What do you give that person who already seems to have everything? How about a gift from your kitchen — something sweet and seasonal, like these cinnamon and sugar nuts?
Oh, those candied almonds you find at fairs in the fall: That tender, sugary crunch is the gateway nut for many a newbie to these nutritionally dense fruits. (Yes, nuts are fruits!) If you’re craving that singular taste, we’ve got you covered.
Sweetly delicious nuts from your own kitchen
This recipe for sugared nuts comes together super-fast — as in, 5 to 10 minutes fast.
The trick to cooking nuts and sugar is to never leave the mixture sitting over the heat; it can burn so quickly! Just keep stirring the whole time and remove the candy-covered nuts from the pan as soon as they’re done so they stop cooking.
We used mixed nuts here, but if you have a favorite — say, walnuts or pecans — go ahead and make a batch of just those. The preparation will be the same.
Candied nuts make excellent gifts for coworkers, party hosts and neighbors, so make plenty and share!
Great to make several gifts at once – this recipe makes 4 jars. We used 2-1/2″ wired ribbon.
Ingredients/supplies for cinnamon & sugar nuts
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 4 cups mixed nuts
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 mason jar
- 1 ribbon of your choice
Directions to make cinnamon & sugar nuts
- In a medium saute pan over medium heat, combine sugar and water. Stir and cook until sugar is dissolved.
- Pour in nuts, and toss carefully to coat.
- Cook, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in cinnamon and salt.
- Remove from heat and pour into cake pan (or similar) to cool completely.
- When cool, fill the mason jar with the candied nuts.
- Attach ribbon to jar.
These make such a quick and easy gift. You’ll love them yourself, but so will the recipients. Happy gifting!
