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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
Thank you so very much for your quick 5 minute recipe for candied walnuts, it really did make my day.
You’re very welcome!
This is fun to do with your kids. So easy to make. I added 50% more walnuts to spread the sugar component out more.
These topped my carrot cake for a pot luck. It stole the show. Thank you!
What a great idea!
Was looking for a quick candied nut to add to a summer salad. I made the recipe with pecans and cashews, they were delicious will definitely make again. Will also try with other kinds of nuts.
I’m so glad you found this recipe, Mary! Thanks for the feedback!
Love these. The only thing I did was add some salt. They taste like cracker jack. Thanks for this simple and delicous recipe. Great in chocolate chip cookies!
I made these 3 times in the last couple of weeks – the first time with white sugar and then twice with brown sugar. Both super fast, easy and yummy. The brown sugar didn’t get as hard as the white sugar when it cooled, which I liked better as it is easier on the teeth. And the brown sugar melted faster, so if you try this make sure you don’t burn it. This is my fave snack now! Thanks!
Hurray!!!!! So easy, quick and delicious! I had an epic fail with another site’s recipe that was complex. Im so happy to have found this one. It’s wonderful! I added a bit of cinnamin to the pan, and sprinkled the cooling nuts with aleppo pepper flakes and Maldon flaked salt 10/10
These were so easy to make and are so delicious!! I even tossed in a little sprinkle of brown sugar. They didn’t even make it into the bowl!
Hi Cindy, thanks for your good comments and feedback. I’m glad you loved this recipe!
Hi! Can brown sugar be used instead of white for a caramel-like flavor?
Hi JR, I have not tested this recipe with brown sugar to advise.
Delicious! Turned out perfect first time around. Will use this recipe again. Happy for your well deserved success!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Cmn! I’m so happy you enjoyed it.
Made a modification for peanut brittle – did it a few times to get right:
1 1/4 cup peanuts
3/4 cup sugar
3 tb butter
Salt after it hardens
The procedure is the same.
Couldn’t have done it without the chefs recipe. Thanks!
Never made a glaze just sugared nuts. Disappointed there are just hot sugared nuts
Hi De! Did you use coarse sugar, make any other substitutions or changes to theo proportions? I used white granulated sugar which is more fine, not coarse. Using a coarse sugar will affect how it melts and sticks to the walnuts. It would take longer to melt down.
Try turning the heat up to medium high. That’s what I did and the sugar melted right away.
I can’t wait to make these
I have lots of walnuts from our local food pantry. Can these be frozen after cooling? I live alone and might not eat them all in time and would hate to waste them.
Hi Patricia! Yes, they are fine to store 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.
Love this recipe! It is so easy! Added a pinch of salt for that sweet/salty taste and wow! I let the butter melt first, then threw in the sugar, and then the walnuts. Medium heat in a stainless steel saucepan and was done in 5 mins.
I am cooking with gas and all I have is a cast-iron skillet, so 5 minutes was too long. I had to turn the flame off at 3 and a half minutes, and they are still overcooked, but they are still tasty. I recommend using salted butter and sprinkling them with coarse kosher salt when they are hardening on the parchment paper—salty sweet deliciousness!
Add some salt as they cool .
Super easy recipe!
Will try pecans and almonds next!
I was thinking that crushing them a bit and sprinkling them over Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla ice cream with caramel, whipped cream and a cherry would be fabulous! So while they cool I’m off to the store. Can’t wait 😁
That’s a brilliant idea, Caprice! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Thank you Natasha for this easy and fast way to make use of that bag of walnuts I didn’t get to using over the holidays. First try worked great, second time also great but let an extra minute to see if even better….very good both ways. Second try of course a bit harder sugar crunch. Very glad to find your version of this sugared walnut recipe!!!!!
You’re very welcome, Cat! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe.
do you need to soak (for how long) the walnuts in water and let dry before making the candied walnuts
Hi Mary! I do not soak them.
I use this recipe all the time and it works perfectly. I love the addition of these walnuts to a carrot cake or a chocolate banana cake. It provides a solid crunch to some smoothness and I’m all about textures. With any leftovers, I throw them into my oatmeal or vanilla yogurt and “pretend” I’m getting my nut nutrition!!! It’s lovely so thank you!
That’s a great idea to add to carrot or banana cake! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe and use it often, Vicki!