These easy vegan candied nuts are a delicious, healthy, and festive holiday treat. They're perfect for as an easy crunchy snack or as a Christmas gift. Made with only a handful of ingredients, you will likely have everything you need already in your store cupboard.
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Candied nuts are easy to make and the perfect snack for the holiday season. Make a big batch and gift some to friends and family as holiday gifts and enjoy the rest as fun treats for a Christmas movie night at home.
Ingredients
For this recipe you just need three simple ingredients...
- mixed nuts of your choice (raw pecans, pecan halves, cashews, wanuts, almonds etc)
- vegan butter unsalted (I like Naturli or Flora Plant Block)
- granulated sugar
For exact quantities see the recipe card below.
Instructions
The first step is, in a large non-stick pan or frying pan on a medium heat, add the nuts to the pan, followed by the butter and sugar.
Mix until the butter has melted and all the sugar has coated the nuts. Continue cooking and stirring for 2-3 minutes on medium-high heat until all the sugar dissolves and the nuts look coated with the sugar mixture.
Remove the nuts from the heat and pour them onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Spread the candied nuts out using forks and allow them to cool and harden for at least 5-10 minutes. Store candied nuts in a sealed container for up to one week.
Top Tip: Make sure to use the block butter alternatives rather than spread or margarine, as these won't work as well.
You can also make these in the oven rather than this stovetop method, just melt the butter and sugar together, stir the pecans into the sugar mixture and spread evenly across a lined baking tray. Bake on a low heat - 120 degrees celsius for an hour, stirring through every 15 minutes.
Print📖 Recipe
Easy Vegan Candied Nuts
- Total Time: 15
- Yield: 300g 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These easy vegan candied nuts are a delicious, healthy, and festive holiday treat. They're perfect for snacking or as a gift.
Ingredients
300g mixed nuts
3 Tbsp vegan butter (unsalted)
100g white granulated sugar
Instructions
In a large pan, melt the vegan butter on medium heat. Add the nuts and white granulated sugar. Mix until all the sugar has coated the nuts. Continue cooking and stirring for 2-3 minutes on medium heat until all the sugar has dissolved.
Remove the nuts from the heat and pour them onto a tray lined with parchment paper.
Spread the candied nuts out using forks and allow them to cool and harden for at least 10 minutes. Store candied nuts in a sealed container for up to one week.
Variations / Substitutions
You can use brown sugar or coconut sugar instead of white sugar which will add a more caramel like rich flavour. This goes well particularly well with pecans and walnuts.
If you like a slightly saltier snack try adding a pinch of salt (make sure to use sea salt) to the nuts before they set. Or try adding a spice such as cinnamon (you could use cinnamon sugar), gingerbread spice or pumpkin pie spice. For a spicy nuts recipe you could add a sprinkle of chili powder. Alternatively, for an extra sweet flavour add a couple of drops of vanilla extract.
You can use most types of nuts to make candied nuts - almonds, pecans, walnuts, cashews, hazelnuts and pistachios all have different flavours that work well with being candied.
How to serve candied nuts
They make a great snack on their own, with yoghurt or on top of ice cream and fruit. Include them on vegan charcuterie boards or a vegan cheese board. You can even use them as a salad topper. They make a great gift too, especially at Christmas - pour them into mason jars and tie a ribbon around the lid. Make sure to put on a tag with the use by date and ingredients on.
FAQs
How long do candied nuts keep for?
These will keep for a week in an airtight container at room temperature and up to three weeks in an airtight container kept in the fridge.
Which nuts should I use to make candied nuts?
Most nuts work well - experiment with flavour combinations and different nuts! You can even just use one type of nut - candied walnuts and candied pecans work well on their own.
Are candied nuts healthy?
Everything in moderation! Nuts are a great source of many vitamins and nutrients, protein and healthy fats. Sugar however is not so great, and may cause tooth decay. So have a small portion as a sweet treat and brush your teeth afterwards!
Are candied nuts gluten free?
If you make these candied nuts at home according to this recipe they will be gluten free. However, many shop bought or restaurant candied nuts are not gluten free as they are coated in flour before the sugar.
How to make candied nuts in the oven
You can make these in the oven, just melt the butter and sugar together, stir through the pecans and spread evenly across a lined baking tray. Bake on a low heat - 120 degrees celsius for an hour, stirring through every 15 minutes.
Can I freeze candied nuts?
Yes! Freeze them in a single layer on a baking tray before transferring to a zip lock bag or airtight container. They will keep frozen for up to 2 months.
Why are my candied nuts soft?
If your nuts are soft it most likely is because they were under cooked. The sugar needs time to crystallise and set properly to make a crunchy coating.
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