Candied Almonds Recipe (You can make it with pecans or walnuts, too!) (2024)

Candied Almonds Recipe (You can make it with pecans or walnuts, too!) (1)

I feel so bad for my friends who have nut allergies. They are missing out on this sweet, crunchy, candied almonds recipe. Oh how wonderful they are! Sprinkle them on a spinach salad with red onion, feta cheese and tangy vinaigrette. Adorn a mound of vanilla ice cream with them, drizzle with chocolate sauce or add them to a yogurt and honey dollop, topped with fresh berries. Candied almonds are indeed the perfect complement to so many dishes that I thought you would love to learn how to make them! In less than 15 minutes, you will have 1 1/2 cups of these delicious morsels, ready to be sprinkled, adorned with and crunched on. They make a great snack too! Sometimes when I have leftovers, I use them in my homemade granola bars.

Come on in to my kitchen!

Candied Almonds Recipe (You can make it with pecans or walnuts, too!) (2)

The recipe I use to make candied almonds is an oldie from Better Homes and Gardens. It seems that cooks have been “candying up” nuts for years, yet I have only just realized how remarkable they are! By making them yourself, you not only save money, but can enjoy a treat with no preservatives or added chemicals. There are just 4 simple ingredients: all natural almonds, butter, sugar and pure vanilla extract. The original recipe called for 3 cups of nuts, but I found that to be too much. You will only need half the bag to make a batch (1 1/2 cups) of candied almonds. Of course, if you are not an almond fan, walnuts or pecans would make great substitutes.

Candied Almonds Recipe (You can make it with pecans or walnuts, too!) (3)

Whatever nut you decide to use, be sure you are using “all natural.” That means raw, non-roasted and non-salted. At Aldi, you can buy a 12 oz. bag of Southern Grove All Natural Almonds for about $4.29.

Start by coarsely chopping 1 ½ cups.

Candied Almonds Recipe (You can make it with pecans or walnuts, too!) (4)

Spread the chopped nuts on a baking sheet and put into a preheated 325 degree oven. Set the timer for 9 minutes.

Place a piece of parchment paper on a separate baking sheet and set aside. This is where your hot nuts will cool down. If you don’t have parchment, you can use a piece of greased aluminum foil. Be sure not to use wax paper because the nuts will melt through the wax paper and you nobody really cares for candied wax nuts!

Candied Almonds Recipe (You can make it with pecans or walnuts, too!) (5)

Meanwhile, in a heavy bottom saucepan, pour ¼ cup granulated sugar and place on medium high heat. I have used raw sugar, sucanat and brown sugar in the past, but I find that gool ol’ granulated beet sugar works best.

Right next to the pan, set your T. butter and ¼ tsp. vanilla so that you are ready at go-time. Candying nuts require a bit of fast hands at the end and you want to be ready.

Candied Almonds Recipe (You can make it with pecans or walnuts, too!) (6)

Give the pan a little shake to even out the sugar. At this point, you don’t want to do any stirring, just shaking. After a couple minutes on medium high heat, you will start to see a corner of the sugar begin to liquefy. Again, no stirring yet; just a little shake here and there.

Candied Almonds Recipe (You can make it with pecans or walnuts, too!) (7)

While watching, you will see less of the granulated sugar and more of the liquidized sugar…

And since we have a bit of time here, how about a little almond trivia? Did you know that almonds are rich in flavanoids? Such a funny little word!

As the sugar is melting, the timer for your almonds will probably go off – go ahead and get those babies out. Set them aside.

When there is just a small amount of granulated sugar remaining and the liquid form begins to turn light brown, you are ready to get your stir on! Using a metal or wooden spoon, stir the remaining granulated portion into the liquid until all is melted.

Candied Almonds Recipe (You can make it with pecans or walnuts, too!) (9)

In a matter of seconds, the color will become light brown due to the carmelization process. Almost done!

