Sweet with Heat Cinnamon Sugar Candied Nuts

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Cinnamon Sugar Candied Nuts — The smell of candied nuts is one of the best parts of holiday shopping! Munch on a these shopping mall-style candied nuts at home, year-round. 

glass jar filled with candied nuts

Homemade Candied Nuts Recipe

The smell of candied nuts wafting through the shopping malls before Christmas is positively intoxicating. Something so good shouldn’t be confined to just a month or two of the year. These shopping mall-style candied nuts are fast and easy to make and ready in a half hour. The aroma that wafts through your house while they bake is so intoxicating that you’ll wish you could bottle it.

For this mix, I used 1 cup each of pecans, walnuts, and almonds. Pecans are great here because their nooks and crannies trap the coating mixture especially well.

In the coating mixture, I used one tablespoon of cinnamon and one-half teaspoon of cayenne pepper. The nuts aren’t intense firebombs where you’ll need to immediately guzzle water. Rather, it’s a creeper heat. The kind that sneaks up on you.

Sweet with Heat Cinnamon Sugar Candied Nuts - Recipe at averiecooks.com

After a handful, your sinuses will be wide open, but you’ll reach for another handful. Food with heat is addictive. The more you have, the more you want. If you’re not into heat, either reduce or eliminate the cayenne. Still tasty, minus the open sinuses.

The sweet-with-heat, caramelized, crispy, brown sugary coating is so good. The stray bits of it that fall off are even better than the nuts themselves for me. I love finding bonus chunks of it laying loose in the jar. It’s the streusel topping principle. I love to pick at any sort of brown sugary crumbs.

These homemade Christmas nuts make great last-minute gifts and anything homemade in under a half hour is a winner. Don’t wait for Christmas. Bring some to a summer bbq, a pool party, or a neighborhood cookout. You’ll be the hit of the party as people stand around crunching and munching.

We’ve been doing our share of crunching and munching alright.

Sweet with Heat Cinnamon Sugar Candied Nuts - Recipe at averiecooks.com

What’s in Candied Nuts? 

To make this mixture of candied pecans, candied walnuts, and candied almonds, you’ll need: 

  • Nuts
  • Egg white
  • Water
  • Granulated sugar
  • Brown sugar
  • Cinnamon
  • Kosher salt
  • Cayenne pepper

Sweet with Heat Cinnamon Sugar Candied Nuts - Recipe at averiecooks.com

How to Make Candied Nuts

Making candied Christmas nuts couldn’t be simpler! Place nuts in a large bowl. Whisk the egg white and water until frothy in another bowl. 

Pour the egg white mixture over the nuts, then pour in the remaining ingredients. Toss evenly to coat. 

Spread the nuts over a parchment paper-lined baking tray, then bake until the coating is crisped, dried and candied. 

Sweet with Heat Cinnamon Sugar Candied Nuts - Recipe at averiecooks.com

How Long Do Candied Nuts Last? 

If stored in an airtight container at room temperature, these candied nuts will last up to a month. 

What Type of Nuts Should I Use? 

You can use any type of nuts you’d like in this candied nuts recipe. Just note that I used raw, unsalted nuts in this recipe. 

Sweet with Heat Cinnamon Sugar Candied Nuts - Recipe at averiecooks.com

Can I Omit the Cayenne Pepper?

Yes, but I recommend adding it in. It’s highly addictive!

Can I Add Other Spices?

Yes, you’re welcome to spice these candied nuts however you see fit. Cinnamon is a must in my book, though.  

Sweet with Heat Cinnamon Sugar Candied Nuts - Recipe at averiecooks.com

Can I Omit the Egg White? 

Not really, no. The egg white acts as the glue in this recipe and prevents the candied coating from sliding off the nuts. 

Can I Omit Part of the Sugar? 

I don’t think so, no. Without the sugar, you can’t make candied nuts. 

Sweet with Heat Cinnamon Sugar Candied Nuts - Recipe at averiecooks.com

Tips for Making Candied Nuts

Don’t skip the kosher salt in this recipe. You need a bit of salt to balance out the sweetness of the candy coating and bring out the flavor of the nuts themselves. 

Be sure to stir the candied nuts halfway through the bake time. If you don’t stir them, some of the nuts may burn. 

Lastly, you need to let these candied Christmas nuts cool completely before eating them. They crisp up as they cool and develop a crunchy exterior. 

Sweet with Heat Cinnamon Sugar Candied Nuts - Make shopping mall-style candied nuts any time you want! Just 30 minutes and these crunchy and very addictive nuts are all yours! Makes a great gift! Easy recipe at averiecooks.com

Cinnamon Sugar Candied Nuts — The smell of candied nuts is one of the best parts of holiday shopping! Munch on a these shopping mall-style candied nuts at home, year-round. 

