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Small jar of homemade candied walnuts next to fresh orange and cinnamon sticks.
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Candied Walnuts

Perfectly sweet, lightly spiced, and kissed with citrus, these candied walnuts take just minutes to make. Perfect for snacking or gifting.
Prep Time2 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Hardening1 hour
Total Time1 hour 7 minutes
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Author: Kristen Chidsey

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar light or dark
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 1½ tablespoons fresh orange juice
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt or ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
  • 2 cups walnut halves or pecans or almonds

Instructions

  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
    Parchment paper lined on rimmed baking sheet for candied walnuts.
  • In a heavy duty skillet, whisk together 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon orange zest, 1½ tablespoons fresh orange juice, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, and ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper together until well combined.
    Orange juice, orange zest, brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne whisked together in stainless steel skillet.
  • Add in 2 cups walnut halves and toss to evenly coat. Place the skillet over medium heat and stir constantly with a spatula for 3-4 minutes, or until the sugar has fully melted and the nuts are glossy and begin to smell nutty. If your sugar mixture begins to get thick or grainy, add a teaspoon or two of water and keep stirring to help smooth the mixture. 
    Walnuts coated with orange juice, orange zest, brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne in stainless steel skillet.
  • Immediately remove the pan from the heat and dump the nuts onto the parchment paper. Using 2 spoons or a 2 spatulas, quickly spread the nuts out onto the parchment paper so that each nut is separated. Let sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes until fully hardened.
    Walnuts coated with caramelized mixture made from orange juice, orange zest, brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne spread out on parchment paper lined baking sheet.
  • Once hardened, transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 2 weeks or pop in your freezer to store for a month or so.

Video

Notes

Nuts: Feel free to use untoasted shelled pecans or almonds in equal amounts. 
Salt: Fine sea salt dissolves quicker in the candied coating, but kosher salt can be used, you will just need slightly more since coarse rather than fine. I don't recommend table salt. 
Note on Spices: A bit of cayenne balances out the sweetness, but feel free to omit if you are sensitive to spice. Alternatively, increase if you love a little kick.  You can also replace the cinnamon with pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice or use smoked paprika in place of cayenne if desired.
Orange: 1 medium navel orange will give yield enough zest and juice for this recipe. However, you can omit the orange zest and use water in place of orange juice for a more traditional flavor.

Nutrition

Calories: 220kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 76mg | Potassium: 146mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 27IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg
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