Candied Almonds Recipe (You can make it with pecans or walnuts, too!) (10)

Working quickly, stir in 1 T. butter (do not use unsalted). The butter will bubble up and thicken the sauce as it melts.

Candied Almonds Recipe (You can make it with pecans or walnuts, too!) (11)

Now add your ¼ t. vanilla extract. It too will bubble up and sizzle as you stir it in.

Candied Almonds Recipe (You can make it with pecans or walnuts, too!) (12)

Keeping the same heat level, quickly pour in your hot nuts straight from the baking sheet. The picture is a bit blurry because I working at top speed while also trying to use my camera. Making candied nuts can be a great adrenaline rush! From butter to nuts, it is only a matter of seconds.

Candied Almonds Recipe (You can make it with pecans or walnuts, too!) (13)

Stir, stir, stir until all the nuts are coated with the hot, caramel sauce.

Candied Almonds Recipe (You can make it with pecans or walnuts, too!) (14)

Turn off the heat and pour the coated nuts onto your prepared lining. Spread them out evenly with the spoon. They will still be very hot! Resist the urge to burn your tongue in tasting one and allow them to cool 🙂

Candied Almonds Recipe (You can make it with pecans or walnuts, too!) (15)

After they are cool to touch, you may find some of the almonds have clustered themselves into little families. You can easily break them apart again before storing them in an airtight container.

Candied Almonds Recipe (You can make it with pecans or walnuts, too!) (16)

This, my friends, is my family’s favorite way to serve candied almonds…decorating homemade black brownies, chocolate coconut sauce, whipped cream and a few chopped dried cherries.

Out.Of.This.World.

Enjoy!

Candied Almonds Recipe (You can make it with pecans or walnuts, too!) (17)

Created by: Lynette Rice

Candied Almonds Recipe


Course Side

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 9 minutes minutes

Total Time 14 minutes minutes

Servings 8 -10

8 -10

Make candied almonds from home to top your favorite desserts or for a snack in themselves.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups chopped all natural almonds or walnuts; pecans
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325˚ F.

  • Coarsely chop 1 ½ cups of nuts. Spread the chopped nuts on a baking sheet and put into the preheated oven. Set the timer for 9 minutes.

  • Place a piece of parchment paper on a separate baking sheet and set aside.

  • Meanwhile, in a heavy bottom saucepan, pour ¼ cup granulated sugar and place on medium high heat. Give the pan a little shake to even out the sugar. Do not stir, just shake the pan here and there. The sugar will begin to melt.

  • When there is just a small amount of granulated sugar remaining and the liquid form begins to turn light brown, stir the remaining granulated portion into the liquid until all is melted. Working quickly, stir in 1 T. butter and then ¼ t. vanilla extract.

  • Keeping the same heat level, quickly pour in your hot nuts straight from the baking sheet. Stir until all the nuts are coated with the hot, caramel sauce. Turn off the heat and spread the coated nuts onto your prepared lining.

  • After they are cool to touch, break them apart and store in an airtight container.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25cup | Calories: 192kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 12mg | Potassium: 197mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 44IU | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 1mg

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Candied Almonds Recipe (You can make it with pecans or walnuts, too!) (2024)

FAQs

Why are my candied almonds chewy? ›

Again, you likely didn't bake the almonds for long enough. The almonds will also be slightly soft when they're still warm, so if you've sampled them before they've cooled completely to room temperature wait a little longer before eating them.

How long do candied nuts stay good for? ›

Refrigerate or Freeze for Long-Term Storage

If you don't plan on eating your candied pecans right away, you may want to consider storing them in the refrigerator or freezer. Refrigeration can keep the pecans fresh for up to three months, while freezing can extend their shelf life for up to six months.

Why are my candied pecans so sticky? ›

If after they have cooled down, the pecans are still sticky, this means that the sugar mixture never reached a high enough temperature when on the stove. To fix them, place the nuts back into the skillet and cook a bit longer.

