These toffee candied walnuts are crunchy, sweet, and utterly irresistible. Coated in a buttery toffee glaze with a hint of vanilla, they make the perfect snack, salad topper, or gift during the holidays. Plus, they’re ready in just 15 minutes with only 5 ingredients!
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Why We Love This Toffee Candied Walnuts Recipe
These toffee candied walnuts remind me of the holidays growing up. My mom always made candied nuts around Christmas time, and the house would smell amazing. Now, I make my own version with a rich toffee coating that my family can’t get enough of. Whether I’m adding them to my spinach strawberry salad for extra crunch or simply snacking on them straight from the jar, they never last long in my house. Here’s why you will love them too:
- Quick & Easy: Ready in just 15 minutes, this candied walnuts recipe couldn’t be any easier. Just toss everything together and pop them into the oven.
- Addictive: The toffee coating hardens beautifully, giving these crunchy walnuts a sweet toffee and nutty flavor that will keep you going back for more!
- Great for Gifting: These candied walnuts store well, so you can make them ahead of time for parties or package them in cute jars for a thoughtful homemade gift.
- Versatile: These candied walnuts are a great addition to any charcuterie or cheese board, but are also delicious in salads, desserts, oatmeal or on top of ice cream!
Looking for more nutty recipes for the holidays? Try these cranberry pecan goat cheese balls, easy Christmas crack recipe, or this caramel-y pecan praline sauce!
Key Ingredients
Below you will find helpful notes for key ingredients used to make this recipe for candied walnuts. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and exact amounts!
- Fisher Walnut Halves & Pieces: You can use another brand if you’d like, of course. Fisher is my go-to!
- Brown Sugar: Don’t swap this with white granulated sugar! Brown sugar gives that warm toffee element to the nuts.
- Egg White: You won’t need the yolk.
How to Make Candied Walnuts
These sweet toffee walnuts are absolutely delicious and make your house smell delicious as they roast! Below is a quick recipe overview, but please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full instructions and to watch the step-by-step video.
- Toss. Toss all the ingredients together and then spread them out on a cookie sheet.
- Roast. Roast them for 35 minutes and stir halfway through.
Chef’s Tips & Variations
- Cinnamon: Sprinkle in some cinnamon for an added warmth.
- Cayenne: Cayenne adds a mouthwatering sweet and spicy element!
- More Nuts: Mix in some pecans or cashews for a variety of textures.
- Use the Egg White: This is my not-so-secret ingredient that gives the nuts a glossy sheen and incredible crunch. Don’t skip this ingredient and don’t use the yolk!
Toffee Walnuts Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups wanut halves, or any other nut you enjoy!
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar, or up to 1/2 cup for sweeter nuts
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg white
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional Additions
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon extract, for cinnamon nuts
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, for a sweet & spicy kick
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and salt. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together egg white and vanilla extract until combined.
- Add the walnuts and toss until they are evenly coated with the egg white mixture. Then add the brown sugar mixture and toss until the walnuts are evenly coated. Spread the walnuts out into an even layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring half way through baking. Allow walnuts to cool completely on baking sheet before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Categories:
More of the Best Christmas Treats
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LOVE these! Super simple. Our house smells like Disney Land. I put a little cinnamon in ours – WOW!
Just made these today. I doubled the recipe and used walnuts and cashews. It took mine about 25 mins and they never really browned at 325 – so I pulled them out and sprinkled more brown sugar and then put them back in at 350 for 5 mins and they are perfect!
I then added dried diced apples and heath bits to the mix! This will be a staple in our house now for our bento snack boxes!!
I made these just about a few minutes ago and they were very good. I also tried another recipe for toffee walnuts; but your recipe was better because your recipe used egg white and the other one didn’t and I believe that’s what gave it that nice crunchy texture. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
I made this for the first time. It was a big hit. I did add some Chipotle Chile to it also…sooo good. Thanks for sharing !
Delicious…thank you for sharing your recipe
Do you use light or dark brown sugar?
I used light brown sugar, however dark brown sugar will also work! It’s up to your personal preference.
Could I use this with pecans?
Yes!
I was looking for an easy recipe to follow and this is the one I decided to use. Have a big bag of walnuts from Sam’s to use before it expires. Followed this recipe step by step and it turned out perfect! I was thinking of cutting down the sugar to 1/4 cup instead of 1/3 glad I didn’t because the sweetness was just right. I baked the walnuts at 325 degrees and took it out of the oven after 30 minutes for they started to smell just a tad bit burning. I know sometimes ovens vary in temp, 35 minutes would’ve been too long for my walnuts. Thank you for this recipe! Will definitely make this again and might add other spices next time.
Hey Gracie! Thanks for taking the time to leave the review! I re-tested this recipe in three different ovens and I agree, they were done around the 25 minute mark. I updated the recipe to show that and recommended people start checking them around 20 minutes just in case!
Mine totally burnt. 35 minutes at 325 degrees is way too long.
Wish I’d have read the reviews.
35 minutes was too long.
Yes. My oven was at 325°.
Wasted 3 cups of walnuts, because they are scorched.
These burned within twenty minutes.
Was your oven on 325°F?
I will try some of your recipes for Christmas. They look so good. Thank you.
FYI: ALL nuts are non-GMO. Facts, not fear.
35 minutes was too long and they started to burn!
Hi
I made these today & thought they would be better tasting than they turned out. Looked so yummy in your photos. Was hoping the coating would be like that on butter toffee peanuts. Kind of bummed.
Your first clue it wouldn’t be buttery? THERE’S NO BUTTER IN THE RECIPE. This isn’t rocket science. If you had added butter, there would have been a buttery shell.
Ohh what a delicious idea! This would make me absolutely LOVE walnuts!
What a great idea for gift giving this season; these look so flavorful and perfectly sweet too!
Wowza, these look SO good! I love candied nuts, can’t wait to try these!
These sweet Toffee Walnuts would disappear in our house!
This is the best snack during the winter holidays! Must try recipe for sure!