Candied Walnuts: Easy To Make, Hard to Stop Eating (2024)

  • Quick Snacks and Appetizers
  • Christmas Candies
  • Walnuts

To make these super simple candied walnuts, you just need 2 ingredients: walnuts and sugar.

By

Elise Bauer

Candied Walnuts: Easy To Make, Hard to Stop Eating (1)

Elise Bauer

Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.

Learn about Simply Recipes'Editorial Process

Updated September 12, 2023

Candied Walnuts: Easy To Make, Hard to Stop Eating (2)

19 ratings

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Candied Walnuts: Easy To Make, Hard to Stop Eating (3)

In This Recipe

  • How to Use Them

  • Mixing Them

  • Storing Them

  • Cleaning Up

  • No Sticking

  • Storage Hack

Walnuts. Sugar. That's pretty much all you need to make candied walnuts! A dash of salt helps too.

These are very easy to make.

Candied Walnuts: Easy To Make, Hard to Stop Eating (4)

Tricks to Making Candied Walnuts

One trick is to work very fast once the sugar starts melting. Once you mix in the walnuts, the candy syrup cools quickly and the walnuts will stick together.

You have 30 seconds or so to separate them before they are forever bonded by glassy, cooked sugar.

The other trick is to not burn the walnuts when you toast them. (Yes, we've done that before...)

Candied Walnuts: Easy To Make, Hard to Stop Eating (5)

Ways to Use Candied Walnuts

Around the holidays, candied walnuts make a great party snack. You can make them a day or two ahead, and then just set them out in small bowls or serve them alongside a cheese plate for people to snack on.

You can even add a sprinkle of minced rosemary or a dash of cinnamon when you stir in the walnuts for some extra holiday flavor.

Other times of year, candied walnuts are a delightful addition to lunch salads, mixed into bowls of yogurt, or sprinkled over ice cream. They also make a convenient snack to have in your bag when traveling.

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Mix It Up!

Don't like walnuts? Use pecans, almonds, or any other nut instead.

You can also double this batch if needed, though your sugar will take a little longer to caramelize. If you need to make more candied nuts, make them in separate batches rather than trying to make them all at once; it's more difficult to quickly separate larger batches before the caramelized sugar starts to harden.

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How to Store Candied Walnuts

Let your walnuts cool completely, then store them in an airtight container, like glass canning jar, at room temperature. As long as it's not too humid where you live (Moisture will cause the walnuts to become sticky!), they should stay crunchy for at least a week.

Looking for More Nutty Ideas?

  • Herb Spiced Mixed Nuts
  • Chipotle Lime Mixed Nuts
  • Caramel Walnuts

How to Clean Up When You’re Done

Add water to the saucepan, bring to a boil, then boil until the sugar dissolves. Faster than soaking!

How to Make Sure the Glazed Walnuts Don’t Stick

  • Use a silicone baking mat such as a Silpat.
  • Or line your baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • It may help to spray your mat or paper with some cooking spray to help from sticking even more.
  • Don’t have parchment or a Silpat? Butter your baking sheet and pour out your nuts on that.
  • We don't recommend wax paper, since the hot sugar will melt the wax, making everything even more sticky.

Try This Brilliant Storage Hack!

Save the packets of silica gel that come in boxes of crackers and cookies. Slip one into the jar or container you keep the candied nuts in. The packet will help absorb moisture from humidity, keeping your nuts from getting sticky.

Salads to Top With Your Candied Walnuts

  • Arugula Salad with Beets
  • Farmer's Market Salad with Peaches and Goat Cheese
  • Mixed Green Salad with Goat Cheese and Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
  • Grape and Walnut Side Salad with Blue Cheese
  • Radicchio Salad with Citrus

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

Candied Walnuts

Cook Time25 mins

Total Time25 mins

Servings12 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups raw walnut halves

  • 1/2 cup sugar

  • 1/8 teaspoon coarse salt

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F:

    Place rack in the middle of the oven.

  2. Toast the walnuts:

    Lay walnuts out on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 5 minutes, until slightly darker in color and fragrant.

    If not quite toasted enough, toast for 1 or 2 more minutes. Be careful not to burn them. Remove from the oven and let cool in pan on a rack.

    Candied Walnuts: Easy To Make, Hard to Stop Eating (8)

  3. Get everything ready:

    You'll need to work quickly once the caramelized sugar is ready. So, be sure to have everything prepped and ready to go.

    Place the cooled walnuts in a bowl near the stove. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicon baking mat or parchment paper and place near the stove. Have two forks ready.

  4. Caramelize the sugar:

    Pour sugar into a medium saucepan with a thick bottom and place over medium heat. Stir with a wooden spoon as the sugar begins to melt.

    Keep stirring until all the sugar has melted and the color is a medium amber, Five to 10 minutes (exact timing will depend on your stove top).

    Candied Walnuts: Easy To Make, Hard to Stop Eating (9)

    Candied Walnuts: Easy To Make, Hard to Stop Eating (10)

    Candied Walnuts: Easy To Make, Hard to Stop Eating (11)

  5. Coat the walnuts in caramelized sugar:

    As soon as sugar has melted and the color is a medium amber, add the walnuts to the pan. Stir quickly and make sure each piece is coated with the liquid sugar.

    As soon as the walnuts are coated with the sugar mixture, spread them out on the prepared baking sheet. Use two forks to separate the walnuts from each other, working very quickly. Sprinkle the nuts with the salt.

