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Today, I’m going to show you how to make those Cinnamon Glazed Nuts like you can get at the mall. They are easy to make, and will be the best candied nuts you’ve ever had.
Since you’re making them at home, you can choose the type of nut to use, how much sugar, and how much spice as well. Completely customizable spiced candied nuts to eat out of hand, chop and add to pancakes or waffles, or top a sundae.
You might also like my pumpkin spice caramel corn recipe.
And for ease of browsing, you can find all my candy recipes in one place. Thanks for visiting!
Watch my candied nuts web story here.
Absolutely delicious! I used less spice, as I didn’t want a distinct cinnamon-y taste in this dish, but this recipe is so versatile the flavor is easily adjusted. And, it’s terrific for our lactose intolerant friends, as many nut recipes use butter. Yay, Jenni!
Reader Ruth
Why You Have to Make These Nuts!
Candied nuts are the best.
Many recipes have you add egg white, sugar, and spices and then bake the nuts.
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I have made them that way, and they are tasty, but to really get that stirred-in-a-big-pot-like-at-the-mall flavor and aroma, you have to make them in a pan on the stove top.
So that’s what I’m going to show you how to do.
They cook up sandy and crunchy on the outside with a mellow, nutty creamy-crunchiness on the inside (depending on what nuts you use).
I make mine with some sweet baking spice along with a little bit of spiciness, but since you’re making them, you can leave out the spicy spice. Or add extra if that’s your thing.
Here are more reasons to make them:
- short ingredient list
- ready in about 10 minutes
- makes about 3 cups of candied nuts, so you can snack on them and use them in recipes
Why This Recipe Works
In most candy-making, we try really hard to control the recrystallization of the sugar. Not making candy on humid days, washing down the sides of the pan with water, not stirring until a certain temperature, etc.
To make candied nuts, we want to encourage the sugar to recrystallize.
We want sugar crystals coating the outsides of all the nuts, so in order to make that happen, we do the opposite of what we normally do when working with sugar.
- Rainy day? Make these!
- We stir and stir the whole time.
- After the sugar caramelizes, we add in a bit more sugar. This introduces seed crystals into the mix and encourages the rest of the sugar to go back to its crystal form.
The result?
Sandy, cinnamony, spicy, candied nuts, just like at the mall. And we made them all by ourselves!
How to Make Them
I promise these candied nuts are very easy to make, but if you are concerned about working with boiling sugar, see the “Pro Tip Short Cut” section below or the “Notes” section of the recipe card for an easier method.
Here’s what you’ll need, along with recommendations for substitutions
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Pecans: Use your favorite nut, but start with raw. Don’t use roasted peanuts, for example, because they’ll be overcooked at the end. Other good choices are almonds, walnuts, and raw cashews
- Sugar: I use roughly half a cup for 2 cups of nuts, but you can reduce that amount or increase it by 2 Tablespoons either way
- Salt: Use 1/4 teaspoon at least. If you want your nuts to be sweet and decidedly salty, use up to 1 teaspoon. I use 1/2 teaspoon and like that level of saltiness
- Hot Spanish Smoked Paprika: Other good choices are cayenne or ground chipotle pepper. You could even use freshly ground black pepper if you’d like. Increase or decrease the amount according to how spicy you want them to be
- Cinnamon: I actually used apple pie spice in my most recent batch, and that worked out well. You can also use pumpkin spice or any combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice and/or cardamom. It’s up to you
- Water: I add a touch of water to help dissolve the sugar at the beginning of cooking. It’s not strictly necessary, but it does help keep your sugar from burning in spots before all of it has melted
Procedure
Making these nuts is pretty straightforward.
- Put all your ingredients in the pan except for a tablespoon of sugar
- Cook, stirring constantly, over medium to medium-high heat. The sugar will melt, come to a boil, and eventually caramelize.
- As soon as you start to smell caramelized sugar, stir in the last of the sugar thoroughly. Your nuts will go from shiny to dull and sandy with sugar crystals.
- Cook another minute or two, stirring constantly, and then turn them out on a Silpat-lined baking sheet to cool completely.
Equipment You May Need
You’ll need a good, heavy pan to cook these in. I prefer a saucier since the rounded sides make it easier to stir. I have this OXO saucier and I absolutely love it.
Make sure you’re using a wooden or high-heat resistant silicone spatula to stir. Nobody wants melted rubber in their candied nuts. (Or a burnt hand from using a metal spoon).
We used these Vollrath spatulas at the restaurant, and I can highly recommend them.
And it’s always nice to have half-sheet pans and Silpat to fit for cooling the pecans on (or for any number of other kitchen jobs like making granola or homemade brownie brittle.
If you want a half-sheet pan with a rippled surface, I have this one and use it frequently.
