These candied nuts taste like those delicious roasted nuts you get at the mall during the holiday season! Your whole house will smell like delicious, sweet roasted nuts. Perfect for gifting during the holidays!
There are plenty of things we’ve missed out on during 2020 and I won’t bother to run down the list for you. I’m sure you’ve missed plenty yourself.
One of those things that I am NOT missing, however, is walking into the mall, instantly getting a whiff of the roasted nuts, and then shelling out half of my Christmas fund on them because the scent is impossible to resist.
First of all, it’s 2020. I’m not vising the mall. 😉
Second of all, I make my own candied nuts at home that are just good, infinitely cheaper, and they make my entire house smell amazing.
This year, rather than paying $allthemoney and risk the plague for an ounce of roasted nuts, why not make them yourself? They make amazing gifts to friends and family!
Table of Contents
How to Make:
Eggs: Begin by separating the egg whites from the egg yolk and adding the whites to a small bowl with the water. Whisk together until it is frothy. The egg/water mix will help to coat the sugar and spice on the nuts.
Mix: In a larger mixing bowl add the nuts of your choice (I prefer to buy a package of mixed nuts for lots of variety, but you can choose your favorite!) and then add the sugars and spices and stir to evenly distribute the mix. Next pour in the egg/water mixture and stir again until the nuts are well coated in the sugar and spices.
Bake: Spread the mixture on a parchment lined baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to break them up a bit. These roasted candied nuts are amazing straight out of the oven!
Is the cayenne necessary?
This recipe calls for a mix of spices, including cayenne.
You can swap the cayenne for paprika (we like the smoked variety) to keep these 100% mild, but we absolutely love the tiny bit of spice you get from the cayenne.
It pairs so perfectly with the sweet cinnamon goodness of the nuts.
More holiday favorites!
Sugar and Spice Candied Nuts
Ingredients
- 2 pounds nuts any variety
- 2 large egg whites room temperature
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper see note
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees.
- Add nuts to large bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg whites and water until frothy. Pour over nuts and stir to coat all the nuts.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the sugars, salt, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon. Pour over nuts and stir to coat.
- Spread nuts in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes stirring every 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and separate nuts if they are stuck together.
- Store in an airtight container for 1-2 weeks.
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Recipe lightly adapted from Elizabeth Karmel of Hill Country.
This post was originally published in 2009. It was updated with new photos and a video in 2020. Original photo below.
