Sugar and Spice Candied Nuts (2024)

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by Michelle
November 11, 2015 (updated Dec 8, 2019)

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4.53 (19 ratings)

These sweet and spicy candied nuts are sweet with a punch of cinnamon and a hint of spice. Perfect for holiday co*cktail parties or hostess gifts!

We are on the brink of the holiday season and all I want to do is dream of Thanksgiving side dishes, hot chocolate with marshmallows, and tray upon tray of Christmas cookies. It’s my favorite time of year and one of the best parts is enjoying food and company with friends and family. I love to have easy snacks on hand for folks to munch on during a casual visit or before dinner and candied nuts is one of my go-to recipes. A number of years ago, I tried a sweet/spicy version and while it was good, it was a little heavy on the salty spice aspect.

I tried a new version recently and loved it… these nuts are sufficiently sweet and spiced with cinnamon and a touch of cayenne pepper. The spice is subtle but noticeable and the perfect accompaniment to its sweet counterpart.

Not only are these candied nuts perfect for pre-dinner snacking, but they’d make a lovely hostess or Christmas gift… just package them up in a glass jar with a pretty ribbon!

If you love sweet and salty with some spice, you won’t be able to stop eating these candied nuts!

One year ago: Aunt Vicki’s Corn and Mixed Vegetable Casserole
Four years ago: Pumpkin Ice Cream
Six years ago: Food Photography 101

Sugar and Spice Candied Nuts

Yield: 24 servings (1 pound)

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Ingredients

⅓ cup (73.33 g) dark brown sugar
⅔ cup (133.33 g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Heaping pinch of cayenne pepper
1 egg white, at room temperature
1 tablespoon water
1 pound (453.59 g) walnut or pecan halves or cashews, or a combination

Instructions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugars, cinnamon, salt and cayenne, making sure there are no lumps.
In a large bowl, whisk the egg white and water until very frothy. Add the nuts, and stir to coat evenly. Sprinkle the nuts with the sugar mixture, and toss until evenly coated.
Spread the nuts in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring twice during baking. Remove from the oven, and stir and separate the nuts as they cool. Once completely cool, the nuts can be stored in an airtight container or glass jars at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Notes

Nutritional values are based on one serving

Calories: 157kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 100mg, Potassium: 89mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 5IU, Vitamin C: 0.2mg, Calcium: 23mg, Iron: 0.6mg

Did you make this recipe?

Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!

Author: Michelle

Course: Snack

12 Comments on “Sugar and Spice Candied Nuts”

Millican Pecan — August 1, 2019 @ 3:48 pm Reply
These would be good on salads, ice cream, yogurt, or snacking! Great ingredients together to make a great nut! I use pecans for most of my nut recipes…they are the most flavorful, and nutritious. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Margaret — December 14, 2017 @ 1:26 pm Reply
HI
In video it shows adding vanilla extract to the liquid, but not in the actual recipe? I just put mine in the oven, and wondering what I missed? Thanks!
- Michelle — December 16, 2017 @ 9:38 pm Reply
  Hi Margaret, I think you might be confusing this recipe with the candied pecans; that’s the recipe that has an accompanying video, and they are slightly different.
Ellen — November 13, 2015 @ 4:38 pm Reply
I want to make these for Thanksgiving, but my niece is vegan – what can I use instead of the egg white? Thanks.
Karen Condit — November 13, 2015 @ 7:49 am Reply
Do you think Stevia would work to replace the granulated sugar? I am always trying to cut the sugar content.
- Michelle — November 15, 2015 @ 9:57 pm Reply
  Hi Karen, I’ve never tried to use Stevia, so I’m not sure.
Connie Bueher • Dainty Deeds — November 12, 2015 @ 11:30 pm Reply
Well, you had me at sugar and spice. Nuts just make it all even better!
peri — November 12, 2015 @ 3:07 am Reply
Wow, thank you very much for sharing this amazing recipe with us
I am thrilled to see it, I will try it definitely
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way — November 11, 2015 @ 2:08 pm Reply
I could eat all of those in one sitting!! I’ve already saved and shared. Yummy!!
Laura Dembowski — November 11, 2015 @ 8:11 am Reply
The smell of candied nuts alone is worth making them. This is definitely a great gift idea as well as the perfect party snack.
Kathy M — November 11, 2015 @ 7:53 am Reply
Did you use raw nuts? And we’re the nuts salted? These look great and I can’t wait to try them.
- Michelle — November 15, 2015 @ 9:56 pm Reply
  Hi Kathy, I used dry roasted unsalted nuts. Enjoy!