank you for that lovely review!
I made these to top my husband’s honey brown sugar salmon I make him and they are delicious!!! I don’t even like walnuts or any nuts for that matter and I am walking around the kitchen popping them in my mouth while I cook dinner lol Thanks for the simple and super easy recipe!
That’s so great, Angela! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
What if I use brown sugar instead? Would it still turn out right?
Hi Amber, I recall at least some readers mentioned using brown sugar with great results. I hope you love the candied walnuts!
Just made these and they taste delicious! I definitely didn’t melt the sugar enough as I was scared to burn it, but it still tastes incredible. 10/10 give this a try!
I’m so glad you still enjoyed that Sydney!!
I love this recipe, so easy and SO good in salads! I find sometimes the melted sugar/butter mixture has a hard time actually coating and sticking to the nuts..anyone have the same problem or know of a way to fix it? Am i using too much butter?
Hi Amanda, make sure to try the recipe as written with the same measurements. Also, make sure to let the sugar and butter melt adequately (avoid using very high heat to speed up the process).
Hi! I’m going to make these tomorrow but wonder how long they keep for? If I put in a sandwich bag will they last a little while (I’m looking to add them to salads and things throughout the week)
Thanks!
Hi Kayla, It is best to store the nuts in a cool, dry environment. I keep them in Tupperware in my pantry, and they last about a week. Do not refrigerate, or they can become sticky from the moisture in the refrigerator. It also is not ideal for keeping them in a humid environment
Excellent. The coating was hard and crunchy. Not cloyingly sweet. Subbed pecan halves. Added a pinch of cayenne, cinnamon and salt. Used salted butter.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
So great, I am quite skeptical with caramel as it’s quite hard and get weary every time I try it. But this was super easy and really did only take 5 minutes. Definitely recommend
Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Do I have to use unsalted butter?
Hi Nancy, I haven’t tested with salted butter, but it should still work.
Hey can I use the same method for other nuts like Cashews, pecan, almonds??
Hi Richa, this should work well for other nuts. Our favorite for almonds is our roasted almonds recipe.
I’ve made this recipe maybe 4 times now, and I really like it! My only problem is the coating tends to become uneven – some walnuts are barely coated, while there are lone chunks of caramel elsewhere. I cook them until the sugar starts browning too much. Any fixes? Thanks 🙂
Hi Alois, I wonder if your heat is too high? Also, it works best to use a non-stick skillet.
It’s simple and amazing, I love it!!
Great to know that! Thank you so much.
This is a great recipe! So easy and delicious!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I really need help the caramel in some places just becomes glunky, even though I followed the recipe. Some nuts are coated but some also have rock hard pieces of caramel.
Hi Jessica, that could be due to too high of heat – also a good non-stick skillet works best for this recipe.
perfect! so easy and delicious
What a quick and delicious way to make nuts for a salad or sundae. We only cooked them for 4 minutes and it was perfect.
So great to hear that, Leslie. Thank you so much for your good comments and review!
My wife wants candied walnuts with our stay home New Years dinner salad. Couldn’t find them anywhere so low and behold I made them using your recipe. They came out great I won’t tell her how easy it was to make!
I’m so excited you discovered this recipe! It takes just 5 minutes to make the tastiest walnuts! I’m glad you enjoeyd it!
This was so easy! Thanks so much. It was another culinary first for me, but not my last! 🙂
It really is easy! Thank you for that great review, Lauren!
Super easy! Love your recipes! This one is sure to be a hit!
Thank you for that wonderful feedback, Mary! That’s so great!
Tried this recipe because I needed some last minute Christmas gifts and I am so glad I did! This is so easy and yummy! I ended up doing cashews, walnuts and pecans. SO GOOD!!! Thanks Natasha for perfecting this recipe–worked like a charm!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
For candied walnuts how does using brown sugar work out?
Hi Jeannie, I recall at least some readers mentioned using brown sugar with great results. I hope you love the candied walnuts!
You are super Natasha. I like all your receipe.
You’re so nice! Thank you!
Natasha, since your not boiling this, do you think you could substitute honey for the sugar?
Hi Carl, I haven’t tried honey yet to advise but it would probably work if it’s unflavored. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.
