Brown Sugar Candied Walnuts

5 from 7 votes

Brown Sugar Candied Walnuts are deliciously sweet, spicy, crunchy, and salty -- and they cook in under 5 minutes! They make a tasty snack, salad topping, holiday gift, and a great addition to your cheese board.

Prep Time5

Cook Time5

Total Time10

Course: Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 67kcal

Author: Cara Lanz

Ingredients

1 cup walnuts
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon butter
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 pinch cayenne pepper

Instructions

Prepare a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
Add all of the ingredients to a nonstick skillet.
Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture comes to a simmer.
When the mixture starts to bubble, keep the nuts in a single layer and frequently stir for 3-4 minutes or until the liquid evaporates, the sugar mixture thickens, and the nuts are evenly coated in a glossy glaze (with very little caramel sauce left in the pan).
Quickly pour the nuts onto the prepared baking sheet and separate them with a spatula. Let them cool completely.
Store candied walnuts in a tightly sealed container in a cool, dry place for up to 2 weeks.

Notes

Add the candied walnut ingredients to an unheated pan.

Keep the walnuts in a single layer while they simmer in the caramel glaze.

Don't walk away from the stove while these are cooking. Nuts can go from uncooked to burned in a red hot second.

For a nice crunchy coating (not sticky), cook the sugar mixture to "hard crack" stage at 300 degrees.

Nutrition