Hi Everyone,
Happy Saturday to you!! Today I have for you a very addicting recipe!! This recipe is so good, so easy, and so delicious and is perfect for gifting giving. How much better can it get! Well let me show you!!
These are my Mixed Candied Nuts. Oh my gosh, they are so sweet! With a slight hint of cinnamon and a touch of salt! You have everything you want in these nuts. It’s healthy, full of protein, sweet, salty and crunchy. I am in pure nut heaven and I can’t stop eating them!!! Really I can’t keep my hand out of the tupperware I have them stored in!!
Since I am trying, ha ha to be good I used my NuNaturals Presweet Tagatose, but you could also probably use splenda, I am sure that would work too. That way I won’t have added sugar, but I will include the sugar calories for you. Let me tell you, I so cheated when making these sweet delectable little treats. To make, I placed all of my nuts in a skillet, turned the heat on to medium high, added water, sugar, and cinnamon.
I brought the nuts to a boil, stirred occasionally while waiting for the water to evaporate. Then I kept stirring it so the nuts and sugar wouldn’t burn. Cooked it until it got thick and syrupy and then poured it on to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to cool.
I used two forks to separate the nuts so they weren’t all stuck together. However the stuck together pieces are my favorite because there is more sugar stuck to them. After I separated them I added a pinch of salt for that savory flavor. The whole process took maybe 20 minutes or so. I let them cool for about two hours, then it was time for bed, so I broke apart a few more pieces by hand and placed the nuts in a tupperware for safe keeping.
When making these I used the last bits and pieces of nuts that I had from baking last week. I used 1 cup each of cashews, almonds, pecans and walnuts. You can use what ever nuts you like, just be sure they are all the same size for even cooking. The cashews and almonds are my favorite. The candied nuts make for a wonderful gift to give! They are also perfect for snacking and topping on salads. Love them in a nice apple salad!! Candied Nuts reminds me of the time, back in my early, early 20′s when my boyfriend, Husband now, went to Letchworth Park in NY. There was an arts and crafts festival and it was snowing and cold!!! I remember walking around freezing to death, so we got hot apple cider and then the smell hit us, fresh cinnamon nuts being made right there. Oh we couldn’t resist. We just had to buy a bag. That was my first time ever having candied nuts. They were so good!! Incredibly good!!! Ever since then I have been hooked. This is my first time making them and the taste brought me back to that wonderful time in my life.
A rich, sweet mixture of nuts candied with sugar and flavored with cinnamon and salt.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cashews
- 1 cup almonds
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1 cup pecans
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cups sugar (I used NuNaturals PreSweet Tagatose)
- 1 tbsp. cinnamon, ground
- 2 dashes salt (optional)
Instructions
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set a side.
- In a large skillet add all your ingredients (but the salt). Turn the heat up to medium - high. Stir occasionally until water is evaporated, about 7 minutes. Then keep stirring until sugar gets thick and brown, about 5 minutes longer. If you smell the nuts, they are done, you don't want to burn them.
- Quickly pour nuts onto prepared baking sheets and with two forks, pull the nuts apart the best you can to separate them. Sprinkle with just a pinch of salt.
- Let them sit until completely cooled. Break apart any nuts stuck together
- Store in an airtight container.
Notes
Calories per serving using NuNaturals instead of sugar: 223.9, Fat: 17, Cholesterol: 0, Sodium: 1.6, Potassium: 168, Carbs: 30, Fiber: 2.4, Sugar: 1.3, Protein: 4.8
Calories using sugar: 284, Fat: 17, Cholesterol: 0, Sodium: 1.6, Potassium: 168, Carbs: 31.3, Fiber: 2.4, Sugar: 26.3, Protein: 4.8
Oh, I have to tell you, my Husband called me a jerk last night!! Yah, can you believe it? He asked are you making granola, I said nope. I said here have some nuts, he said no, I said come on, try them, fine he said. I said are they good? He said yah! Then he went to watch tv, and about 30 seconds later he was back in the kitchen pulling the nuts off of the baking sheet, then he said you’re a jerk!!! I said there addicting aren’t they, yes!! Needless to say, Hubby likes them! I don’t mind being called a jerk when it’s meant in a good way! lol
Now I must package the nuts up because I am not kidding you, I can’t stop eating them!!! I have to stop. I probably consumed my calories for the day in nuts! They are so filling, yet I can’t stop!! I need to go to nuts anonymous! All week it has been nuts!!! I think I’m nuts!! I didn’t make peanut butter this week for the reason I am trying to stay away, so what do I do? Make PB&J Thumbprint Cookies then candied nuts! Yah I do have a nut problem!!