Can I do the same with pecans?
Hi Shari! This will work great with pecans!
Yay ! Always looking for a shortcut. I did this with pecans and walnuts (mmmmm) and put them in a large bowl with a lid and shook vigorously to separate them 🙂 Thanks Ever So
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Very easy and tasty!!
Thank you!
Ok seriously!!! You are so much fun to watch.
So I just made these candies walnuts and added a splash of homemade vanilla and cayenne pepper. After laying them out on the sheet pan I sprinkled with sea salt. Oh my!!!!! Delicious!!!!
I also added some pumpkin pie spice as well.
Aren’t they so good!! I’m so glad you’re enjoying our recipes, and thank you so much for that wonderful compliment!
I’ve been a stalker for quite some time and this is the 2nd recipe I’ve tried. They were both wonderful. Just made these with walnuts that had been in the freezer for ages (Cave Man food as my sons calls it cause they were in the freezer a looong time)and Costco cashews. Everything was done in less than 10 minutes and I only burnt the roof of my mouth 3 times. Excellent quick recipe. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Edna. Thanks for sharing some good comments and feedback with us!
Would a cast iron pan work?
Hi, I haven’t tried this in a cast iron pan, but I suspect the sugar might get stuck to the pan.
It is very easy to remove caramel if you pour some boiling water in the pan. If it still really sticks you could repeat the process or stir the water or scratch the caramel with a wooden spatula.
(Sorry for any mistakes, I’m twelve years old and a German)
Thanks for your tips and keep up the great work, Mandi!
Can I use plant based butter instead of real butter for this candied nut recipe?
I haven’t tried that yet to advise but I imagine that should work fine too.
I have used plant based butter for this recipe, worked out just fine.
Thank you for sharing that with us Melanie!
Stunning! So easy. I was very cautious with the heat, and had to turn the element up above medium on my stove. When the sugar and butter finally melted, it all happened in a rush, and yes, all the nuts stuck together at that point. But using the two spatulas to separate them was the answer. Thanks Natasha for the excellent tip, and the great recipe.
Good job! I’m so glad you loved the end result, I sure hope it was all worth it. Thanks for your great feedback!
Holy moly. Have the parchment READY. These come out gooey and hot! So good. Thank you!
Hi, I’m so happy you loved the candied walnuts. I’d love to know how you plan to use them or serve them. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
I made 4 cups of walnuts and added two teaspoons of cinnamon. I made a second batch where I put the walnuts in my air fryer to roast and melted the butter and sugar + cinnamon then just mixed the nuts in the melted mixture. They both were very good snacks, am giving them to all my family for thanksgiving.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Very nice! I make walnut scrimp and these are perfect.
Love your recipes!
I’m so glad you’re enjoying our recipes, Kate! Thank you for sharing that awesome review with me!
Only have margarine right now. Think it will work? Thanks
Hi Emila, I haven’t tested with that to advise. If you happen to experiment, I would love to know how you like that.
Can you add a variation for spiced nuts? I’m thinking throwing in some seasoning spice to the pan would be great for the holidays coming up.
Hmm! I haven’t tested that, but it sounds delicious! If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
These nuts are amazingly simple and delicious!!! Thank you so much!!!
You are most welcome, Brenda. Glad you loved it!
Have made these several times, following your easy directions as written. They come out great every time! Only problem is keeping my paws out of the bowl!
Lovely to hear that! Thank you for your good comments and feedback, Norma.
First time making these and they came out perfect and delicious! And it was so easy. Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed that Stacey!
I am dealing with the tail end of last years walnuts. This years are dropping as I type here in SW France. The best way to store these please and how long will they keep. I have a LOT to deal with and would like to make them into gifts for Christmas if they will keep that long.
Hi Janis, I think it would be too early to make them now. I haven’t maxed out the lifespan of these because they always get eaten right away, but keep it at room temperature in low moisture environment and I would guess they’d keep at least a week, maybe longer.
Follow the recipe! At least the first time so you know how it’s supposed to turn out. The first time I made this I subbed in brown sugar because I had run out of granulated white sugar. It took forever to melt and ended up very goopy and hard to work with. Still tasted pretty good but with a thick candy coating and a little overdone due to increased melting time. The next time I used white sugar and it was much easier and coated evenly.
