Candied Nuts (Vegan + GF)

I seriously cannot recommend these Candied Nuts enough: an insanely moreish and satisfying snack that takes less than 10 minutes to make!

Why you’ll love these Candied Nuts:

• they’re so addictive
• they’re salty-sweet
• they’re crispy and crunchy
• they’re not too sweet 
• they require just a few basic ingredients
• they take just 10 minutes to make
• they’re so easy to make
• they’re perfect for sharing as an appetizer or dessert
• they make great gifts
• they’re great as a snack for meal prep
• they’re a good source of protein and fibre 
• they’re filling and satisfying
• they’re much healthier than the shop-bought version
• they’re vegan and gluten-free
• they’re refined sugar free optional!

How to make these Candied Nuts + top tips

Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe.

• Heat the water, oil and agave syrup in a large frying pan until it starts to bubble (should take around 30 seconds).

Tip: You can use any type of oil eg. coconut oil, vegetable oil, olive oil etc and the agave syrup can be substituted with honey if you’re not vegan.

• Add the nuts and stir until they’re coated with the oil and syrup mixture – do this for around a minute until they’re slightly brown and crispy.

• Mix together the sugar, salt and black pepper in  a small bowl, then add to the pan and stir into the nuts.

• Keep the pan on a medium heat and stir continuously for a few minutes – the nuts should become nicely caramelised quite quickly.
• Remove the pan from the heat as soon as you think the caramel coating has turned a nice golden brown colour.

Tip: Be careful to not heat for too long as the sugar will burn very quickly.

• Spread the nuts out over a plate or a sheet of baking paper, separating out any clumps, and leave them to dry out for a while until completely cooled.

Tip: This step is crucial to make the nuts crispy and crunchy – if you don’t spread them out until cooled, the heat from the nuts will create moisture and they won’t get as crispy.

What type of nuts should I use?

You can use any type of nuts or seeds you want, such as:

• almonds
• peanuts
• hazelnuts
• macadamia nuts
• pecans
• walnuts
• brazil nuts
• pistachios
• pumpkin seeds
• sunflower seeds.

How can I make these Candied Nuts refined sugar free?

For a refined sugar free version, you can use the same recipe but replace the sugar with 3 tablespoons agave (or maple syrup) and instead of using a frying pan, mix together all the ingredients and roast in the oven on a rectangular baking tray at 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) for around 10 minutes.

I have tried the recipe in a frying pan replacing the sugar with coconut sugar/maple syrup/agave syrup, but unfortunately it just doesn’t seem to work!

How long do these Candied Nuts keep for?

These Candied Nuts keep in an airtight container for about a week.

More vegan appetizers:

• Muffin Tin Sushi Cups
• Sausage Rolls
• Cashew Cheese Ball
• Lazy Samosa Lettuce Cups
• Vegan “Crispy Duck” Lettuce Wraps

If you try out this recipe or anything else from my blog, I’d really love to hear any feedback! Please give it a rating, leave a comment, or tag a photo @rhiansrecipes #rhiansrecipes on Instagram! Thank you.

Watch this 20-second video:

Candied Nuts (Vegan + GF)

These Candied Nuts are an insanely moreish and satisfying snack that takes less than 10 minutes to make! 

5 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: candied nuts, caramelized nuts, christmas appetizer

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 8 people

Calories: 256kcal

Author: Rhian Williams

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil (or sub olive, vegetable or rapeseed oil)
• 1 tablespoon agave syrup (or sub honey if you're not vegan)
• 300 g (10 oz) mixed nuts
• 3 tablespoons sugar *see notes for substitution options
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Pinch ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

• Heat the water, oil and agave syrup in a large frying pan until it starts to bubble (should take around 30 seconds)
• Add the nuts and stir until they’re coated with the oil and syrup mixture – do this for around a minute until they’re slightly brown and crispy
• Mix together the sugar, salt and black pepper in  a small bowl, then add to the pan and stir into the nuts
• Keep the pan on a medium heat and stir continuously for a few minutes – the nuts should become nicely caramelised quite quickly
• Remove the pan from the heat as soon as you think the caramel coating turns a nice golden brown colour - be careful to not heat for too long as the sugar will burn very quickly
• Spread the nuts out over a plate or a sheet of baking paper, separating out any clumps, and leave them to dry out for a while until completely cooled – they may be quite soft at this stage, but ready to eat once they’ve cooled down. This step is crucial to make the nuts crispy and crunchy - if you don't spread them out until cooled, the heat from the nuts will create moisture and they won't get as crispy.
• Keeps in an airtight container for up to a week

Video

Notes

*For a refined sugar free version, you can use the same recipe but replace the sugar with 3 tablespoons agave (or maple syrup) and instead of using a frying pan, mix together all the ingredients and roast in the oven on a rectangular baking tray at 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) for around 10 minutes.

I have tried the recipe in a frying pan replacing the sugar with coconut sugar/maple syrup/agave syrup, but unfortunately it just doesn't seem to work!

Nutrition Facts

Candied Nuts (Vegan + GF)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 256 Calories from Fat 180

% Daily Value*

Fat 20g31%

Saturated Fat 2g10%

Sodium 73mg3%

Potassium 264mg8%

Carbohydrates 14g5%

Fiber 4g16%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 7g14%

Calcium 99mg10%

Iron 1.4mg8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Made the recipe?Tag @rhiansrecipes on instagram and use the hashtag #rhiansrecipes!

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