It's that time of year again: Christmas! And what better way to celebrate this joyful holiday season than by creating delicious snacks for your loved ones? This year, turn up the flavor with some crunchy, caramel-coated brown sugar candied walnuts. With hints of wintery spices to treat your taste buds and an easy recipe you can make at home in minutes, this delightful snack is sure to put a smile on everyone's face - even if it just means a delicious snack break from all the holiday hustle and bustle. So grab your ingredients and get ready to whip up a batch of these sweet treats that also work as holiday presents— they'll be gone before you know it!
Christmas is a doorstep away, and as it usually happens every year, we haven't done any Christmas shopping yet! Although we just moved to Spain a couple of months ago, we already have a lot of new friends, and we like spreading the love with food.
So, we use our kitchen as a resource to make this delicious snack made with a handful of ingredients in just a couple of minutes. We like snacking on them with a nice cup of coffee, our beloved Argentinean mate, or on top of pumpkin dairy-free overnight oats.
They also make the perfect individually wrapped candy Christmas gift! Who doesn't love candied nuts? Pure comfort food!
Jump to:
💚 Why you will love them
- Quick & Easy
- Crunchy Delight
- Sweetly Spiced
- Versatile Snack
- Gift-Ready Goodness
🧾 Ingredients
You only need four ingredients at its simplest, but once you get it, you can easily play with the winter and Fall seasons' cozy spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon, or pumpkin pie spice mix.
- Walnuts - use fresh raw walnuts. You can use other nuts such as almonds, pecans, cashew nuts, or a combination. If using salted walnuts, you can skip the salt.
- Vegan butter - we like Earth balance, or you can make your own vegan butter; this recipe from World Vegan is outstanding. You can also use melted coconut oil, olive oil, or avocado oil.
- Brown sugar - you can use white granulated sugar, coconut sugar, or maple syrup instead.
- Salt - use fine sea salt.
Optional
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Pumpkin pie spice mix
- Vanilla extract
See the recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions
- Walnuts - you can use the same recipe for almonds and cashews. I don't recommend the same method for hazelnuts, though.
- Vegan butter - use avocado oil.
- Brown sugar - coconut sugar works well.
🍽 Equipment
- Skillet - use a non-stick skillet or frying pan.
- Spatula - the only utensil you will need to manage the walnuts. We like using a silicon one.
- Parchment paper - to let the walnuts dry out completely. You can also use an oven-silicon baking mat.
🔪 Instructions
So, it doesn't get easier than this. To make this easy candied walnuts recipe, just measure all your ingredients and use your best non-stick skillet.
Step 1: Heat a skillet on medium heat and then add brown sugar, kosher salt, vegan butter, and optional spices.
Step 2: Stir frequently for 5 minutes, ensuring no clumps are formed.
Hint: leave the walnuts to cool completely and fully harden before you store them if you make candied walnuts as a present.
Step 3: Transfer the candied nuts to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and scatter all the nuts on a single layer.
Step 4: Once the sugar mixture coating hardens, which will take about 5 minutes, you can transfer them to a bowl and enjoy!
💡 Expert tips
Fresh Nuts Matter: Always start with fresh, raw walnuts. Stale nuts can ruin the flavor and texture of your candied walnuts.
Consistent Heat: Maintain a medium heat throughout the cooking process. Too high heat can cause the sugar to burn, while too low won't allow the sugar to caramelize properly.
Stir, Stir, Stir: Keep the walnuts moving in the skillet. This prevents them from burning and ensures an even coating of the caramelized sugar.
Timing is Key: Pay close attention during the last few minutes of cooking. This is when the sugar transforms into a perfect caramel coating. Overcooking can lead to a bitter taste.
Separate Immediately: Once you transfer the candied walnuts onto parchment paper, separate them quickly. If they cool and harden together, they can be difficult to separate without breaking.
Cool Completely: Let the candied walnuts cool completely before storing. This helps to maintain their crunchiness.
Watch the Salt: If you're using salted walnuts, adjust the added salt in the recipe accordingly to avoid overly salty walnuts.
📖 Variations
- Cinnamon roasted walnuts - add ½ teaspoon of cinnamon for every cup of nuts. If you love cinnamon, you can add another ¼ teaspoon.
- Spiced candied walnuts - add pumpkin pie spice mix, nutmeg, cardamom, and cayenne pepper to spice it up.
- Maple candied walnuts - add maple syrup instead of brown sugar.
- Vanilla - add ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract to add an extra holiday note.
You can also bake these candy walnuts in the oven using a prepared baking sheet or an air fryer; simply mix all the ingredients in a large bowl and bake. See detailed instructions on the recipe card.
🥢 How to serve
Consume this snack on top of your favorite overnight oats, cinnamon oatmeal, oats and chia pudding, or holiday salads where you can simply replace the walnuts for pecans; check out this vegan kale salad!
You can also add it to a sweet potato crunch casserole during your holidays.
