Okay, new rule: These Candied Almonds are NOT allowed in my house. I’m bringing them with me to work tomorrow. Hopefully, I can survive the night without eating them all. These are some dangerous little almonds… because once you start eating them it’s nearly impossible to stop. Their sweet, buttery, toasty nut flavor is totally addictive.
But say you need a gift to bring to a holiday party and wine isn’t up your alley. Making this candied almonds recipe would be the perfect alternative. Or, if you like to give homemade gifts for Christmas, these candied almonds will make everyone will love you. I mean really, really love you.
This post contains some affiliate links, which means that we make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.
This recipe makes about 3 times what you would get in one of those little paper cones from the mall kiosk, all for about the same price. Now that you’ve unlocked their secret, the smell of sugar-coated roasting nuts wafting from their kiosk will no longer hold any power over you. You are free.
Ingredients for Candied Almonds
These candied almonds are incredibly easy to make. Here is what you’ll need to make your own homemade candied almonds:
- Raw Shelled Almonds: Make sure to get raw almonds because they will be roasted in the oven. If you buy pre-roasted almonds they may overcook. Hot tip: if you have an ALDI near you, they have the absolute best prices on nuts!
- Sugar: We use a combination of white and brown sugar for this recipe. The white sugar helps crystalize the coating on the nuts, giving them that crunchy finish, while the brown sugar gives them a deep, rich caramel-like flavor.
- Cinnamon: Cinnamon gives these nuts a super cozy, Christmasy flavor.
- Salt: A little bit of salt goes a long way toward making these candied nuts extra flavorful. It really helps all those flavors POP.
- Egg White: Egg white acts as the binder, helping the sugar coating adhere to the nuts as it bakes and it creates an airy-texture in the crystalized sugar, making it extra crispy and crunchy instead of a glossy glaze.
- Vanilla: Vanilla adds warmth to the flavor of the nuts.
How to Store Candied Almonds
Make sure you let your almonds cool completely at room temperature before packing them into an air-tight container. This makes sure there is no residual moisture in the nuts that can cause them to get sticky or moldy during storage. Once cooled and packed in an air-tight container, they’ll keep for up to one week at room temperature.
You might also like our recipe for Candied Pecans!
Candied Almonds
Servings 15 ¼ cup eachIngredients
- 1 lb. raw shelled almonds ($5.99)
- 1/3 cup brown sugar ($0.11)
- 1/3 cup white sugar ($0.05)
- 1 tsp cinnamon ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 1 large egg white ($0.25)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract ($0.14)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300ºF. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, and salt until evenly mixed.
- Separate the egg white from the yolk. Place the white in a large glass or metal bowl and whisk until light and frothy, but it is not yet forming peaks (no clear liquid should remain in the bottom of the bowl). Add the vanilla extract and whisk again until incorporated.
- Add the almonds to the egg whites and stir to coat. Add the sugar spice mixture and stir to coat again.
- Spread the sugar coated almonds out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil coated with non-stick spray. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring once half way through. After baking, allow the almonds to cool, during which time coating will solidify into a crunchy candy shell.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!Video
Scroll down for the step by step photos!
How to Make Candied Almonds – Step By Step Photos
In a small bowl, stir together 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup white sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp salt until evenly mixed.
Separate one large egg and whisk the whites until they are light and fluffy, but not yet forming peaks. Make sure there is no clear, liquid white left on the bottom of the bowl. Add ½ tsp vanilla extract and whisk it into the egg whites.
Add the almonds to the egg whites and stir to coat. Pour the cinnamon sugar mixture over the nuts and stir until the almonds are evenly coated in sugar.
Spread the coated almonds out on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake in a preheated 300ºF oven for 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
After baking allow the almonds to cool so that the candy coating can harden and get nice and crunchy.
And now you have a whole pound of seriously addictive Candied Almonds. Oh boy. #sorrynotsorry
I made this with peanuts (dry roasted, no salt) and it turned out great! They seem a little soft still at the end of the baking time but trust the recipe, they set up nicely crunchy after a bit of cooling! Very excited to try this with other nuts. It would be great for gifting!