5 stars because it’s so simple and comes together fast. No whipping egg whites and baking for a long time. The nuts get toasted in the process so it’s just one step for amazing candied nuts. I used a mix of nuts and it’s delicious and addictive.
Note: if you double the recipe it takes more time so just watch it and keep stirring.
This recipe worked perfectly from the very first time I made it. Now I make a double batch every time, they are so good. I think the secret is to continually stir the mixture until the butter and sugar have turned golden brown. That way the nuts are well coated.
I love it! Thanks for sharing your good experience with this recipe, Debbie. Yes that is definitely a great observation!
Works perfectly! I didn’t have a nonstick pan so I just put parchment paper over my stainless steel one and cooked directly on that!
I’m so glad to know that, Stephen. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Delish!!
I also tried on almond slivers then sprinkled with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar.
Yum! Thank you so much for sharing that with me Terry!
Wow! I am so surprised at how much more simple this recipe is in comparison to others I had looked at and the taste is phenomenal!!!! Love that this requires no baking and only 3 ingredients; really 1 because I would consider sugar and butter as staples in the house. Dangerously delicious
Thank you for that wonderful review, Chelsea! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
I love hate this recipe ,
I’m a vegetarian that was perfectly happy with walnuts and pecans before I started making this. Now I double the batch with the intention of saving for recipes. HA! they are usually gone the same day. Then I have to ride my mtb or road bike an extra hundred miles that week.
Simple really really good
Sounds like you have a new favorite, William! Thank you for that wonderful review!
Omg. Your recipe is fantastic. I had to stop myself from eating too many! Thank you Natasha!!
You’re welcome! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
I made this, exactly as the recipe states. Fabulous and easy!
Yay! That’s so great Sherri! I’m so happy you enjoyed this!
I made these exactly according to the instructions and they came out perfect! I did watch it very closely because I’ve made a lot of flan and I know that once the sugar starts to melt it can go very quickly. Thanks for sharing this. Now I have something different to put in my salads!
You’re welcome Linda! We love adding this to our salad!
If you’re having problems with the sugar mix falling off the nuts, I propose that you shuffle the instructions a bit. I melt the butter/sugar together just until it caramelizes and then turn the heat off and dump the walnuts in. Keep stirring, stirring, stirring. The sugar mixture will initially not want to stick, but as it cools, it will get thicker. Eventually, it will get thick enough that it will stick to the nuts. I then spread my nuts in a one nut high layer, but they’re all still interlocked (I don’t bother with separating them). I let them cool fully then come back 5min later and break the mass up. This works great for me because I don’t care if the nuts look pretty or not. I just dump them in my salad anyway, so bits and pieces work fine.
Thank you for sharing the tweaks that you did with us, Ben. That is very helpful, we appreciate it!
I am diabetic and wanted to have sugared nuts for my salads. This recipe was perfect. I used Agave and Stevia for the sugar and followed the instructions. Turned the temperature down and stirred constantly. They turned out delicious and perfect coating. Thank you for this great recipe.
So happy to hear that you made a healthier version of this recipe. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Didn’t work for me. Nuts never went brown, sugar never dissolved. Looked like I’d made a butter/sugar mix for a cake and coated the nuts in it.
Hi, the nuts should not go brown in the skillet. You might try increasing the heat slightly and give it a little more time. Also, I always suggest to make sure to use the same proportions without substitutions on the first round.
You must use a good quality of sugar. If it is not it will not melt.
This recipe works better if you melt the butter and sugar first with a couple tablespoon of water to fully disolve the sugar making a simple Carmel pouring this over the nuts in a pan and tossing them worked like a charm for me
Thanks for your input and suggestions, Zac!
For me, medium is too high a temp. Switch to med low and the butter won’t burn. Or, I could have used unsalted butter. (That would have been a better idea.) You have to begin breaking the walnuts apart while in the pan. I was basically hammering the walnut mixture from the 2 minute mark. Love the idea and the flavor would be better had I not burned the butter, which, again, was in part due to the high temp.