Pro Short Cut
To avoid working with boiling sugar, combine nuts with salt, spices, and enough simple syrup (1:1 syrup of water and sugar) to get the nuts wet.
Spread out on a baking sheet and bake at 325F until the nuts are crisp and dry.
Stir them every 5 minutes or so so they crisp up evenly.
Once cool, test them. If they’re still a little bit soft, pop them back in the oven for 2-3 more minutes and test again.
Tips for Success
Cook the nuts in a pan with a silver or white interior rather than in non-stick or cast iron. You’ll be able to see more easily when the sugar caramelizes.
Stir the nuts continuously to make sure that the sugar cooks and then recrystallizes evenly so that a)the sugar doesn’t burn, and b)all the nuts are coated with lovely, sandy sugar crystals.
Cinnamon Glazed Nuts Q & A
Are candied nuts vegan?
Check your sugar to make sure it’s not processed with bone char. Otherwise, the recipe is vegan as written.
Are cinnamon glazed nuts gluten-free?
Yes! Doublecheck your spices to make sure none are processed on shared equipment, and the recipe should be gluten-free as written
Can you make candied nuts with Splenda?
I wouldn’t make them on the stovetop, but you can absolutely make your simple syrup with Splenda and then make the short-cut version of candied nuts with no issues.
Can these be frozen?
Yes, they can. Seal them tightly and freeze for several months. Allow them to come to room temperature before opening the container. If they have gotten soft at all, re-crisp for a few minutes in a 325F oven.
Why are my candied nuts sticky?
Either you didn’t cook them to a high enough temperature (on the stovetop) or long enough (if using the oven method). Either way, crisp them up in a low oven for a few minutes. Once cool, taste one
How long will candied nuts last?
Until you eat them all. I kid! They should stay fresh for a couple of weeks in a sealed container at room temperature. Again, if they get a bit soft for any reason, a low oven is your friend.
Serving Suggestions
There are many ways to enjoy your magical cinnamon glazed nuts, friends.
Of course, you can eat them as is.
Or mix chopped candied nuts into your caramel corn.
Top ice cream with them, bake them into muffins (try these cinnamon chip muffins. They’d be perfect in them)
Make my buttermilk pecan ice cream and add these guys, either whole or very coarsely chopped.
Add fairly finely chopped ones to pancakes for one, to these pumpkin pecan pancakes, or to your pecan waffle batter.
I could go on, but I think you get the idea.
Wherever regular nuts can go, candied nuts can go. And go more deliciously!
A Note About Measurements
Best for Home Use
Escali Primo Digital Food Scale
$24.95
Don't let its small price and small size fool you. The Escali Primo is an accurate and easy-to-use food scale that I have used for years. It's easy to store, easy to use, has a tare function, and easily switches between grams and ounces/pounds for accurate measurements.
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03/07/2024 05:03 pm GMT
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Candied Nuts (Cinnamon Glazed Nuts Copycat)
Jennifer Field
These delicious spiced and candied nuts are made on the stove top, just like your favorite cinnamon glazed nuts you can get at the mall.
Switch them up to vary the sweetness, the spicing, and the nuts so you can make your perfect version of candied nuts.
4.84 from 6 votes
Tried this recipe?Please give it a star rating!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 20 minutes mins
Course Candy Recipes
Cuisine American
Servings 3 cups or about 12 servings
Calories 134 kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups pecans walnuts, almonds, etc
- 4 oz a generous 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 oz water 1/4 cup
- 2 teaspoons apple pie spice or cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- gently rounded 1/4 teaspoon Spanish hot smoked paprika
- 1 Tablespoon additional sugar
Instructions
Put sugar, water, salt, spices, and nuts into a medium saucepan.
Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly with a heat-safe spatula, until the sugar melts and then starts to caramelize, about 10 minutes.
Once you smell caramel, add the extra Tablespoon of sugar and stir thoroughly into the nuts, making sure they’re all coated.
The nuts will go from shiny to sandy and dull looking.
Once all the nuts are sandy with sugar crystals, pour out onto a Silpat-lined half sheet pan to cool completely. (Or eat warm).
Eat out of hand, or chop them and use them in your favorite recipes: pancakes, waffles, muffins, cakes, as an ice cream topping or mix-in, etc.
Enjoy!
Did You Make Any Changes?
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Notes
An Easier Alternative
- Combine about 1/2 cup simple syrup along with spices and salt and toss nuts in this mixture.
- Spread onto a Silpat-lined baking sheet and bake at 325 until crisp and dry, stirring every 5 minutes.
- Nuts will be done in about 15-20 minutes, depending on what type of nut you used and how much simple syrup you used.
- If they aren’t crisp once cool, bake an additional 2-3 minutes to dry them out completely.
- Cool and store.
Storing
Store nuts in a sealed container for up to a week.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/4 cupCalories: 134kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 2gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 11gSodium: 55mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3g
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