Can I use other nuts (cashews, peanuts)?
Yes. :) Roasting time may vary a bit depending on the size of the nut, but I’ve also done it with pecans!
Would it be possible to use “roasted,” almonds? Also, possible to freeze after cooling totally,?
Thank you@
I don’t suggest using roasted almonds as they may end up burning as they bake with the candy coating. You can freeze these after completely cooling, but it’s very important that it is air-tight so moist air gets in while it’s in the freezer. Moisture will make them stale and sticky.
What could be used in place of the egg white?
I’ve tried a couple of substitutes but, unfortunately, I haven’t found anything that works yet.
My daughter visited an outdoor Christmas market in Germany and brought back candied almonds BUT they were made using alcohol, flavored with or like Baileys Irish Cream. How would one go about getting this depth of flavor? Possibly starting with the flavored liquid and leaving out the sugar? Is there a condensed flavoring of the Irish Cream, or any other flavoring like this that might work? I have no problem experimenting.
I am unsure how you would do that, as I have never made anything like that. Have fun experimenting! It sounds delicious! XOXO -Monti
Thank you.
Was trying to find something a little healthier than cookies to snack on (but not completely healthy), and these fit the bill! This will definitely be a repeat!
I did add an eighth teaspoon of cayenne for a little heat on my second batch. These are amazing.
Of all the baking I did this holiday, these candied almonds were the biggest hit. I made these initially because this recipe is gluten free, but the whole family loves them! Definitely 5 stars!
I used this recipe. Easy recipe except for the whisking lol.. Loved it. They came out great. Everyone enjoyed them. Thanks
This recipe is wonderful,,, really, I have used this recipe with cashews and Spanish peanuts as well. Works great!
S
What happens if you use roasted almonds or peanuts, will I still work
Yes, it should still work.
These are delicious! For a vegan version you can whip aquafaba and a touch of cream of tartar instead of the egg white.
trust me. let your brown sugar dry out and then grind it up. Will make your go at this so much easier.
I totally agree. I do “Lazy Keto”, so I use Splenda Brown Sugar Blend (2/3rds of a cup) when I make these, and then I hand-sift it. IMHO, the dryer, finer sugar granules most DEFINITELY make a difference! [I gave this recipe 4 Stars rather than 5 simply because I rarely give 5 Stars to ANY recipe I’ve tried, or ANY item I’ve purchased from anywhere, whether while out shopping or via the internet. I make this recipe pretty often (once a month at least; Almonds are expensive!), so if I were another person, I probably would have gone with 5 Stars.]
You sure sound like a bag of laughs to be around…people work hard on their recipes/products you shouldn’t downgrade their rating. because you’re, well, you.
You should plant a couple of trees! Two are necessary for cross pollination. I have 3 and they like las vegas!
Can these be made with dry roasted almonds?
You can!
Has anyone tried a sprinkling of salt over these after they come out of the oven? I’m looking for a less sweet snack.
And has anyone used sliced almonds? I’m wondering if they would come out in clusters.
You could spread them out very thinly, but just be ware of the cooking time and keep your eye on them!
They are great!!
Thank you Jan!
Do you recommend raw or roasted almonds for this? Looks great!
We’d suggest roasted. But you could certainly try with raw!
I want to double check on this because the recipe distinctly calls for raw almonds, and the pre-recipe notes on ingredients makes sure to mention raw almonds as well due to cooking times listed in the recipe
Sorry for the confusion there! They should definitely be raw.
So glad I tried this recipe! Only problem I was making them for gifts for our adult children but my husband smelled them and could not stop eating them! Guess I will start another batch. Thanks for a great easy and delicious recipie.!
Oh no! Well I’d say that’s an okay excuse to make some more. What great gifts!
Oooooh, this is where I got the recipe!! I have made these many times, they’re easy and delicious, and if you need to take something to a party they travel well and get eaten up.