Thank you for sharing those tips with us Edward!
To make it even easier, instead of using parchment paper I just kept stirring the nuts in the pan after the heat was off. When the caramel was thick enough to stick I separated the nuts in the pan and let them cool there. Should probably have gone easier on the heat with this approach.
Thanks for sharing that with us!
I could not make this work! I tried three times but always ended up with clumpy bits of sugar stuck together instead of the walnuts. Clearly it worked for other people but I have no idea what I’m doing wrong
I’m posting this mostly so that anyone else who tries and fails knows they are not alone!
Hi Alaina, I just made these the other day and the key is to keep it on a non-stick skillet and on the heat until the sugar fully melts then spread the nuts onto the parchment paper right away and separate them so the sugar sets on the individual nuts. I hope that helps.
I have the same issue 😕
Quick tip, melt the butter and sugar before putting the nuts in. Otherwise you’ll end up with clumps of uneven melted and unmelted sugar.
Thank you for sharing that with us Mimi.
Hi,
I just made these. They didn’t turn out very sweet and have a dark color coating. I am wondering if I burned the sugar? What do you think?
Hi Hallie, that is possible. Was anything altered in the recipe? Maybe it was cooked on a higher heat?
Just tried making those, took 5 minutes! First time I succeed at making candied nuts – I always give up at the point when the sugar hasn’t melted yet and it looks like a powdery mess, the trick is to keep going.
Thank you for the recipe!
Awesome! Thanks for sharing your experience with us.
So my nuts dry fine and then later stick together after I put them into a container. This happens even if I put them into the fridge. What gives? How do I solve this?
Hi Rits, It is best to store the nuts in a cool dry environment. I keep them in Tupperware in my pantry and they last about a week. Do not refrigerate or they can become sticky from the moisture in the refrigerator. It also is not ideal to keep them in a humid environment
Can you use them from straight under the tree when there wet ?
Hi, these work best when they have had time to dry.
I’ve added honey along with the sugar. However I’ve used brown for the recipe.
A couple of squirts of the honey adds a fabulous taste
Thank you for sharing that with me!
Very good recipe with simple ingredients, proportions are excellent for candied walnuts but I always read the comments to gauge how I may need to tweak or even embellish a recipe so after reading reviews stating sugar did not melt, I made sugar mixture combining equal amts brown and regular and added 2 T water per recipe. I set the heat at medium-high and allowed the sugar to melt and turn a caramelized color. It Helps to use ample size No -stick pans. I added a little vanilla paste, cayenne pepper and the walnuts…coated all and made sure all walnuts were covered…didn’t take long at all. I put on covered cookie sheets, spread out quickly as stated and sprinkled with fleur de Sel. Excellent!
I also made 1 cup batch same and added 1 T Hershey dark chocolate powder and scant (1/4t?) Starbucks instant arabica micro ground coffee and again, salting once on sheet. Very happy with results. Happy baking!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
I really like this pan method since it skips the extra step of toasting the nuts. However, I did make some changes for my taste. I followed the recipe exactly but when I tasted it I felt it needed a richer sweetness from brown sugar. I ended up adding maybe 1/4 of brown sugar and some vanilla extract. Next time I make this recipe I will probably try 50/50 brown and white sugar. Still a great recipe for me! I hope it works just as well on pecans.
Hello Kiki. Thanks for sharing and for giving some tips! I’m sure the other readers can also benefit from your comments and feedback.
I made these to sit on top of brownies, they were amazing. Tasted so good. Couldn’t stop eating them ! Thank you
Great to hear that Kaye! Thank you for sharing your experience. 💗
Same problem for me. Sugar did not dissolve even with water.
Try adding 1 tbsp water after the butter has melter and make sure your heat is high enough so it evaporates quickly into the sugar. Stir constantly. Let me know how it goes.
I substituted the sugar with brown sugar and it came out great. Thank you!
Great to hear that and thanks for sharing.
My daughter gifted me with candied walnuts for Christmas, and voila, I received an email from you with a recipe for candied walnuts! I tried the recipe twice both times it failed. The sugar did not melt or dissolve, and the walnuts did not get coated. I did increase the heat slightly, but with no luck. I followed your recipe, even using a non-stick pan. Any suggestions or advice?