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4.60 from 10 votes

Sweet with Heat Cinnamon Sugar Candied Nuts

By Averie Sunshine
The smell of candied nuts is one of the best parts of holiday shopping! Munch on a these shopping mall-style candied nuts at home, year-round.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4 cups
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Ingredients  

  • 3 cups nuts, pecans work very well to absorb the coating; I used 1 cup each of pecans, walnuts, and almonds. All were raw and unsalted
  • 1 egg white, whisked to frothy
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • cup granulated sugar
  • cup brown sugar, packed (light or dark is fine)
  • 2 + teaspoons cinnamon, I used 1 tablespoon
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste (reduce to 1/4 teaspoon for milder heat)

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 300F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
  • In a large bowl, add the nuts; set aside. I used 1 cup each of pecans, walnuts, and almonds. All were raw and unsalted.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the egg white and water until frothy, foamy, and bubbly, about 2 minutes by hand. Pour mixture over nuts and toss to coat evenly; set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 5 ingredients. Dump over the nuts and toss to coat evenly.
  • Turn nuts out onto to prepared baking tray, spreading them in an even flat layer.
  • Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, or until coasting is crisped, dried and candied. Stir nuts once midway through cooking.
  • Lift the parchment paper with the nuts on it off the baking tray, set it on the counter, and allow nuts to cool. When nuts are cool enough to handle, if desired, break apart large clusters.
  • Transfer nuts to airtight containers or jars.

Notes

  • Nuts will keep airtight at room temperature for at least 1 month.

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 402kcal, Carbohydrates: 35g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 27g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 22g, Sodium: 411mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 26g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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About the Author

Welcome to AverieCooks! Here you’ll find fast and easy recipes that taste amazing and are geared for real life. Nothing fussy or complicated, just awesome tasting dishes everyone loves!

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Please note: I have only made the recipe as written, and cannot give advice or predict what will happen if you change something. If you have a question regarding changing, altering, or making substitutions to the recipe, please check out the FAQ page for more info.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Just made these, and I love them. I went light on the cayenne pepper, but the next batch I will use more. I doubled the recipe, and only used 1/4 tsp, and no heat at all. I was looking for the sweet/spicey, but not hot. I will be making them again
    Thank you for a great recipe

  2. 5 stars
    Just made these, and I love them. I went light on the cayenne pepper, but the next batch I will use more. I doubled the recipe, and only used 1/4 tsp, and no heat at all. I was looking for the sweet/spicey, but not hot. I will be making them again
    Thank you for a great recipe

  3. Did you take these photos of these nuts in the jar? I would like to know as I am doing Photography GCSE and I need to know a lot of different photographers.

    Thank you

  4. These are delicious. I added a touch of vanilla paste and made with solely cashew nuts. I’m from the UK so I doubled the recipe which meant I used 750g of nuts on the dot. Omitted the spice as that’s not for us, kept the cinnamon though. Baked for 35 minutes and they were spot on. I’ve now got three jars of nuts to give away for xmas + one for me and the boyfriend for munching on. Thanks Averie!

    1. You have lucky friends and family who are going to get these as gifts! I’m sure the vanilla paste is lovely and glad you’re happy!

  5. Hi. Can I use aluminum foil instead of parchment paper? I made these last year and they were fantastic. I want to make again now. But I don’t have parchment paper. Thank-you.

  6. These. Nuts. I made them last night and I cannot stop eating them!! Thank you for the recipe. You have become my new go to for to die for recipes!

    1. Glad I’m your new go-to and yes, these nuts. I know. I cannot even make them very often….way too addictive, yes! :) Glad you can relate!

    1. Probably like the other almonds (rosemary chipotle) I linked in the ‘Related Recipes’ section of the post. The coating won’t stick as well without the egg. You can try it, but just know that about half (or more) just won’t stick. The egg white is like glue but if there’s an allergy, there’s nothing you can do!

    1. Trader Joe’s is the cheapest. Or try the bulk bins at most any grocery store. Whole Foods of course will have them, but they’ll be more expensive. Target even carries some raw nuts. Very easy to find!

  7. I am wondering if it’s possible to substitute the white sugar & brown sugar with 1 cup of the Splenda Brown Sugar blend and still get it to caramelize to the nuts. Has anyone tried this? Might have to make a small test batch…
    Thanks for the recipe!

    1. I don’t think Splenda brown sugar actually caramelizes and browns…if it does, great. But I don’t think it will turn into the caramelized, melty, tacky coating these nuts are known for.

  8. My dad never has any ideas of what I should make, especially when I’m making it for him. He loves nuts too. I’ll have to remember these the next time he deserves something special.

  9. These look and sound terrific! Love your photos. I am sure your husband loved them. Mine would too!
    Sherri @ madefrompinterest.net

  10. I’m a huge nut lover too! And I could sure use this for snacking – I’m constantly skipping out on meals just so I can snack more!

    1. I’m constantly skipping out on meals just so I can snack more! <--- Oh wow, we should be roommates. Or at least go out for drinks! :) Or snacks! You and me both, girl! Why eat a meal when you can graze and try 15 diff little snacks. Tapas of sorts :)

  11. Oh, how tasty!! I love the brown sugar coating!! I’m not much of a nut fan, but I could eat these no problem!

  12. hot and spicy nuts are great for parties, but I find it difficult to manage the spiciness as I have a great tolerance for heat. Often put too much and blow my mind. However it does seem to make them more addictive. I would love to try adding cocoa powder into this coating for Mexican twist.