Home > Holidays > Candied Walnuts Candied Walnuts October 1, 2020 | 2 Comments SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Jump to Recipe This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy. These sweet Candied Walnuts make the perfect salad topper or tasty snack. They’re simple to prepare and great to package up and give as a gift. Candied Walnuts Sugared nuts are one of my favorite treats! They’re such a great topper to so many different meals. I’m partial to them on salads (this pear salad is a favorite), but they’re also great on grain bowls like this Harvest bowl. They also make a great gift to give out during the holidays or just because. Package a few in a cute container or cellophane bag and gift away. This Candied Walnuts recipe is simple to follow and easy to execute. Follow this recipe and you’ll have homemade sugared nuts in a flash– and your home will smell amazing! How to make Candied Walnuts Whisk egg whites, vanilla, and water together until frothy. Toss walnuts with the frothy egg mixture. Add sugar, salt, and cinnamon right on top. Toss the walnuts until well coated in the cinnamon and sugar. Bake the walnuts on a lined sheet pan for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. QUICK TIP Reserve the egg yolk to use in one of our favorite sweet recipes: these cinnamon roll cookies, this dutch baby, or homemade creme brûlée!) Tips Use an extra-large sheet pan. The more space the walnuts have (and the less crowded they are) the better they will caramelize and turn to candy in the oven. I recommend using this 15×21 inch sheet pan. Line the sheet pan. To avoid a sticky and overwhelming mess, line the pan with parchment paper or a Silpat® liner. Lining the pan helps the walnuts bake and caramelize more evenly. I don’t recommend wax paper or foil for lining the pan in this recipe. Change up the flavor! Try adding in some pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice for a fun flavor twist. I recommend adding 1/2 to 1 full teaspoon. Candied Walnuts FAQs1Why are the candied nuts sticky?There are a few causes for sticky Candied Walnuts: They haven’t had long enough to set up. Straight out of the oven, the walnuts can be a little sticky and they simply need some time to cool and harden. They never reached a high-enough temperature or weren’t baked long enough. Although it’s a long bake time, don’t rush it. Overly humid environment. If the environment is too humid, the nuts will soften and get sticky. 2How long do Candied Walnuts last?Since we’re adding ingredients to the walnuts and baking them, they don’t have the same shelf life that plain walnuts have. At room temperature (70 degrees F) Candied Walnuts can last up to 2 weeks. In a sealed and airtight container in a dark/cool area, they can last up to a month. The great news is, they freeze beautifully! (See below) 3Can you freeze Candied Walnuts?Yes! Candied Walnuts freeze beautifully. To freeze: store in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature outside of the bag (to avoid them softening or getting sticky). 4What can I do with lots of walnuts?After making these delicious Candied Walnuts, try some of our other favorite recipes using walnuts: Banana Crepes DoubleTree® Cookies You can add extra walnuts to a delicious yogurt bowl, to overnight oats, as an acai bowl topping, in muesli or granola, and to granola bars. QUICK TIP If the Candied Walnuts turn sticky, rescue them by transferring them to a lined baking sheet and bake for 5-15 minutes at 325 degrees F. Watch carefully — at the higher temperature it is more likely the nuts will burn. More seasonal treats Candied Pecans Recipe with a free gifting printable Honeycomb Candy with a chocolate topping Turtle Candy only three ingredients! Mexican Wedding Cookies coated in powdered sugar Homemade Toffee FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Candied Walnuts 5 from 4 votes - Review this recipe These sweet Candied Walnuts make the perfect salad topper or tasty snack. They're simple to prepare and great to package up and give as a gift. SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Candied Walnuts 5 from 4 votes - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe These sweet Candied Walnuts make the perfect salad topper or tasty snack. They're simple to prepare and great to package up and give as a gift. Course Dessert, Salad, Snack Cuisine American Keyword Candied Walnuts Prep Time 15 minutes minutes Cook Time 1 hour hour Setting up Time 30 minutes minutes Total Time 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes Servings 16 ounces Chelsea Lords Calories 244kcal Author Chelsea Lords Cost $6.27 Ingredients▢ 1 pound (16 oz. 453g) walnut halves and pieces (~4 cups)▢ 1/2 cup (103g) white sugar▢ 1/2 cup (96g) light brown sugar lightly packed▢ 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon▢ 1 teaspoon fine sea salt (reduce if using table salt)▢ 1 large egg whites (discard egg yolk or reserve for another recipe)▢ 1/2 tablespoon EACH: vanilla extract and water InstructionsPREP: Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Line an extra-large sheet pan (or 2 sheet pans) with parchment paper (or a Silpat liner) and set aside. EGG WHITES, VANILLA, AND WATER: In a very large bowl, whisk the egg whites, vanilla, and water with a fork until frothy. Toss walnuts in the egg white mixture until well coated. SUGARS, CINNAMON, AND SALT: Add the white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt to the egg/walnut mixture. Stir gently to coat all the walnuts until well covered. Spread coated walnuts in a single layer onto a baking sheet. Make sure nuts are not overlapping. BAKE: Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour, flipping and stirring the walnuts every 15 minutes. Allow walnuts to stand for 30 minutes up to an hour to fully cool and solidify. Video Recipe NotesSTORAGE: Store at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Store in a sealed and airtight container in a dark/cool area for up to a month. Alternatively, store in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature outside of the bag (to avoid them softening or getting sticky). Nutritional information is calculated for a one-ounce serving. Nutrition FactsServing: 1ounce | Calories: 244kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 151mg | Potassium: 138mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 6IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.