Thanks Mary!
Thank you so much for a truly delicious snack, I made mine with Almonds, Pecans and something I bought for added texture to salads called Old Mill (brand) Sesame Oat Bran Sticks, the batch came out perfectly. 5 Stars, again and again, many thanks.
Oh that sounds great!
Thanks so much for this recipe! Easy and delicious. For the 2nd year now I’m making batches to give away for Christmas gifts. Everyone loves them!
Whomever rated these less than 5 stars is living their life incorrectly. Thanks Beth!
Hi Beth! Do you think it would work to use salted almonds, and then omit the salt in the ingredients?
That might work! :) It’s hard to guess, though, since I don’t know how much salt the salted almonds bring to the table.
I absolutely loved the candied almonds!! If you tast the syrup in the bowl it is amazing and even more delicious on the baked almonds! You NEED to try the recipe!!!!
Easy and amazing! My house smells wonderfull
Made these today, and the kitchen smelled so good! I can attest to them being addictive; I wanted to eat the whole batch in one sitting.
These were kinda grainy to me. I followed the recipe exactly but I feel like they need more egg whites to get all the sugar, so there aren’t so many grains of sugar all over.
my daughter brought some back from the Christmas Market in Germany, only they used Irish Cream. Any idea how to go about using a liquid. They are so nummy!
Hmm, I’m not sure!
Is there any way i could replace the egg? for someone who is vegan?
I’ve seen recipes for candied almonds without egg before so I know they’re out there, but there is no quick substitution for this version, unfortunately. You’d need to use a different technique all together.
What is the shelf life?
These are wonderful! I add a touch of ginger and these are gobbled up in an instant!
Great recipe, major hit this holiday season and couldn’t be simpler.
These look amazing! Almonds and cinnamon are soo good for you too. I usually eat a handful of almonds almost everyday.
Thanks for the recipe.
I just made these but I used Pecans instead. Almonds are too hard to bite and momma likes Pecans. They turned out perfect and the family loves them. I have added this to my recipe book. Thank you!
Hi,
How long do the candied almonds stay fresh for ?
Thanks!
As long as you cool them completely before you package them and then store them in an air-tight container where they can not absorb moisture from the environment, they should last a while. The longest I’ve had mine before eating them all is a week. :)
Can I freeze these?….If so, and for how long?
I’ve never tried freezing these, unfortunately.
Made the recipe as written and they turned out delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
I made three kinds : one regular, one with some paprika and one with sriracha added to the mix (these were really good!)
Beth,
Made a version of these for Thankgining. They were done in a crockpot. Being crunched by time and space, i thought great! Never again! What a mess and took longer.
Today i made yours. Thank you! Should have gone with your version the first time.
Ann
I’ve made these before and they turned out AMAZING but now I’d like to make them for a holiday party that includes vegan friends. Is there anything I can substitute for the egg?
Hmm, I don’t know… That’s a tricky one. I think I’ve seen recipes for candy coated nuts that just don’t contain egg (no replacement ingredient), but I think the preparation method is slightly different. Give it a quick Google search to see what you come up with.
This looks like an awesome recipe. However, I am horribly allergic to cinnamon. Do you have any recommendations for a cinnamon substitute. I run across this problem with a lot of recipes.
You could try some allspice, although it tends to be a bit stronger, so I’d go light on it.
i made these exactly per the recipe and they were PERFECT. i quadrupled the recipe for 64 oz of almonds to give as christmas gifts and put 2 baking sheets full of almonds in the oven at the same time. no extra baking time required despite 2 baking sheets.
Just pulled a batch out of the oven. They look amazing and smell delicious.
These are delicious! The 2nd time I made them, I increased the cinnamon to 1 1/2 tsp and added 1/8 tsp of cayennecayenne pepper because I like a little more heat. Perfect! Thanks for a great recipe :)
I burned them! :( my oven is old and sometimes it’s hard to adjust the temperature. I should have watched them closely! I’m defenitely trying this recipe again in the future. We always have almonds on hand and even burned they were kind of good hahaha
Beth, do you think I could sub the egg white for honey?
