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Easy Cinnamon Candied Almonds are sweet, crunchy and make your house smell amazing! They can be made in less than 10 minutes and make a great snack for your next holiday party.
These candied almonds with cinnamon and vanilla are one of my favorite holiday treats! I always get some when we visit winter festivals and Christmas markets but it’s so easy to make this popular winter snack at home.
You just need a few simple ingredients and a large nonstick pan to transform simple almonds into something super delicious. These roasted almonds also make a great holiday gift that everyone will enjoy. Just put them in a cute glass jar and tie a ribbon around it.
Making candied nuts is really easy! All you need to do is stir until the sugar crystalizes. Do yourself a favor and make a batch! I promise you’ll love these cinnamon almonds!
How to make Candied Almonds Easy
The easy and fast way to make candied almonds is using a pan and cooking them in a cinnamon-sugar-water-mixture until all the water has evaporated and the sugar crystalizes and coats the almonds. As long as you stir constantly the almonds won’t burn and you have crunchy, sweet roasted almonds in less than 15 minutes.
Are sugared almonds healthy?
These candied almonds are definitely not healthy if you eat large amounts. But my recipe uses less sugar than others and gets you the same sweet flavor. So these almonds are healthier than other candied nuts and are less bad for you than the ones you can buy at winter festivals.
How long do candied almonds last
These cinnamon roasted almonds keep fresh at room temperature for one to two weeks, covered. I find they lose a little bit of their crunch if they are not stored in an airtight container so I like to store mine in a Tupperware container in the fridge. If you make a batch for a party I would make them the day before or on the same day for the best flavor.
Looking for more holiday recipes?
- Easy Mulled Wine Liqueur
- Orange Cranberry Moscow Mule
- German Christmas Punch (Kinderpunsch)
- Vanillekipferl (German Vanilla Crescent Cookies)
Tools used to make these Candied Almonds
Baking Mat: I love these mats! They are super affordable and easy to clean.
Cinnamon: I go through so much cinnamon this time of the year so I bought this one to always have it on hand!
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Easy Cinnamon Candied Almonds
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons butter, for greasing the baking mat
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 cups whole almonds
Instructions
- Line a large baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Grease the baking mat/parchment paper with 2 teaspoons butter.
- In a nonstick pan, combine ½ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup water, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Add 2 cups whole almonds. Cook and stir the mixture until the water has evaporated. It will change from liquid to syrup to a stringy consistency and then crystallize onto the almonds. Be sure to stir consistently throughout.
- Pour the almonds onto the prepared baking sheet and separate them with forks or a spatula. Let cool for about 15 minutes.
- Store almonds in an airtight container.
Nutrition
Amazing recipe! I’ve made it several times, and it’s a keeper!
We live off grid, and times during the year we don’t like to use the oven much. This recipe is for the stove top, so I liked that, but it’s so good I don’t have a reason to use my oven bake recipe at all! Thank you so much. 🤗
Thank for this recipe. I saw some had trouble with sugar not sticking, so I reduced the water by half and used raw Moreno cane sugar. I also used raw almonds straight outta the freezer lol. I make maple pecans, it should look like that. I also added a tsp of salt to sugar mixture before boiling. I saw early on that the cyrstals of sugar werent disolved hardly at all in the beginning so i added an extra tbsp just to make it stirrable. This water should all boil off anyway. It worked great. It stuck really well. Don’t cook on too low a temp- i have an electric stove and used between medium and med high-or your nuts will get waterlogged sitting in liquid. I may try toasting them in the pan first too. Thanks again, Julia!! Way better recipe than others on the web.
Great recipe! Measurements on point. Thank you!
I tried making candied almonds at Christmas time and it didn’t work out. There have been some comments saying that the topping/sugar turned to dust and didn’t coat their almonds. The only difference this time, making them 6 months later (haha!), is that I used a nonstick pan and kept the heat on the lower side of medium. First time I used a metal pan…. My only thought as to why it may not have worked the first time?! These turned out great- simply, easy, and delicious. Can’t wait to make them again in 6 months. ;)
I followed the recipe exactly, and was left with chewy almonds in a caramel glaze. I stirred the almonds until the sugar was sticky and stringy, but just before it would burn to the pan. I had hoped these would be like the ones I got at fairs: a crunchy, thick candied coating, and could be eaten while still warm. I have no idea where I went wrong, but they look nothing like the picture, and are quite gross. In the trash they go, and my search for another recipe commences.
I’m so sorry to hear the recipe didn’t turn out as expected! It sounds like the sugar may not have cooked long enough to fully crystallize into that crunchy coating you were looking for. The key is to keep stirring until the sugar dries and becomes sandy, which can take a bit longer than expected. I understand how disappointing that can be, and I truly appreciate your feedback. I’d love to help troubleshoot further, if you’re open to giving it another try—let me know!
Delicious and so easy!!!
Can I use brown sugar?
Did you use raw almonds or roasted?
I use raw almonds.
How long will these last in a airtight container on the counter
Hi Julia
Can I use a mix of almonds and cashews for this receipe?
I haven’t tried that but I don’t see why this wouldn’t work! Let me know how it goes if you give it a try!