Candied almonds are the easiest and most delicious edible gift that is great for packing and shipping. One of the easiest recipes to make with just 3 ingredients.
Almond, Sugar, and cinnamon are all we need to make this quick and easy Candied Almonds on the stovetop. This week my theme for BM is Easy Sweet treats ready within an hour or less. The first recipe I have under this theme is this Candied Almonds which just takes 3 ingredients to make and is ready in about 12 to 15 minutes.
Snacks are a big deal in my house and if I am not watching the kids would empty every shelf on the snack aisle. Many say I try to have something healthy and flavorful snack ready for them but still the bright colors and the flavors of the shelf do attract the children and also the adults.
Why make this recipe
My boys love the candied pecan from our local Sprout's market. Though they are made of organic ingredients, I still do not like the additional ingredients that go into making them.
I wanted to try to make something very similar, but every time I went shopping, I kept forgetting to buy pecans. Today I wanted to not use it as an excuse and hence tried to make candied almonds.
I have had many of my friends and readers mention how scared they were to make caramel or deal with making sugar syrup. I have to admit that it is indeed a learning curve to make perfect caramel and even the experienced cook might have trouble at times.
The many terminologies like single thread consistency, soft ball consistency, and hard ball stage could be overwhelming at times and hence I wanted to try out a way to make this the most Easiest Candied Almonds that one would ever make.
Last year I had make this traditional Indian recipe called Nokkal which involved making a sugar syrup in single thread consistency. It did yield an amazing candied cashew, but I didn't want to use the same technique as it could be a little overwhelming to beginners.
Easiest Candied Nut recipe
So this recipe here does not need any of the consistency checks. All we need to do is combine the sugar and cinnamon with little water. Heat it over the flame until the sugar melts. Then we add the almonds and keep stirring it in medium flame until the mixture solidifies and the sugar coats all over the almonds. Simple, isn't it?
Variations to the recipe
I have chosen to add cinnamon to spice it up a bit, but you could be as creative as you want with the spices.
We could add nutmeg, allspice, cayenne, or anything that you prefer and think would work well with the almond.
Make sure you use good-quality Almonds. If the almonds are older, I would recommend toasting them in a pan or in the oven for a few minutes and cooling it down entirely before making the candy.
Preparation time - 5 minutes
Cooking time - 12 - 15 minutes
Difficulty level - easy
Ingredients to make Candied Almonds -
- Almonds - 1 cup
- Sugar - ¼ cup
- Cinnamon powder - ½ tsp
- Water - 3 to 4 tbsp
Step-by-step process
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and keep it ready.
- Measure the ingredients. If the almonds are a little old, then roast them in a pan for a few minutes until they are aromatic. Cool them down to room temperature. I had bought some fresh almonds, so I skipped this step.
- In the same pan, add the sugar, cinnamon, and water and mix.
- Heat the sugar on low to medium flame. Mix well to dissolve the sugar.
- Once the sugar starts to boil, add the almonds to the pan.
- Keep stirring the mixture on low flame until all the moisture disappears and the sugar coats the almonds well.
- Once the almonds appear dry, turn off the heat and transfer the mixture to the prepared baking sheet.
- Separate the clumps if there are any and then let the almonds cool down entirely. Store in an airtight container once they have cooled down entirely.
Expert Tips
- Use good quality and fresh almonds. The flavor of the almonds really comes through and stale almonds ruin the whole recipe.
- I toast the nuts for a few minutes if they are a little older.
- Let the candied almonds cool down well before storing them. If stored a little too early, the nuts can become soggy.
Frequently asked questions
Candied almonds stay good at room temperature for 3 to 4 weeks. Make sure to keep them in an air-tight container or else they become soft.
Candied almonds do just fine when left outside and stored in an air tight container. If storing for an extended period, we can keep it well wrapped in the freezer.
Absolutely. We can use pecans, cashews, or walnuts. I also love to mix the nuts and make a batch of candied mixed nuts.
More 3 Ingredient recipes
If you made this recipe and liked it, give a star rating on the recipe card or let me know in the comments below. You could also share it with me on Instagram using #MyCookingJourney and tagging me @sandhya.ramakrishnan. You could follow me and my recipes on Facebook |Instagram | Pinterest | twitter
Recipe
Candied Almonds – 3 Ingredients Candied Almonds
Equipment
- pan
- Baking Sheet/Tray
Ingredients
- 1 cup Almonds
- ¼ cup Sugar
- ½ tsp Cinnamon powder
- 3 to 4 tablespoon Water
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and keep it ready.
- Measure the ingredients. If the almonds are a little old, then roast them in a pan for few minutes until they are aromatic. Cool them down to room temperature. I had bought some fresh almonds, so I skipped this step.