THANK YOU! I made 2 batches for Christmas and my brother law has requested some more! I used pumpkin pie spice in place of the cinnamon and they were yummy!!
Thanks again for all your hard work!
Oh my gosh…these look so good. I can’t wait to try them! Thank you!
Margaret @ Live Like No One Else
I made these the day you posted the reciprocal. You weren’t kidding about the addiction! They really are that easy, and oh so yummy. I took some into work and offered around. Noone could have just one! Thanks for this wonderful recipe Beth
These are delicious! Didn’t realize so many people in my family didn’t like almonds, so I ended up keeping a lot of them for myself. Oh, darn!
I made these and brought to two separate parties this weekend – everyone loved them! I took a previous poster’s suggestion and added about 1/2 tsp. cayenne, which gave them a little extra kick, but not too spicy. I also went up to a full tsp. of salt since I prefer my snacks on the salty side. So easy and yummy. Thanks, Beth!
Oops..I meant: “They look delicious!
The look delicious!
Have made two batches thus far – these are amazingly good and SOOO easy. Thank you!!!
FYI – after I mixed the sugars and whisked the egg whites I realized I didn’t have enough vanilla extract! I tripled the recipe and only had about 1/2 tsp. I substituted the additional 1 tsp with maple syrup and they turned out fabulously! Just thought I’d share!
Lyn – Hmm, I don’t imagine that the smoked flavor would work well with sweet cinnamon and sugar.
Hey Beth,
I have some leftover smoked whole almonds (the ones that come in a bag)…do you think the recipe would work with these?
I bought 3 large bags of nuts at Costco (Pecans, Walnuts, and Almonds) just to make these for gifts. Mixed them up, packaged in mason jars decorated with burlap and raffia, and was thrilled with the end result! Pretty, but most importantly, delicious! THANK YOU
These are delicious, positively sinful. I bought 3 lb bag at costco and for the recipe of 1 lb use about 3 cups is perfect.
Cari – I haven’t worked with splenda, so I’m not sure if it has the same physical properties as sugar (if it melts and crystalizes the same when heated). I know it’s fine for baked goods where it’s dissolved into batter, but it might act differently when cooked in low moisture preparations like this.
Do you think I could use Splenda in place of the white sugar?
I use Splenda Brown Sugar Blend (2/3rds of a Cup) when I make these. No “real” White or Brown Sugar, just Splenda Blend. And I’ve never been disappointed. I do sift it (via a hand-crank Sifter) when I do that, though.
This is perfect! I bought a big bag of almonds at costco on sale a while back, thinking I’d roast them or use them for trail mix/granola, but alas, I never did. This sounds delicious and simple, with ingredients we always have on hand!
I have these in the oven right now! Starting to smell good. This was just the right effort/difficulty level for me :)
Omg, THANK YOU for posting this. I must try!!! And cannot wait! I love those roasted sweet almonds at the mall and the aroma is just amazing! Can’t wait to try this out!
hahhaha “anonymouse” … a mouse with no identity.
Anonymouse #1 – Not a stupid question! Almonds are usually sold already shelled :)
Seaward – I bet you could use a fork. It doesn’t even need to be as whipped as my pictures were, just enough so that it’s not really liquidy anymore. I think I”ve heard people say that two forks back to back is a decent sub for a whisk.
Anonymous #2 – Hmm, my only guess is that your oven might be running hot. Sometimes they’re not as accurate as we’d like. 15 minutes at 300 degrees shouldn’t be enough for it to burn :( Also, is your oven rack in the middle position? If it’s all the way at the top that can increase the temperature, too.
I just made these, and they turned out really well. I used a mixture of almonds, peanuts and cashews and added 1/2 tsp of cloves to the recipe to make it more Christmassy. They turned out really well, and will definitely be given as gifts this year. Thanks!
Not sure what I could have done wrong here, but after only 15 minutes the sugar was starting to burn on the parchment and I had to pull the trays out of the oven. Any thoughts?
