These hot honey candied walnuts are glazed with honey and butter and tossed with cayenne and red pepper flakes for added spice! They make the perfect bar nibble, addition to any board, or holiday gift!
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Key Ingredients
- Walnuts: I use unsalted, raw walnut halves for this recipe! If you are using pre-salted or toasted nuts, cut back on the salt and initial toasting time. You can substitute the walnuts for your favorite nut, such as pecans or cashews (just note that the initial toasting time may vary)!
- Honey: Since the honey flavor is prominent in this recipe, I recommend opting for a delicious, high-quality honey.
- Butter: I like to use unsalted butter to control the amount of salt. If using salted butter, you may need to cut back slightly on the added salt.
- Red Pepper Flakes: The red pepper flakes give these hot honey nuts an added spice! You can cut back on these for less spice!
- Cayenne: The cayenne gives these nuts a slight kick! You can also cut back or omit the cayenne, if you prefer.
How to make honey candied walnuts
- Toast the walnuts over medium heat until just beginning to turn slightly brown, about 5 minutes. Never walk away from nuts that are toasting because they can burn so easily!
- Add the butter, honey, red pepper flakes, cayenne, and salt to the skillet an stir frequently. Allow the nuts to cook in the melted butter and honey for another minute until the honey is bubbly and the nuts are fully coated.
3. Spread the glazed nuts immediately out on a lined sheet pan to cool completely. As they cool, the honey will harden. Once they are completely cooled, you can break any of the nuts apart that stuck together and package them up or serve them.
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Serving Suggestions
These honey candied walnuts are a delicious snack as is. If you are looking for a lighter appetizer (as I often am for Thanksgiving!), these would be the perfect bar nibble. They also are a gorgeous addition to any charcuterie board or on top of any salad!
These candied nuts would also make for a great holiday gift for neighbors or friends! Once they have completely cooled and hardened, transfer them to festive bags or boxes to package up as gifts!
Prep-ahead tips
These hot honey walnuts are a great snack to prep ahead! Once completely cooled, you can store them in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. When stored properly, they should last up to several weeks.
Expert tips
- If your honey doesn't harden, it may be that not enough of the liquid in the honey and butter evaporated and you probably needed to cook them slightly longer. Don't fret though, a little sticky honey is incredibly delicious!
- Walnuts burn easily; keep a very close eye on them when they are cooking on the stovetop!
- If hot honey isn't your thing, you can omit the cayenne and red pepper flakes. You can make these candied walnuts without the added spices or try a variation with a pinch of cinnamon!
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📖 Recipe
Honey Candied Walnuts
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw walnut halves
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne or less for less spice
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
Instructions
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicon mat.
- In a medium skillet, toast the walnuts, stirring frequently, over medium heat until just beginning to toast, about 5 minutes. Add the honey, butter, red pepper flakes, cayenne, and salt and stir well. Allow the nuts to continue to cook until the butter is completely melted and the sauce is just beginning to thicken, about 1 more minute.
- Lay the walnuts across the sheet pan into 1 layer and allow them to cool completely. After about 30 minutes the honey will have hardened completely and you can break them apart to serve.
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