Bring the smell of the carnival or holiday fair right into your kitchen. These candied almonds are coated in sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla, then roasted until crisp and golden—just like the paper cones you’d grab at a booth.
This candied almond recipe is flexible, too—swap in pecans, walnuts, or mixed nuts. Easy enough for beginners, perfect for parties, and ideal for homemade holiday gifts.
Jump To (scroll for more)
Featured Comment by Michelle:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"My first try. Turned out perfect. I used 3 diff nuts combined. Nice light taste."
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Carnival flavor at home – cinnamon roasted almonds with a crunchy, sweet cinnamon-sugar crust, just like the fair or holiday market.
- Simple ingredients – almonds, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and an egg white. That’s it.
- Flexible – swap in pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, or mixed nuts to fit what you have.
- Perfect for gifting – homemade, budget-friendly, and easy to package in airtight jars or bags.
- Beginner-friendly – just 10 minutes of prep, then the oven does the work.
🥣 Ingredients
- Almonds (or other nuts) – Raw almonds are classic, but this works with pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews, peanuts, or mixed nuts. Almost any nut you like will do.
- Egg white – Creates the sticky base so the coating clings.
- Sugar + cinnamon + vanilla – The signature carnival flavor, crisp and sweet with warm spice.
- Salt – Just enough to balance the sweetness.
💡 Tip: Use unsalted or lightly salted nuts. Red-skinned peanuts and heavily roasted nuts can affect texture and coating.
👨🍳 How to Make Candied Almonds (Quick Overview)
Prep the coatings. In one bowl, mix sugar, cinnamon, and kosher salt. In a second bowl, whisk egg white, vanilla, and water until foamy (about 1 minute).
Coat the nuts. Toss almonds with the foamy egg white, then add the cinnamon-sugar and stir until evenly coated.
Spread on the pan. Arrange in a single layer on a parchment-lined, rimmed sheet pan.
Bake. 250°F for about 1 hour, stir and flatten every 15 minutes. Cool on the pan so they crisp up.
✅ Pro Tip: Don’t skip the stirring—keep the nuts in a single flat layer after each stir for the crunchiest results.
👇 Scroll down for the printable recipe card and complete step-by-step photos—or keep reading for tips and variations.
❓What Nuts to Use
Almonds are classic, but this method works with almost any nut, making it an easy base recipe for candied nuts of all kinds:
- Pecans – softer texture, great for gifting.
- Walnuts – slightly bitter flavor that balances the sweet coating.
- Hazelnuts – a frequent reader request, with a rich, toasty flavor.
- Cashews, peanuts, or mixed nuts – all coat and roast beautifully.
👉 Raw nuts are best. Pre-roasted nuts can be used, but they’ll roast again here and may turn a little drier.
👉 Stick with unsalted or lightly salted nuts so the cinnamon-sugar coating stays balanced.
Save this recipe!
Enter your email address and we'll send the link straight to your inbox!
👨🍳 Options & Variations
This base recipe can be adjusted to create lots of candied nuts variations:
- Flavor tweaks – double the cinnamon, add pumpkin spice, or replace half the white sugar with brown sugar.
- Make them spicy – a pinch of cayenne or cumin gives a little heat.
- Low-carb version – some readers swap in Splenda or monk fruit sweetener with decent results.
- Holiday touch – package in airtight jars or sealed bags with a ribbon for easy, budget-friendly gifts.
🧽 Moisture Is the Enemy of Candied Almonds
Moisture will soften the caramelized coating and take away the crunch. Keep candied almonds (or any candied nuts) sealed tightly with as little air as possible.
If they do soften:
- Spread them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake at 200°F (convection preferred) for 5–10 minutes until the coating melts slightly.
- Remove from the oven, cool, and they’ll crisp back up.
❄️ Storage of Candied Nuts
- Room temperature: Store in an airtight jar or container for up to 1 week.
- Refrigerator: Up to 2 weeks if kept sealed.
- Freezer: Up to 2 months, fully cooled and sealed airtight.
💡 Tip: Always let candied nuts cool completely before sealing. Any trapped heat = unwanted moisture.
📋 Easy Homemade Candy Recipes
This recipe is also featured in The Christmas Candy Roundup. Try a few more reader favorites:
Other Uses for Candied Nuts
Candied nuts aren’t just for snacking:
- Sprinkle over ice cream or yogurt.
- Toss into a salad for crunch and sweetness.
- Mix into granola or snack bars.
- Add a pinch of cumin or cayenne for a spicy, game-day version.
❓FAQs
The best choice is an 18 × 13-inch rimmed half-sheet pan. Avoid flat cookie sheets with no edges—the sugar coating can slide right off. Line the pan with parchment paper or use a silicone baking mat (oil the sides lightly if needed) to keep the nuts from sticking.