I really wanna make these, but my 2 year old hidden my whisk and I can’t find it ANYWHERE. I can get away with just using a fork, right? I hope?
thank you soo much for this recipe beth!!! i had no idea they were so easy to make. these are a staple at the christmas markets here in germany & they come in a wide variety of flavors (including coconut, bailey’s, and nutella!) but they cost something like €3 per 100 grams. i’ll probably never buy them again now that i know how ridiculously easy it is to crank out a big batch. :)
This may be a dumb question but, are almonds typically sold shelled? Or do I need to look for them specifically? Thanks for all your great recipes! :)
While I’m sure that you can buy them via other venues, Almonds are sold shelled at most Supermarkets in the US. Shelled, Chopped, Sliced, etc. For this particular recipe, I’d recommend using either WHOLE (especially if you’re thinking in terms of “Holiday” or other Gifts) or SLICED Almonds. I’ve done both, and both using this recipe and both have worked well for me.
Eb – I’m not sure if Egg Beaters are just 100% egg whites or if they have other ingredients (like preservatives or stabilizers) added, which might affect the whipping process. But it’s worth a shot!
Mark – I haven’t tried it with peanuts, but I bet it would work! Just make sure to use unsalted… and probably raw instead of roasted, since they’ll be in the oven for a while.
That was going to be my question. Whether or not the almonds needed to be raw? Love your recipes!
Well, you want to use raw because roasted almonds might “over roast” during the cooking time. Plus, pre-roasted almonds usually have oil added to them, which might affect how well they coat in the mixture. I hope that helps!
Ummmmmmm these looks delicious and I am going to bring these to Christmas dinner for sure. I’m hungry now.
Would the same recipe work for other nuts, specifically for peanuts? I love peanuts you get from the carts, and this looks amazing, but almonds are a tougher sell.
Ooo, these look good! My great-great-great aunt used to make some kind of candied pecans every Christmas. I never got the recipe from her (I thought it was my grandma who made them and did not find out until after my aunt’s death that she was the one who brought them). I’ll be excited to try these!
I was wondering the same thing about the yolk – instead of separating the egg, could I just use Egg Beaters? If I recall, those are just egg whites, right?
Thanks for posting this just in time for me to make coworker gifts!
To my knowledge, EggBeaters are NOT just Egg Whites. Rather, EggBeaters are Eggs that are first dehydrated and then reconstituted (including the Yolks), allegedly without the CHOLESTEROL component of “real” eggs, Full disclosure: I, personally, have NEVER used EggBeaters in ANYTHING I have ever cooked (I just happen to like Eggs, and just the thought of finding an alternative to being able to eat “real” Eggs was just a notion with which I could not abide). And, perhaps, they have come out with an “Egg Whites Only” variety since the time when they were first introduced. For me, it has always been “just easier” to separate the Eggs and reserving either the “White” or the “Yolk” for using in future recipes. Eggs are still “economical” while EggBeaters (by comparison) just aren’t. Given somewhat recent scientific/health studies, Egg Yolks are actually GOOD for you. (given BOTH their High Protein and “Good” Cholesterol” components). Do what you feel what you believe you need to do (of course), but, to my mind, I just don’t feel that you will ever have have to purchase another carton of EggBeaters in order to accommodate a “healthy lifestyle. Just sayin’..
WHEN I add the spice (and I will be making these)I will let y’all know how it goes!
Janiece – Nope, you don’t need the yolk! And yep, a spicy version would be awesome! Cayenne goes wonderfully with cinnamon, so you can add a pinch or two in there :D
Yummo! I take it we do not need the yolk? (which would be great since I throw away sooo many whites during the holidays from cheesecakes and biscotti-yea, I know, I could do all sorts of things with them…I have tried so many things…I hated them all)
I am wondering….do ya think ‘we’ (by which I mean you of course) could come up with a spicy almond recipe? Perhaps just add some heat to these or do you think the cinnamon would hinder it????