This Candied Nuts Recipe is a quick and easy recipe that only takes 4 ingredients and 5 minutes on your stovetop! These nuts can be used for so many occasions and they are so good – you won’t be able to stop eating them!

candied pecans in a white bowl next to a teal towel.

The Best Candied Nuts

Simple recipes like this one are my favorite because they come together quickly and they’re the perfect snack! These candied nuts can be personalized to you too! I used pecans, but use your favorites: pecans, pistachios, walnuts, almonds, cashews, or mixed nuts. Anyway you choose, they are guaranteed to go fast!

Not only are these a great snack, but they go with so many other recipes and they can be so versatile. I love adding them to yogurt, ice cream, salads, oatmeal, charcuterie boards, or you can package them up as a homemade gift.

Ingredients needed

  • Brown Sugar: This is part of what makes them ‘candied’. It adds a sweet touch that makes them addictive!
  • Maple Syrup: This syrup is the second part! It mixed with the sugar to form a delicious coating.
  • Nuts: Any nut you love! Some options would be peanuts, walnuts, pecan halves, or cashews.
  • Salt: Don’t omit a pinch of fine sea salt to up the caramel flavor of the nuts.

How to make Candied Nuts

  • Prepare a baking sheet layered with parchment paper or silicone baking mat (DO NOT USE WAX PAPER – nuts will stick to paper). Set aside.
  • In a medium skillet add brown sugar, maple syrup, water, and salt. Heat over medium heat until bubbly and sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Add nuts and continue to cook and stir until syrup thickens and reduces, about 2 minutes. 
  • Immediately transfer nuts to the prepared baking sheet and spread out in a single layer. Candied nuts will harden as they cool.
candied pecans in a white bowl next to a teal towel.

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Expert tip

  • This recipe comes together very quickly. Be sure to have your pan prepared ahead of time to put the hot nuts on before they cool.
  • If you like a little kick, add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the ingredients in the skillet.
  • For a cinnamon twist, add 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon to the ingredients in the skillet. Or use other spices like nutmeg or gingerbread spice.

Storage

Store candied nuts in an airtight container. They’ll last in the refrigerator for several weeks, but taste better room temperature. These are great holiday treats because they last so long!

candied pecans in a white bowl next to a teal towel.

Candied Nuts Recipe

5 from 5 votes
Quick Candied Nuts only take 4 ingredients and 5 minutes on your stovetop. You won’t believe how easy these brown sugar, maple glazed nuts are to make! 
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Yield 4
Serving Size 1 serving

Ingredients
 

  • 3 tablespoons (37g) packed brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) pure maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) water
  • Pinch salt
  • 1 cup nuts pecans, walnuts, pistachios, almonds, etc.

Instructions

  • Prepare a baking sheet layered with parchment paper (DO NOT USE WAX PAPER – nuts will stick to paper). Set aside.
  • In a medium skillet add brown sugar, maple syrup, water, and salt. Heat over medium heat until bubbly and sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Add nuts and continue to cook and stir until syrup thickens and reduces, about 2 minutes.
  • Immediately transfer nuts to the baking sheet and spread out with spoon. Candied nuts will harden as they cool.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

Tips For Making Candied Pecans
  • This recipe comes together very quickly. Be sure to have your pan prepared ahead of time to put the hot nuts on before they cool.
  • If you like a little kick, add 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the ingredients in the skillet.
  • For a cinnamon twist, add 1/4 teaspoon o cinnamon to the ingredients in the skillet.
Why are My Candied Nuts Sticky?
The candied nuts most likely didn’t cook long enough on the stovetop. Sugar has to reach a certain temperature to achieve that brittle, candy coating state.
Transfer parchment-lined baking sheet to 325ºF oven (do not put wax paper in the oven) and bake for 5-15 minutes, or until they are less sticky.
Remember, while the sugar is still warm there will still be stickiness to them, but as the nuts cool they will harden.
 

Recipe Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 232kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 135mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 15IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 0.7mg
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword brown sugar, candied, maple, nuts, pecans

Other Snack Recipes

5 from 5 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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2 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I love candied nuts and sometimes make it with pecans, almonds , pepitas and sunflower seeds when topping my muffins or for salads. Thanks for sharing your recipe. I just put mine in the oven at 350ยฐ for 6 minutes. I add a tsp of oil to 3 cups nuts.