Hi Arthur, what kind of sugar did you use?
I used Domino’s sugar. It is not coarse.
Hi Arthur. I had the same problem and followed the advice of another post: add 1Tb water after the butter has melted. Make sure your heat is high enough so it evaporates quickly into the sugar. Stir constantly. I find it easier to prepare this recipe when I double it. If you decide to double it, add 2 Tb water. Also, I start this recipe by melting the butter. Then I add the nuts & sugar, increase the heat and constantly stir. After 2 minutes I add the water and poof! I’m still stirring and coating the nuts. Then I transfer them to parchment paper. Like Natasha said, total cook time is 5 minutes.
Thanks for your comments Angela! I will try adding water as you suggested 2 TB for a double batch! I will let you know how it turns out!
Can I use stevia instead of sugar?
Hi Irma, I have not tested that but here is what one of our readers wrote “Being on a Keto diet I look for things for my sweet tooth. Walnuts and real butter are things I can eat so I swapped out the sugar for my Pyure /Stevia blend ( looks and tastes like sugar.) Shazam! Now I have a tastey treat !.. I just kept my heat lower and stirred like crazy! Lord,such Carmelized Goodness!” I hope that helps.
Do you have storage recommendations? My daughter loves walnuts and I want to make this to send to her at college. TIA!!
Hi Linda, It is best to store the nuts in a cool dry environment. I keep them in Tupperware in my pantry and they last about a week. Do not refrigerate or they can become sticky from the moisture in the refrigerator. It also is not ideal to keep them in a humid environment
I don’t ever leave comments on recipes but yours was amazing and easy to whip up. Thank you!
I especially liked the pictures that showed what was supposed to be happening at different stages.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Powdered sugar in with the cream cheese or regular granulated sugar?
Hi Robin, Can you repost your question on the recipe that you are referencing? I’m assuming it wasn’t intended for candied walnuts.
Hi Natasha,
Can I use brown sugar instead of granulated sugar?
Hi Ana, I recall at least 1 reader mentioned using brown sugar with great results. I hope you love the candied walnuts!
Thank You Natasha !!!
I Love ALL Your Recipes.
You’re Amazing .
Sending You Prosperous
& Happy New Year
Aurora
Thank you, Aurora! Happy New Year!
Since I don’t use non-stick coated pans, can these sugared walnuts be made in a regular stainless steel skillet or frying pan, such as Revere Ware? Also, what can I use as an alternative to parchment paper?
Hi Zaggy, I think you’ll have a difficult time in a pan that isn’t non-stick. The sugar will probably stick badly. You might also try a silicone baking liner instead of parchment.
FYI I used plain brown paper and it worked great. Just flattened a bag. Reduce and reuse!
This recipe is wonderful. My only change is that I added 2 Tablespoons of Topper’s Banana Vanilla Cinnamon Rhum which added a beautiful flavor. I put them in mason jars added a ribbon and these made wonderful holiday gifts.
That’s so great, Melanie!! Thank you for that wonderful review and for sharing those changes with us!
Delicious. I just love this recipe, make them every year for Xmas presents and always a hit
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review, Elysia!
Thanks for the great recipe – quick and easy way to use up nuts in stock.
I used a mixture of granulated white sugar and brown sugar. Brown sugar didn’t caramelise as finely but made for some delicious caramelised clumps in the nut mix! Not terribly healthy but so yummy.
Worked well for walnuts, peanuts and also tried with hazelnuts. My hazelnuts happened to be a bit bitter so the caramelised bits made them more palatable.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m so happy you enjoyed that.
Thank you for making my HOLIDAYS so much better It is always the little things; or so we all think,that are so important. Thank you from all my company.
Awww thank you Janet! You are so thoughtful. I hope you have a very Happy Thanksgiving!
