Bourbon Candied Nuts Recipe

Bourbon Candied Nuts

5.0

(2)

2 Reviews

This isn't just any ol' nut mix.

Christine Fiorentino

Published on November 6, 2023

Southern Living Bourbon Candied Nuts in a bowl to serve — Photo:
Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Active Time:

10 mins

Total Time:

35 mins

Yield:

3 cups

One of my favorite things of all time to snack on is roasted candied nuts. Rather than spending a decent amount of your grocery shopping budget on packaged candied and caramelized nuts, make your own batch right at home. They’ll taste better, last longer, and bonus: Your entire home will fill with the aroma of cinnamon and vanilla.

Sweet and salty with just the perfect bit of heat, these Bourbon Candied Nuts are an absolute dream for snacking, gifting, serving on the appetizer or dessert table, or for preparing ahead of time as an on-the-go treat if you’re running around and looking to munch on something satisfying and simple.

The warm flavors of bourbon, maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla extract are the perfect complement to toasty roasted nuts. With a satisfying candy crunch texture and a pinch of briny flavor from a last minute sprinkle of flaky salt, these candied nuts will make your taste buds sing for more.

Bourbon is especially important in this mixture as it brings more flavors to the nuts than most any other ingredient ever good. Woodsy, floral, and spiced, bourbon is the secret to the best candied nuts.

Ingredients

1/4 cup maple syrup
2 Tbsp. bourbon
1 large egg white
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
1 cup pecan halves
1 cup walnuts
1 cup raw cashews
Flaky salt, for topping

Directions

Prepare oven and baking sheet:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix ingredients:

In a large bowl, whisk together maple syrup, bourbon, egg white, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and cayenne pepper (if using) until slightly foamy and sugar breaks down, forming a thick syrup. Add pecans, walnuts, and cashews to bowl. Stir to coat.
Spread nuts on baking sheet:

Transfer coated nuts to prepared pan and spread into a single layer.
Bake nut mix:

Bake in preheated oven 15 minutes. Rotate pan and stir nuts, keeping them in a single layer. Bake 12-15 minutes longer, until nuts are caramelized to an amber color and sugar mixture is bubbling. Remove from oven, immediately toss again, and sprinkle with flaky salt while hot.
Let cool:

Allow nuts to sit on pan on a cooling rack until completely cooled. Break bourbon candied nuts apart. Store in an airtight container.

Bourbon Candied Nuts

Ingredients

Directions

Prepare oven and baking sheet:

Mix ingredients:

Spread nuts on baking sheet:

Bake nut mix:

Let cool:

Related Articles