Have a great weekend! Stay warm and make some toasty nuts! Not only do they taste good, the smell of nuts and cinnamon in the air is so comforting and relaxing! It’s a smell that will bring people together! Ok, maybe that was a little too much, I am totally out of control! Going to package the nuts up now!
Again, have a great weekend!
Toodles,
Jen
P.S. I totally forgot to share this with you. My Friend Janet sent me this link to watch Santa feed the reindeer. It’s a live cam. She said her granddaughter watches it,waiting for Santa to feed then reindeer and then he waves to the camera. Her granddaughter asked, can Santa see me, she said yes, and then she begged to turn it off. he he Here’s the link! http://reindeercam.com/ It’s funny! Going to watch Santa feed the reindeer int he morning so I can see him wave. I’m so dorky!
When does Santa feed the reindeer?
Everyday November 16th through December 24th. Find your timezone below:
- PST (Pacific) – 8AM, 3PM & 6PM
- MST (Mountain) – 9AM, 4PM & 7PM
- CST (Central) – 10AM, 5PM & 8PM
- EST (Eastern) – 11AM, 6PM & 9PM
- GMT UTC – 4PM, 11PM, 2AM
The recipe? I don’t see it with proportions. Maybe I’m missing something.
1/4 cup is portion size
Jennifer – I’ve read that there are 6 calories per serving in Tagatose but I can’t seem to find out what a serving is. Do you know? Many thanks for your great blog.
1 tsp. is 6 calories of Tagatose
Me too. And give us your lower calorie version, please. I’m diabetic.
I have both versions on the recipe for sugar and no sugar.
These look great! I love candied nuts and your photos are beautiful
Thank you!!!
I have been wanting to make candied nuts.. Thanks for sharing.
I’ve also had some experience making candied nuts (walnuts, in this case) when I made a honey walnut shrimp recipe. I had an issue with the nuts sticking together too but just broke them up with a knife. Any suggestions on how to avoid the problem?
I used a fork to separate them as soon as I poured them onto my baking sheet. About an hour later, I pulled them apart a little more. When I placed them in the tupperware I broke apart any remaining pieces that were stuck together. But the stuck together ones are my favorite.
Delicous Jenn, I can totally see why your hand keeps reaching into that bin!
I can just see myself eating the whole batch of these!! Delicious
I agree with Kristi, I could eat them forever!
Ok, I’m definitely checking out that reindeer cam, I’m a total dork
I love these nuts, perfect snacking food to cut all the sweetness of the holidays!
Haha! You’re no jerk, but these nuts do look pretty addicting!
And I love that reindeer cam! So cute!
I love the reindeer cam…and this snack! I’ve always candied just almonds, or just pecans. A mixed bowl looks fantastic
The reindeer cam is a little geeky, but it’s fun! I love that kind of stuff during the holidays!!
I found your site through tasty kitchen and I’m so glad that I found another healthy food blogger. Beautiful recipe!
Thank you! Love the name of your blog! I’m going to check ya out!!
Love any kind of candied nuts.
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Oh me too! Totally out of control with them around!!
I wouldnt even be able to make these and stay home alone. Seriously I would eat the whole batch! I love candied nuts and with a thick layer shell on them oh, so good!
I have no control! I gave away the nuts for Christmas gifts! They are on there way to Pennsylvania as we speak! I couldn’t stop eating them!!
Wondering if anyone has tried making these with Splenda? Being in Canada I haven’t been able to find NuNaturals PreSweet Tagatose. If someone has tried it with splenda I would be grateful to hear how it went.
Cheers
I bet splenda would work, but i have never tried. Try it with a small batch and see how it goes.
The first time I made these, I did use Splenda and they were delicious. Today, I made them again using Tagatose. I made half a recipe but had way too much syrup, even though I halved everything. They’re sticky but I’m hoping that they’ll harden in a few hours. Any idea what went wrong? I cooked them 7 minutes and the liquid was bubbly and getting thick. I was afraid to cook them longer since they burn easily.
Hi Beth, they are sticky, be sure to pull the nuts a part with a fork and let them harden up for a couple of hours. I found them pretty sticky at first but once cooled and harden they turned great. Let mw know how it goes. I’m typing from my blacberry, so forgive the spelling, I can barly see my screen.
Thank you for getting back to me, Jennifer. I don’t think they’re going to harden. I believe my mistake was in not letting them cook long enough. The first batch hardly had any liquid left in it and this one had pretty much. I’m going to stick with it, though, and try it again when I buy more nuts.
Thank you for your wonderful blog and all the amazing recipes you develop for us.
I’m sorry they didn’t turn out! I hate when that happens! Your to sweet thank you for the compliment!