    Candied Walnuts: Easy To Make, Hard to Stop Eating (12)

    Candied Walnuts: Easy To Make, Hard to Stop Eating (13)

  6. Cool and store:

    Let the walnuts cool completely. Transfer to an airtight container and store for up to a week at room temperature.

    Did you enjoy this recipe? Let us know with a rating and review!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
117Calories
8g Fat
10g Carbs
2g Protein

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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories117
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g11%
Saturated Fat 1g4%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 21mg1%
Total Carbohydrate 10g4%
Dietary Fiber 1g3%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 0mg1%
Calcium 13mg1%
Iron 0mg2%
Potassium 58mg1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Candied Walnuts: Easy To Make, Hard to Stop Eating (2024)

FAQs

How long can you keep candied walnuts? ›

After these candied walnuts have cooled completely, I recommend storing them in an airtight container. They'll last for up to a week. However, if you want them to last even longer you can store them in the refrigerator. They'll last for 3 weeks, although they won't be as crunchy.

How do you keep candied walnuts from sticking together? ›

How to Make Sure the Glazed Walnuts Don't Stick. Use a silicone baking mat such as a Silpat. Or line your baking sheet with parchment paper. It may help to spray your mat or paper with some cooking spray to help from sticking even more.

Do candied nuts go bad? ›

Ba-dum-dum. Okay, all bad dad jokes aside, these candied walnuts will last quite a while. All nuts do go rancid eventually, but as long as you cool them completely and then store them in an air-tight container, they should be good for about a month. You might also like our Candied Pecans recipe or Candied Almonds!

How many calories are in candied walnuts? ›

Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving
Calories191
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16.3g21%
Saturated Fat 1.5g
12 more rows
Nov 23, 2015

How long are walnuts safe to eat? ›

Throw away rancid walnuts! Store shelled or unshelled walnuts safely in an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place. The refrigerator is a great choice as walnuts will remain fresh for up to three months. You can also freeze walnuts for up to one year.

What makes walnuts go bad? ›

Walnuts go rancid when exposed to warm temperatures for long periods of time. Heat causes the fat in walnuts to change structure, which creates off odors and flavors. Fresh walnuts smell mildly nutty and taste sweet. If your walnuts smell like paint thinner, you know they're rancid.

How to make candied nuts not sticky? ›

Pecans too sticky: If your nuts are still sticky after cooling, heat your oven to 325° F and bake for 5 to 10 minutes to help harden the candy coating.

Why do you soak walnuts in water? ›

Shruti Bharadwaj, Senior Clinical Dietician, Narayana Hrudayalaya says soaking walnuts helps improve their digestibility and also remove phytic acid and tannin. "Soaking can also help prevent indigestion as it helps reduce gas forming compounds. It also reduces polyphenols and increase nutrient availability.

Why are my candied walnuts soft? ›

Storing Candied Nuts

Let the candied nuts cool for at least 20 minutes or until completely cool. You don't want to package warm nuts or the moisture will cause condensation which will soften the candy coating.

Can you eat nuts 2 years out of date? ›

A: Nuts can't expire; however, they can change in taste or go rancid.

What to do with expired walnuts? ›

If a nut is only slightly stale, says Kanney, it can usually still be toasted to revive some of its previous glory and (crunch). However, Kanney says, “If a nut has spoiled or gone rancid, recognizable by a sour or bitter flavor, the nut is no longer good and should be thrown away.”

Are stale walnuts bad for you? ›

Consuming rancid or stale nuts like almonds, walnuts or cashews in small amounts may not immediately make you sick, but it's generally not advisable as it may hamper digestion or have other harmful effects on your body in the long term.

How much sugar is in a handful of walnuts? ›

A single serving of walnuts only contains about 3.8 grams of carbohydrates. A very small amount of that is starch (0.017g) and a small amount is naturally occurring sugar (0.7g). Most of the carbohydrate in walnuts comes from healthy fiber (1.9g).

Do walnuts have carbs or sugar? ›

Walnuts are not only low in carbs but also loaded with nutrients, including B vitamins, iron, magnesium, zinc, antioxidants, and fiber ( 17 ). One ounce (28 grams) of walnuts contains ( 17 ): Total carbs: 4 grams. Net carbs: 2 grams.

How many walnuts is 100 calories? ›

What 100 Calories of Nuts Looks Like
Type of Nut100 calories1-ounce serving
Walnuts8–9 halves14–15 halves
Cashews10–11 nuts18 nuts
Pistachios29 nuts49 nuts
Hazelnuts10–11 nuts21 nuts
4 more rows
Oct 23, 2017

How do you store walnuts for a long time? ›

Answer
  1. Store in air-tight packaging.
  2. Store away from foods with strong odors, like cabbage and onions.
  3. For short-term storage, keep them in your refrigerator. If you'll be storing them for a month or longer, store them in your freezer.
  4. Prep as needed – shell, chop or grind walnuts right before using them.

How long do baked walnuts last? ›

If you plan on storing them long-term, you can refrigerate or freeze them for 2 to 3 months. If you store the toasted walnuts at room temperature, keep them in a dark, cool place and use them within 1 week.

What is the shelf life of wet walnuts? ›

Wet Walnuts can be stored for up to 1 day in an airtight container at room temperature, but they'll lose a bit of their crispness overnight, so it's best to prepare them shortly before using them.

How long can you keep soaked walnuts in the fridge? ›

You can store soaked nuts in your refrigerator for 5-7 days until you eat them or use them in a recipe. To stock your pantry with soaked ingredients, however, you will need to dehydrate them.

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