- In the same pan, add the sugar, cinnamon and water and mix.
- Heat the sugar in low to medium flame. Mix well to dissolve the sugar.
- Once the sugar starts to boil, add the almonds to the pan.
- Keep stirring the mixture in low flame until all the moisture disappears and the sugar coats the almonds well.
- Once the almonds appear dry, turn off the heat and transfer the mixture to the prepared baking sheet.
- Separate the clumps if there are any and then let the almonds cool down entirely. Store in an airtight container once they have cooled down entirely.
Video
Notes
- Use good quality and fresh almonds. The flavor of the almonds really comes through and stale almonds ruin the whole recipe.
- I toast the nuts for few minutes if they are a little older.
- Let the candied almonds cool down well before storing. If stored a little too early, the nuts can become soggy.
Shanthi Subramanian says
Lovely
Priya Srinivasan says
That looks delish sandhya, i remember making them with date syrup once, this post of yours reminds me to make some more again, with kids at home for spring break, this definitely makes a great snack for those nagging times!! 🙂
preeti garg says
love the candied or roasted nuts,.. perfect for anytime muching items.
Gayathri Kumar says
This is such an easy way of making candied nuts. They look so inviting..
Priya Suresh says
Wish i get a huge box of this candied almonds, feel like munching some rite now. Wow super tempting almonds there.
Julie | Bunsen Burner Bakery says
Candied nuts are my total weakness. Here in Philadelphia, we have a gourmet grocery store called DiBruno Bros, and they make the most incredible hand-roasted candied cashews and pecans. Your candied almonds look similar, so I imagine they are quite addictive!
Kalyani says
caramel makes me wanna run away several miles 🙂 these almonds look perfect, my elder one would like a dash of paprika too to balance out the sweet ! great pick
Uma says
Nuts and sugar are instant energy to kids! I always make something likes to give kids for snack:) loved your recipe
harini says
OMG, I have to keep myself away from the bowl 🙂 Such a tempting snack - portion control goes for a toss 🙂
Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie says
OMG I love candied almonds! These couldn't be easier to make.
Thanh | Eat, Little Bird says
I love candied almonds but have never tried to make it at home. I like the sound of adding cinnamon in this recipe. Thanks for the tip!
valmg @ From Val's Kitchen says
My husband and father love these! I love how simple your recipe is to make, nice and easy.
Chef Mireille says
lovely snack idea - especially with those of us that have major sweet tooth..yet we are getting protein
Hanady | Recipe Nomad says
These candied almonds remind me of my days working in the mall across from the candied nuts store! Oh I ate my weight in those! I always knew it was so easy to make them myself and now I'm going to make them for book club next week!!
Pavani says
I can see myself munching on bowls of these delicious sweet and crunchy nuts. The recipe seems easy enough to make too.
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way says
You certainly can't go wrong with this snack. Not only are almonds good for us but cinnamon is too. I like that it comes together in just a bit and the ingredients are some that we have in the house. I wish I could a bowlful right now!
Stephanie@ApplesforCJ says
I love almonds and these sound so easy to prepare. I think adding cayenne with the cinnamon would be a great idea. Now you have me wanting to make some flavored nuts 🙂
Sandhiya says
This is so new to me.It's perfect to snack on.Great recipe and bookmarked to try.
Jolina says
Haha I'm eating almonds as I'm reading this 🙂 It's a sign. Mine are plain ones though and these look 100% tastier! I have a big bag of almonds waiting for me at home, you bet I will try this!
Kathy McDaniel says
3 ingredient recipes are like a dream come true! I absolutely love candied nuts, especially almonds. They look perfect and delicious!!
Vanessa Price says
These are one of my favorite treats! Especially hot right out of the oven. All warm and chewy. Great recipe!
Megan Marlowe says
Candied nuts remind me of walking around the mall around the holidays and the sweet smell of candied nuts wafting through the entire shopping center. I can only smell it for so long until I find myself standing in life to grab a bag. I'm so happy I can make them at home, all year round now!
Byron Thomas says
Oh my! Two magical ingredients - almonds and cinnamon. 🙂 I love, love, love anything cinnamon flavoured. And, I love almonds as well. Did you use dry, unroasted, natural almonds? Or were they dry-roasted?
Sarah @ Champagne Tastes says
I looooove candied and seasoned almonds! Actually, I love most nuts like that! This is so easy and delicious looking-- I need to try it!
Rajani says
That's an easy process sandhya. I am also scared of caramel, so apt for someone like me 🙂
Srivalli Jetti says
Fantastic Snack Sandhya. When you made those Nokkal I was so tempted to make it myself. I don't like cashews however almonds are my favorite..so won't mind making these.