I needed something to give my home made pumpkin for today’s Thanksgiving an enhancement. I used your recipe as guideline and tweaked slightly by using Vermont Maple sugar, Pecans, butter, and 1/4 tsp of Pumpkin pie spice. I did have to add 1 TB of water at the end to help caramelize the Pecans. Baked pie half way, removed from oven and covered top with Pecans in concentric circle design, and replaced to oven until firm. Absolute perfection. Had some extra Pecans and everyone raved about them, and the pie was like a new creation that was such a hit. Thank you. Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving Eric! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I don’t think the proportions of sugar to butter we’re correct. Additionally, she wrote the recipe as if I were supposed to just mix the butter, sugar and walnuts all at once, and that just created a batch of barely coated walnuts and giants chunks of caramelized sugar. I should have melted the butter and sugar first and then added the walnuts. She did not write this well.
Hi Karen, were you possibly using a coarse sugar (such as sugar in the raw or organic sugar with larger granules)? If using those, I would suggest adding those to the skillet first before adding the nuts. Using the proportions of ingredients as described above and also using a non-stick skillet, I haven’t had that experience before. Was anything changed in the process, tools or ingredients? Also, did you make sure to transfer to a parchment-lined surface and spread them out right away? This definitely helps to keep them from sticking and forming random chunks of sugar. I hope that helps!
I have a question.. i read through a lot of reviews just to make sure i wasn’t asking the same thing, but didn’t see anything about honey. Can i use honey instead?? I have a lot.. and prefer honey vs regular sugar.
Hello Inna, I haven’t tried honey yet to advise but it would probably work if it’s unflavored. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.
Hey Karen. When I first made it I thought the same as you, not enough butter. But I followed her recipe verbatim and it came out excellent. I just had to add 2Tb water like someone else suggested because the mixture was turning brown too fast. That helped coat all my nuts. I stirred from start to finish. I also doubled the recipe. I hope you try it again because they taste amazing!
Thanks for the awesome recipe. I followed your instructions. The only thing I had to do was add about 1 Tbsp water. The butter and sugar were browning too fast. I also dropped the heat a bit. When they were done I sprinkled on some cinnamon,chili powder and salt. I’ve tried a couple recipes but this tops them all! Thank you very much. Do you have a recipe for candied bacon?
I’m so glad you enjoyed that Jim! I do not but thank you for that great suggestion.
Thank You! Being on a Keto diet I look for things for my sweet tooth. Walnuts and real butter are things I can eat so I swapped out the sugar for my Pyure /Stevia blend ( looks and tastes like sugar.) Shazam! Now I have a tastey treat !.. I just kept my heat lower and stirred like crazy! Lord,such Carmelized Goodness!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
I doubled the butter. Delish. Will use it again.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Easy and excellent and delicious, used for apple crostini recipe everyone LOVED them. thank you
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Great! Just made these to add to a salad. I had some random ingredients and needed something to bring them together-pear, tomato, blue cheese, and a mild vinaigrette. Topped with a sprinkle of these nuts and it was perfect! The best part is, they were super easy. My toddler helped me
Aww that’s the best, Brie! I love that you got the toddler involved! Thank you for sharing this awesome review with us!
I already love this recipe because it printed out so easily.
Thank you, Natasha! Excellent website.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Loved the 5 min candied walnuts.
They come out so toasted tasting! TOTALLY YUM!
Easy I need and it was.
THANK YOU Natasha!!!!!
You’re welcome! Thank you for that awesome feedback!
This is a keeper! I had a couple pounds of shelled walnuts, wanting to use them before they went south. I gave this one a go, went off and add 1/4 t cinnamon and a 1/8 of hot pepper . They turn out perfect. did a whole pound , don’t have to worry about going bad.
I’m so glad you enjoyed that, Jack! Aren’t they so easy to make? Thank you for that great feedback.
1-can you make this in an air fryer? and…
2-can you substitute a sugar-free granulated sweetener?
Hi Pam, I have not tested that in an air fryer to advise BUT, one of our readers wrote this about using a sugar-free option “I used Earth Balance, a non-dairy spread, and half and half Lakanto (non-caloric sweetener) and sugar. I melted Earth Balance first, mixed in sugar, then added walnuts. Set timer, stirred often, and they were ready in 5 minutes over medium high heat. Came out great, but took longer to harden, about an hour. Sprinkled a little sea salt after taking out of the pan, and the taste is great.” I hope that helps.