Spiced Walnuts are perfect as a party appetizer, for gifting during the holidays or for adding a sweet and spicy crunch to your next charcuterie board. Roasted in the oven and coated in a homemade syrup of cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar and a touch of vanilla, these candied walnuts are irresistibly crunchy with just the right hint of spice.
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⭐ Why Melinda Loves Spiced Walnuts
It's an easy and quick recipe to make!
Spiced Walnuts are handy to have on hand for snacking, salads or gifting. Just like my recipe for Homemade Brownie Mix, spiced walnuts are a lovely hospitality gift.
They make the perfect, crunchy addition to a charcuterie or cheese board and are especially good alongside creamy, Savory Cheesecake and with a portion of Smoked Salmon from the Pellet Grill.
🧂Ingredients to Have on Hand
This easy Spiced Walnut recipe comes together with pantry staples and delivers spicy, sweet flavor in every bite.
Walnuts: Use raw walnut halves for this recipe. Pre-roasted or salted nuts can end up too dry or too salty once they bake with all those warm spices and sugar.
Spices: When I tested this recipe, I went back and forth on how much spice to include. I think this combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cayenne gives the perfect balance of sweet and heat. Love a little more kick? Increase the cayenne by another ⅛ teaspoon. Prefer it less hot? Leave the cayenne out of the recipe.
Egg Whites: Whisked, foamy egg whites help the spices and sugars cling to every nook and cranny of the walnuts. They also help create that irresistible, crisp candy-like coating after baking.
Vanilla Extract: The smooth flavor of vanilla adds depth and a bakery-style richness to every crunchy walnut.
Scroll to the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
👩🏻🍳Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the egg whites until they start to foam. Add the melted butter (cooled slightly), spices and both sugars.
Step 2: Blend the ingredients to create a thick syrup.
Step 3: Add the walnut halves and toss until each walnut is coated with the spicy syrup mixture.
Step 4: Spread the coated walnuts evenly, in a single layer, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Step 5: Bake in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and use a spatula to stir and flip the walnuts. The syrup may look a little foamy at this stage, but it'll settle into the walnuts during the final few minutes of baking.
Step 6: Bake for another 5 minutes, then cool the walnuts on the baking sheet. Once cooled enough to handle, use your hands to break apart the walnuts from the candied coating. The spiced walnuts are ready to serve!
⭐ Pro Tip
Once you can smell that warm, toasty aroma from the oven, the walnuts are almost ready. That's your cue to keep a close eye on them. After flipping at the 10-minute mark, the sugar coating will lose its glossy look and begin to crisp. From there, they can go from perfectly golden to overdone in a flash, so don't wander too far!
💭 Recipe FAQs
That's totally up to you. The recipe includes a small amount of cayenne for subtle warmth and a little subtle heat, but you can easily adjust the spice to your liking. Add more cayenne for an added kick or leave it out completely for a sweeter flavor.
That's one of the things I love most about this recipe! Spiced walnuts make a thoughtful and tasty homemade gift. Package them in jars, cellophane bags or small tins and store them in a cool, dry place until ready to share.
Let them cool completely after baking and before storing. Make sure your container is airtight. The walnuts should be completely cooled before you seal them in a container. If they still have some warmth from the oven when you close the lid, that can lead to a soggy coating.
🥘 How to Serve Spiced Walnuts
Appetizer: A bowl full of spiced walnuts is inviting for your guests and the perfect finger food to have on hand with chips, Pickle de Gallo, Corn Dog Nuggets and a 5-Layer Bean Dip.
Salad Topping: It's a real treat to top a crispy, green salad with your favorite salad dressing and a few spoonfuls of these walnuts. The spices, along with the warmth of the subtle vanilla flavoring, go great with my Blue Cheese Vinaigrette.
Charcuterie Board Ingredient: This is probably my favorite way to serve spiced walnuts and why I like to keep a batch of them on hand. The sweet and spiced walnuts are delicious with creamy cheese, juicy fruit and tangy olives. A must-try for your next charcuterie or cheese board! Hop over to this Chowhound article where I'm quoted on how to make a great charcuterie board!
📖 Substitutions
Pecans instead of walnuts: Pecans are a fantastic substitute since they have a similar texture and oil content.
Almonds or cashews instead of walnuts: Almonds and cashews work well with the same seasoning and baking method. Just keep an eye on the baking time as almonds tend to roast faster.
Toss in dried fruit or pretzels: Create a "fancy" trail mix by adding a ½ cup of dried cranberries or the same amount of small pretzels to the serving bowl. This adds a great variety of flavor, texture and eye appeal! The dried cranberries are also great to keep on hand for Cranberry Apple Stuffing.
Pumpkin pie spice instead of individual spices: Don't have all the spices on hand? Pumpkin pie spice in the same combined amount (1 and ¾ teaspoons) is a quick substitute that includes all the spices, plus a few more. It's always great to keep these spices in the cabinet, especially when it's time to make Pumpkin Pie with Sweetened Condensed Milk, my favorite pumpkin pie recipe!
🥣 Storage
After roasting, once your spiced walnuts have cooled completely, store them in an airtight container. A mason jar, a plastic container with a snug lid or a resealable zip-top bag will all work great.
The spiced walnuts will stay fresh at room temperature for up to two weeks. For longer storage, tuck them in the fridge for up to a month or stash them in the freezer for up to six months. Defrost before serving.
🍽 Other Tasty Appetizer Recipes
Spiced Walnuts are a crunchy, tasty snack to serve with a variety of appetizers. From hearty servings to quick bites, here are some ideas to help kickstart your next gathering!
If you make Spiced Walnuts, I'd love to hear how they turned out and if you enjoyed them. Please leave a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟star rating and a comment below. I'm looking forward to hearing from you!
Recipe
Melinda O'Malley Keckler says
(From Melinda) I love keeping these on hand! The spicy and sweet walnuts are wonderful with my favorite, creamy cheese selections on a charcuterie board.