Description
Deliciously candied walnuts perfect for snacking or as a topping.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar (light or dark)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1½ tablespoons fresh orange juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt (or ½ teaspoon kosher salt)
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 2 cups walnut halves (or pecans or almonds)
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- In a heavy duty skillet, whisk together 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon orange zest, 1½ tablespoons fresh orange juice, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, and ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper together until well combined.
- Add in 2 cups walnut halves and toss to evenly coat.
- Place the skillet over medium heat and stir constantly with a spatula for 3-4 minutes, or until the sugar has fully melted and the nuts are glossy and begin to smell nutty. If your sugar mixture begins to get thick or grainy, add a teaspoon or two of water and keep stirring to help smooth the mixture.
- Immediately remove the pan from the heat and dump the nuts onto the parchment paper. Using 2 spoons or a 2 spatulas, quickly spread the nuts out onto the parchment paper so that each nut is separated.
- Let sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes until fully hardened.
- Once hardened, transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 2 weeks or pop in your freezer to store for a month or so.
Notes
- Ensure nuts are fully separated on the parchment to achieve a crispy texture.
- Optional: Experiment with different nuts like pecans or almonds for variation.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 10mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 0mg