🫙 Storage
Wondering How to store candied walnuts?
You can store candied walnuts in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature.
If you plan to keep them for longer, you can store them in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Store in an airtight container to keep them fresh and crunchy. If they start to soften, you can briefly reheat them in the oven to restore their crunch.
And... Guess what? You can even freeze candied walnuts! Once the nuts are completely cool, store them in a freezer bag. Squeeze out the air before sealing. Candied nuts will keep in the freezer for up to 1 month.
❓ FAQ
The walnuts must be completely dry and crisp before removing them from the skillet. Afterward, let them cool down on parchment paper or a wire rack before storing them. Moisture is the enemy of candied nuts!
🎄 More Holiday Recipes
Try out these delicious Holiday recipes: Mediterranean Honey Roasted Vegetables, our Holiday vegetarian roast, Vegan Vegetable Casserole, Green beans with toasted almonds, or Stuffed Onions with tofu and mushrooms.
⭐ If you try this brown sugar and cinnamon roasted walnuts recipe, let us know! 💬 Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag us @ourplantbasedworld on Instagram. Cheers!
📋 Recipe
Brown Sugar Candied Walnuts (10 Minutes + Vegan GF)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cup walnuts halves/pieces, or pecans
- 2 tablespoon vegan butter or coconut oil, olive oil
- ¼ cup brown sugar or maple syrup, or granulated white sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Fine sea salt
Optional
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1or our pumpkin spice mix
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
- Heat a medium non-stick skillet over medium heat, and add the walnuts, brown sugar, salt, optional spices, and vegan butter.
- Stir frequently so the walnuts and sugar don't burn (pay special attention at the last minute). When the sugar mixture starts melting, constantly stir until the brown sugar is completely melted and the walnuts are fully coated.
- Transfer immediately onto a sheet of parchment paper and immediately separate the nuts; otherwise, they will stick together.
- Once the coating hardens, which will take about 5 minutes, you can transfer them to a bowl and enjoy!
Air-fryer
- Melt the vegan butter and mix the nuts with the rest of the ingredients, and spread them separately on the baking rack. Bake at 350 ºF (176 ºC) for 13 minutes.
Oven-baked
- Melt the vegan butter, mix the nuts with the rest of the ingredients, and spread them on a prepared baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake at 350 ºF (176 ºC) for 12-15 minutes.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Nutritional Disclaimer
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice. See our full Nutritional Disclosure here.
Affiliate Disclaimer
Please note that some of the links here are affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through those links. I recommend all of the products listed because they are companies I have found helpful and trustworthy.
As the lead content writer and recipe developer at Our Plant-Based World, he combines his passion for health and sustainability with a Plant-Based Nutrition Certification to create accessible, delicious vegan recipes. His expertise in plant-based cooking supports the blog's mission of fostering a healthier, environmentally conscious lifestyle through simple and seasonal dishes. His commitment to making vegan cooking enjoyable and inclusive for everyone shines in each recipe and article.
kushigalu
One of the best recipes for Christmas. These candied walnuts look fantastic.
Andrea
These candied walnuts were fabulous! I am putting them on ice cream, pancakes, and morning oatmeal. Yum!
Gus
That sounds delicious, Andrea! I am glad you are loving them as much as we do!
Tayler
I made these walnuts last night and they are amazing! They made the house smell great too!
Gus
I am glad you liked them, Tayler! And yes to free Christmas-scented food! 🙂
Ned
Such a great one for neighbor gifts!
Charles
Your Brown Sugar Candied Walnuts are simple and delicious! Thanks for sharing!
Andrea
such an awesome and tasty festive snack for the holidays! love how crunchy and sweet they are!
Gus
I am glad you liked 'em, Andrea! Happy holidays!
Aimee Mars
I have a work party next week and will be taking these for my coworkers. I can't wait to share the delicious recipe with them.
Gus
Hi Aimee, I am sure they will love them. It is such an easy-to-make and festive Christmas treat!
Anjali
What a fun way to prepare walnuts!! These turned out perfectly sweet and crunchy - a great holiday treat!
Stephanie
My dad was severely allergic to all tree nuts, so we simply did not have any of them in the house growing up. I never even had a PBJ until I was in my late teens. Now that I'm older with my own home, I'm loving trying all the nut recipes. This one was good!
Gus
Oh! I feel you, Stephanie, I am glad you are trying new nut recipes! Thanks for your review!
kushigalu
Easy and delicious recipe fo Christmas. Thanks for sharing.
Kate
These candied walnuts are so good. Perfect for our guests coming for the holidays.
Amanda Wren-Grimwood
Love this idea. So easy and such a delicious treat over Christmas.
Dannii
We always have candied pecans, but these walnuts were delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
Gus
Thank you, Danni; I am with you; we love candied pecans but were delighted to develop this recipe that is as good and cheaper! We are thrilled you enjoyed them as well!