Which nut is healthier almonds or pecans? ›

Almonds have a higher mineral profile, while pecans are rich in minerals. Almond contains more calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and iron than pecan, which has more zinc and less sodium. However, pecans have higher calories, fats, and thiamin (vitamin B1).

Why are my candied almonds not crunchy? ›

Don't under bake the candied almonds, and be sure to turn them every 20 minutes. And perhaps the most important tip: let the cool before digging in! As they cool, they'll firm up and get crunchier. So if you taste one fresh from the oven, don't be alarmed if it's still a bit soft.

How do you make almonds easier to chew? ›

Soaking may make almonds easier to chew, increasing nutrient availability. Research shows that breaking down almonds into smaller pieces through chewing or cutting allows more nutrients to be released and absorbed — especially fats ( 10 , 13 ).

Can you eat nuts 2 years out of date? ›

A: Nuts can't expire; however, they can change in taste or go rancid. Nuts contain much-unsaturated fat, an oil that makes nuts likely to go rancid. Nuts spoil faster when exposed to light, air, or heat.

Should you refrigerate candied nuts? ›

Storage Instructions: Candied nuts can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for several weeks. Freezing Instructions: They freeze well in an air-tight container for up to two months. Nuts: use any kind of nuts with this recipe, like walnuts, almonds, peanuts, cashews, or pistachios.

Which nuts go bad? ›

"Nuts have a wide range of fat contents," says LaMarita. Almonds, walnuts, and pistachios are lower in fat, so they'll generally last longer than nuts higher in fat, like macadamia nuts, pine nuts, cashews, and Brazil nuts, all of which will go rancid quicker, says LaMarita.

Do candied pecans need to be refrigerated? ›

No, they store nicely on the counter, but if you want to keep them fresher for a little longer, pop them in the fridge. And the nice thing is that they can be stored on the counter, in the fridge, or the freezer and they are just as good! Can you freeze them? Yes, these Cinnamon-Sugar Candied Pecans freeze well.

What is the white fuzz on my pecans? ›

Powdery Mildew (caused by the fungus Microsphaera alni)

It occurs on foliage and nuts alike and appears as a superficial powdery white growth (Figure 4). Early-infected nuts may remain small and have an early shuck split and shriveled kernels. In some other states, it sometimes causes defoliation.

How do you keep candied pecans from sticking together? ›

Under-cooking the pecans is the likely cause of stickiness, but the risk is low when they're oven-baked. After the sugar-coated nuts have darkened and turned very fragrant, about 20 minutes in the oven, stir the pecans and separate any pieces that have stuck together. Continue to bake for an additional 20 minutes.

What is the number 1 healthiest nut? ›

1. Almonds. Relatively low in calories, almonds are an excellent food for health due to their protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

What are the two healthiest nuts to eat? ›

The Top 9 Nuts to Eat for Better Health
  • Almonds.
  • Pistachios.
  • Walnuts.
  • Cashews.
  • Pecans.
  • Macadamia nuts.
  • Brazil nuts.
  • Hazelnuts.

Are almonds supposed to be chewy? ›

Roasting almonds in the oven turns them from a mild, chewy nut to a delicious, crunchy treat. While almonds are mild when they are raw, cooking them really develops their flavors.

What if candied nuts are too soft? ›

If the nuts or candy coating seem 'stringy' or too soft after cooling, just pop them onto your cookie sheet & place them in the oven at 325 degrees (f), stirring gently until they crisp up. To warm these nuts up before serving, you can simply follow the oven instructions above or toss in a warm pan for a few minutes.

Why are my candied nuts soft? ›

Usually if the almonds are soft after candying it means that they weren't cooked for long enough. However, this recipe cooks all of the water out of the sugar syrup and then takes it a step further where the the sugar then re-caramelizes allowing the almonds to harden.

Why are my candied nuts grainy? ›

Either you used raw nuts, or you added them before the sugar had a chance to fully caramelize. Why is the sugar all crystallized and grainy looking? It means that the sugar has crystallized before caramelizing. Avoid stirring it before it changes its color.

References

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