Easy cinnamon sugar candied almonds take less than ten minutes to make on the stove top! They’re an addictive snack and also make a lovely holiday gift!
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Once a week during the school year, my daughter goes to a homeschool enrichment program for a few hours. It’s far enough away from our home that it doesn’t really make sense for me and the boys to drive back home for an hour or two before driving back to pick her up.
Instead, we go to a nearby shopping mall and spend a couple of hours walking around, playing at the indoor play area, and checking out some of the fun attractions.
One of our favorite vendors at the mall is one of those places that sells German roasted nuts. Their candied nuts are so good! But they’re also pretty pricey, especially for how quickly we can scarf them down.
So I wanted to learn how to make something similar myself at home.
Over the years, I’ve tried roasting candied nuts in the oven (which works fine as long as you don’t burn them, in which case you will be so sad). I’ve made them in the slow cooker before (which works really well, but takes several hours).
A couple of years ago, I started making them on the stove top, and that is now my go-to method. Talk about easy!
It takes less than ten minutes to have sweet, crunchy candied nuts ready to munch on. Seriously! I’m going to share my simple method for making candied almonds (or whatever variety of nut you prefer) with you!
Best of all, it’s much less expensive to make your own candied nuts at home than it is to buy them already made.
These don’t last long around my house!
How to Make Candied Almonds on the Stove Top
First, add some sugar, cinnamon, and water to a saucepan. Start heating that over medium-high heat, stirring it fairly often as the sugar starts to melt.
Bring it to a boil. Once it starts boiling, add in the nuts and stir constantly as it continues to boil. If necessary, turn down the heat slightly, but keep it at a boil.
Continue stirring constantly for a few minutes as the liquid in the saucepan begins to thicken into sort of a syrup.
As you stir, watch the nuts closely for a point at which the nuts still look wet, but there is almost no liquid actually pooling in the pan because it’s all stuck to the nuts.
At that point, quickly remove from heat and immediately transfer the nuts to a sheet of waxed paper or parchment, spreading them out to cool. As they cool, the sugar will very quickly crystallize on the nuts and they’ll go from being wet to having a crunchy cinnamon sugar crust on them.
Allow them to cool completely before eating.
I made a quick video to show you exactly how to know when to stop cooking the candied almonds. Click below to watch!
Notes and Adaptations for Making Candied Almonds
- I most often use whole almonds, but you could certainly change it up. You could definitely substitute pecan halves or whatever nut you prefer.
- You could also use sliced almonds or chopped pecans if you want to make a yummy, crunchy salad topping.
- These make delicious handmade Christmas gifts! Scoop some into a jar and tie with a pretty ribbon and you’re set. Perfect for neighbors, coworkers, teachers (but check first to find out if the school or class is nut-free due to allergies), etc.
- I use unsalted nuts, but you could always use salted if you want to go for the salty-sweet combo.
- Candied nuts make a great snack, but they’re also delicious on top of a salad, sprinkled on ice cream, or mixed into yogurt.
Recommended Equipment:
- Medium saucepan (I use a nonstick pan for this recipe)
- Silicone spatula or wooden spoon
- Wax paper or parchment paper
Easy Cinnamon Sugar Candied Almonds
Easy cinnamon sugar candied almonds take less than ten minutes to make on the stove top! They're an addictive snack and also make a lovely holiday gift!
Ingredients
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cups whole almonds (or nut of choice)
Instructions
- Prepare a sheet of wax paper or parchment for cooling nuts.
- In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, cinnamon, and water.
- Over medium-high heat, bring mixture to a boil.
- Once boiling, add nuts and stir continuously for about 3-5 minutes. Mixture will bubble and thicken to a syrup-like consistency.
- Continue stirring until most of the liquid in the pan has evaporated, but the nuts still look wet. Quickly transfer nuts to wax paper or parchment and spread them out to cool.
- The sugar will quickly crystallize on the nuts as they cool. Allow to cool completely before eating.
Notes
- I most often use whole almonds, but you could certainly change it up. You could definitely substitute pecan halves or whatever nut you prefer.
- You could also use sliced almonds or chopped pecans if you want to make a yummy, crunchy salad topping.
- These make delicious handmade Christmas gifts! Scoop some into a jar and tie with a pretty ribbon and you're set. Perfect for neighbors, coworkers, teachers (but check first to find out if the school or class is nut-free due to allergies), etc.
- I use unsalted nuts, but you could always use salted if you want to go for the salty-sweet combo.
- Candied nuts make a great snack, but they're also delicious on top of a salad, sprinkled on ice cream, or mixed into yogurt.
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