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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
Had a LOT of walnuts left over from buying for another recipe, so thought I’d give this a go before they went rancid in the fridge. Worked well, but I think I added a bit too much butter (maybe Australian tbs are different to yours). They were a bit more toffeefied, but were still lovely, and the toffee bits were actually an added bonus.
Thanks for a great idea which I’ll certainly do again.
Mmmm I agree, I wouldn’t mind a little extra toffee! Now I’m craving these all over again 🙂
Excellent, easy, and yummy recipe. Made them this morning to put on our salads at lunch. The little toffee pieces are great too.
I’m happy to hear you enjoy the recipe Michele! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Ive made this delicious AND easy favoriite at least 20 times. Add a pinch of black pepper. DO NOT attempt to triple recipe in a single batch even in a larger pan. too hard to coat and toast all – still delicious but not evenly coated.
That’s great to hear Lenora! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I just made these and they are still warm, well, the couple that are left are 😉 They are so easy and quick to make and scrumptious!
thank you for sharing.
You’re welcome! I’m happy to hear you enjoy the recipe!
added a pinch of cinnamon & salt – perfect!
Yum! Thanks for sharing!
Great recipe! Easiest and most delicious candies nuts I’ve made. Thanks!
That’s wonderful! I’m so happy you loved the recipe! 🙂
I toasted the walnuts in the pan on medium heat for about 10 minutes. I saw it on a tube video for another caramelized walnut recipe. I just stirred them constantly in an iron pan. Then I added the butter (used an omega 3 light butter) and sugar (at least 1/2 a cup or a bit more) and voila, I ended up with walnuts that my 8 year old is devouring. The toasting makes them crispy on the outside. They didn’t stick to each other much and were easy to separate.
Thank you for sharing Diane!! 😀
This is one perfect little recipe. Came out great. Now I dont have to spend five dollars on a small bag of candied nuts!
That is so great!! I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe and that it saves you money. How awesome!! 🙂
If brown sugar is used will it give same results?
I Ritu, I haven’ tested that so I’m not sure if it would be more likely to burn or if would melt as readily. If you test it out, let me know your thoughts on it 🙂
Great recipe – so easy!
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’m so glad you enjoyed it and thank you for sharing your dairy free, sugar free version! I’m sure that will be helpful for someone looking to do something similar! Thank you!! 🙂
You’re welcome!
Just to clarify, what I outlined is a low sugar, not a no sugar alternative.
Ok thank you Lizzie! 🙂
I followed the recipe but had the chunky results. IMPOSSIBLE to get this kinda caramelized sauce in 5 minutes.
Hi Maria, did you make any changes in quantities of ingredients or types of ingredients? It won’t work the same way with coarse sugar or if the proportions are off. I hope that helps!
I tried this recipe and it works perfectly. It takes a few minutes for the sugar too melt. Just stir it constantly, and remove when nuts are coated all around.
Thank you so much for sharing your results!! 🙂
I have tried this recipe a few times, I have enjoyed making it and my family enjoyed eating the candies walnuts! Thank you for the simple recipe!
You’re welcome JoAnn! Thanks you for sharing your wonderful review! 🙂
Thank you for this. Do you think i can use canola oil instead of butter-am trying to avoid using milk produce.
Thanks in advance
Hi Anna, I haven’t tested it that way so I’m not sure if the sugar will melt properly and incorporate with the oil. I searched the comments and no one has tried that yet. I wish I had a good answer, but I’m just not sure.
Thank you! I’m obsessed with cranberry walnut salad. It was getting expensive. So I tried your recipe because it seemed so simple. They are delicious! I’m still eating them as I type. I did toss them in a little brown sugar and pink salt while I was separating them. Holy cow!
Oh Wow!! I love the brown sugar and pink salt idea!! Thank you for sharing your amazing review! 🙂
Reviewers are right that it takes more than 5 min to melt sugar, at least on my electric stove starting with a cold pan and burner – but it does work quite well so long as you watch it like a hawk once sugar shows any sign of melting. I had a fair bit of caramel left, so will probably try 3/4 cup of nut pieces next time.
Thank you Chef for sharing! 🙂
Did you possibly double the recipe?
This same thing happened to me. :-/ I did it like you had in the picture, by putting the butter, granulated sugar, and walnuts in the pan at the same time (over medium heat). Then as soon as the butter started melting, I started stirring pretty continually. The sugar formed buttery globs, which doesn’t coat the walnuts. The sugar only started melting after about 18 minutes, and by that point it just solidified. I ended up with unglazed walnuts and sugar globbies. I have a photo if there’s a way for me to upload it, if that’s helpful. Would it be better to first make a sugar/butter mixture, and then pour that over the walnuts?
Hi Annie, it’s unusual that it would take that long for sugar to melt. Did you change the proportions at all? Or were you possibly using coarse sugar?
Thank you so much for this recipe! So far, I’ve made it twice. I added cinnamon, nutmeg, and a touch of sea salt. They were quick, easy and delicious! My kind of recipe!
My pleasure Jennie! I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Loved this very quick and easy recipe! Made up a batch with a touch of sea salt, tasted like salted caramel! Good stuff!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it and a touch of sea salt sounds amazing!!
How much could a person charge, and what serving size would you use for a fund raiser?
Hi Kevin, because these are time sensitive, I would recommend making them in batches on the skillet – you also wouldn’t want to crowd the pan. You can make as many batches as you need – it depends on how they are being used, sold, etc.
Thank you so much…. was looking for a faster candied walnut recipe that didnt involve deep frying! Just a thought…. adding a small pinch of cayenne takes it to a whole new level 😉
Barbara, thank you for the great review and the tip about cayenne pepper 😬. Merry Christmas!