Moisture is the usual culprit. The sugar coating absorbs humidity from the air and softens. To fix it, see the Moisture is the Enemy section above—reheat briefly in a 200°F oven to restore the crunch.
Yes! These are the same style of cinnamon-sugar candied nuts you’d find at fairs, markets, and holiday festivals—just fresher and more affordable at home.
Raw nuts are best—the coating bakes on as the nuts roast, giving the best texture. You can use roasted nuts if that’s what you have, but they’ll roast again and may turn a little drier.
📖The Recipe Card
Candied Almonds Recipe (Easy Holiday Treat)
Video Slideshow
Ingredients
- 1 pound Almonds, mixed nuts or other nuts - raw preferred
- 1 egg white
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon water
- ¾ cup white sugar - half can be brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon coarse salt
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250°F. Line a half-size sheet pan (18 × 13) with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Spray lightly with cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, mix ¾ cup white granular sugar or a combination of white and brown, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon of coarse salt.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 1 egg white, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and 1 tablespoon of water. Whisk until foamy, about 1 minute.
- Add the nuts and stir until well coated.
- Add the sugar mixture to the nuts and mix to coat.
- Spread the nuts in a single layer on the prepared pan.
- Bake at 250°F for 1 hour, stirring and flattening into a single layer every 15 minutes.
- Cool completely on the pan before serving or storing
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- Use raw unsalted nuts if possible. Roasted unsalted or lightly salted nuts will also work.
- Use only the egg white—not the yolk.
- Always use parchment or a silicone mat, sprayed lightly with cooking spray. Without it, the nuts will stick.
- Double the cinnamon and vanilla if you like. Other seasoning options are in the recipe post.
- Don’t stop short on baking time, or the nuts will be soft.
- Storage: Store airtight. 1 week at room temperature, 2 weeks refrigerated, or 2 months frozen.
- One pound of nuts will be about 3 cups. I set the serving size to 2 tablespoons, making about 24 servings in this recipe.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Originally Published December 1, 2012. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
ColleenB.~TX. says
I would like to make these to put in Christmas baskets but was wondering if I made them in advance, just how long will they last before they start turning yucky?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Colleen,
Welcome to the blog.
Generally, about a week airtight at room temperature. About 3 weeks airtight in the refrigerator and 2 months frozen.
Personally, they are best the first few days fresh, then they soften a bit. I like that sweet crunch.
Dan
Arlene says
I have a similar recipe. Adding just 1/8 tsp. of cayenne pepper. It gives it a great extra flavor.
Michelle says
My first try. Turned out perfect. I used 3 diff nuts combined. Nice light taste. I prefer a bit more sugar and salt but thats my taste. I will use this recipie for gifts.
rndreao says
Everyone, the author and commenters, are using "degrees" for the oven temperature but do not mention C or F. Given that the temperature is only 200, it really could be either. What is it?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi rndreao,
Welcome to the blog.
Sorry for any confusion. All Temperatures used on this site are Fahrenheit. Conversion is provided in the chart on the FAQ page https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/abbreviations-salts-and-oven-temperature/#oven.
Dan
Lisa Whitman says
Easy and delicious!
Nyky says
I used roasted, salted mixed nuts. Worked perfectly but I had oven at 325 & cooked for 20 mintes stirring at 10. Stirred 10 mins after cooling also
DrDan says
Hi Nyky,
Welcome to the blog.
This is one of those "there are many ways" to do it recipes. But they are always great.
Thanks for the note and Happy Holidays
Dan
Lara says
This past weekend, I ordered a restaurant salad that contained (among other ingredients) candied walnuts. Delicious! Now I can make this recipe and recreate the salad at home. Baby spinach, candied walnuts, bleu cheese crumbles, grilled chicken, strawberries, and a citrus vinaigrette. Yum!
Denise says
Hi, these sound delish!! I live in a very humid climate, air conditioned of course. Still, I'm afraid these might get gooey from repeatedly opening the storage container..thoughts?
DrDan says
Hi Denise,
They are delicious and the whole house smells like the county fair.
There is no really good answer. Refrigerators are moist so not good there.
I would say a smaller air tight container. Smaller is important to decrease the air in the container. And when they start to pick up the moisture too much, back into an oven on parchment paper at about 200 degrees with convection for a few minutes. When they appear to be shiny and the cover melting again, then out of the oven to cool.
I have never done that, they just don't last that long in my house.
Dan
Dea Varner says
Making these right now... for Christmas Eve/Christmas... if they make it that far... I have no doubt they will be amazing....... I added just a pinch of chili powder to give it a wee bit of kick...
Nushka says
Thank you! I made the recipe with a mix of nuts for New Year's celebration and they were delicious.
Heidi Menocal says
I just made these. It was easy and they are delicious. I doubled the recipe and used almonds, pecans and cashews. I think next time I will use less sugar.
Chris says
Time to smoke some nuts!