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By: Becky Hardin
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Candied Walnuts are awesome for holiday appetizers, baking, snacking, and so much more. This easy recipe comes together in only 5 minutes with just walnuts, butter, and brown sugar. It’s a (mostly) healthy holiday recipe that couldn’t be easier to toss together!
Table of Contents
What’s in this Candied Walnut Recipe
This candied walnuts recipe is so simple. You just need walnuts, brown sugar, and butter, plus a few minutes of time to cook these up.
- Walnuts: They can be walnut halves or chopped walnuts, whichever you prefer.
- Butter: I like salted butter because the combo of salty and sweet really hits the spot! However, unsalted butter can certainly be used instead.
- Brown Sugar: Feel free to make your own by combining 1 cup of white granulated sugar and 1 TBSP (or more) of molasses.
PRO TIP: When you spread the walnuts out on a baking sheet to dry, make sure they’re not touching so they don’t stick together.
What else can I add?
Feel free to make this recipe for candied walnuts more fall-forward with a sprinkle of cinnamon and/or nutmeg. You can even spice things up (for that amazing balance of spicy and sweet) with some cayenne powder if you’re feeling adventurous.
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Why are my candied walnuts sticky?
This may happen when they aren’t cooked for long enough on the stove top. You want the sugar to fully dissolve into the hot melted butter, which helps it to crystalize.
Are candied walnuts healthy?
Caramelized walnuts contain a number of healthy brain compounds, including vitamin E, folate, melatonin, omega-3 fats, and antioxidants. Yes you’re making them a little less skinny by adding the sugar and butter, but I still love this healthy snack!
Do you have to soak walnuts before caramelizing them?
Nope! While some baked walnut recipes require you to soak them beforehand, that’s not the case for this quick and easy walnut candy recipe.
How to Store
Once they’re totally cooled to room temperature, you can store candied walnuts in an airtight container at room temperature (preferably in a cool, dark place) for up to 2 weeks.
How to Freeze
Let the candied walnuts fully cool to room temperature prior to transferring them to a freezer-safe storage container. Properly stored in the freezer, candied walnuts will last for up to 2 months.
Serving Suggestions
Caramelized walnuts are such a tasty addition to baked cheese dips, salads, and baked goods. They’re even good all on their own! You definitely won’t have any trouble finding ways to eat up these tasty walnuts. One of my favorite ways to use them is on top of a brie bread bowl!
Recipe
Candied Walnuts Recipe
4.28 from 109 votes
Author: Becky Hardin
Prep: 2 minutes minutes
Cook: 3 minutes minutes
Total: 5 minutes minutes
Serves4
Print Rate
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Candied Walnuts are awesome for holiday appetizers, baking, snacking, and so much more. This Easy Candied Walnuts Recipe is made in under 5 minutes and oh so tasty! Caramelized Walnuts are such a healthy snackincluding vitamin E, healthy fats, and antioxidants. We will show you How to Make Candied Walnuts, the perfect snack!
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Ingredients
- 1 cup walnut halves or chopped walnuts (We LOVE California Walnuts!)
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
Instructions
Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat.
Add the walnuts, butter, and brown sugar and allow to melt, stirring with a spatula constantly to coat the walnuts. Once the walnuts are coated and the butter and sugar are fully melted, turn off the heat.
Pour the walnuts onto a piece of parchment paper into one single layer, separating the walnuts to make sure they don’t dry clumped together.
Allow to dry 2 minutes before putting in an airtight container or enjoying.
Enjoy!
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Nutrition Information
Calories: 286kcal (14%) Carbohydrates: 21g (7%) Protein: 4g (8%) Fat: 21g (32%) Saturated Fat: 3g (19%) Cholesterol: 7mg (2%) Sodium: 30mg (1%) Potassium: 153mg (4%) Fiber: 1g (4%) Sugar: 18g (20%) Vitamin A: 90IU (2%) Vitamin C: 0.4mg Calcium: 44mg (4%) Iron: 1mg (6%)
Did You Make This?I want to see! Be sure to upload an image below & tag @thecookierookie on social media!
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More Snack Recipes We Love
- Homemade Chex Mix
- Crockpot Candied Nuts
- Candied Corn Puffs Snack Mix
- Sweet and Salty Hot Buttered Cheerios
- Mexican Spice Cheese Crackers
- Caramel Pretzels
Meet Becky Hardin
Becky Hardin is a wife and mother living in Saint Louis Missouri. She founded The Cookie Rookie in 2012 as a creative way to share recipes. Now, she is a trusted resource for easy cooking around the world, being featured in Taste of Home, The Kitchn, ABC’s Home and Family, and more. Here at The Cookie Rookie she is the editor in chief of all recipes and continues to enjoy sharing her passion for cooking for busy families. She has since founded two additional food blogs, Easy Chicken Recipes and Easy Dessert Recipes.
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7 Comments
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Amy
Posted on 3/21/2024
The sugar and butter did not stick to the walnuts. Ended up dumping in a pile on parchment to cool and hoping some sugar sticks as it cools.
Reply
Samantha Marceau
Posted on 3/22/2024
Reply to Amy
Hi Amy, it sounds like there may have been too much butter or the mixture wasn’t cooked for long enough. It’s important to use a relatively low heat so you don’t burn the nuts, but enough to keep the mixture simmering and reducing to a sticky coating.
Reply
Lisa
Posted on 1/27/2024
These are great made a number of batches
Reply
Ingrid
Posted on 12/7/2023
Sugar is tricky. The pan needs to be hot enough to melt the sugar (320°F) but not so hot that it burns. Get the pan hotter before starting, and then stir constantly (it took me about 10 min of constant stirring before all the sugar melted). It is clumpy at first but will eventually melt!
4
Reply
River
Posted on 11/23/2023
Mine came out perfect!! Thank you so much and so easy!!
Reply
Samantha Marceau
Posted on 11/20/2023
Oh, no! We’re so sorry to hear that! I recommend taking the nuts off the heat before the sugar hardens too much, then spreading them out and letting them dry completely.
Reply
Heather M. Whipple
Posted on 1/7/2020
would this recipe work with Pecans as well?
please let me know.
Reply
