slow cooker candied cinnamon nuts;
Crunchy. Cinnamony. Sugary. Nuts. Time to go nuts for these nuts! Slow cooker candied cinnamon nuts are so easy. And they come with a built in air freshener—your whole kitchen will smell like toasty cinnamon. It’s worth it just for the smell itself! Okay not really, because you’ll want to eat these delicious candied nuts for sure. But the smell is just heavenly. The taste is even better.
Candied cinnamon nuts are so versatile. As a garnish, you can add them to salads, yogurt, granolas, cookies or just eat them straight. They’re delicious as a snack. I also love to make these at the holidays and give them out as gifts. Cinnamon spice is just so comforting and warm, perfect for winter months. Toss a handful or two of these slow cooker candied cinnamon nuts in a jar, tie a big colorful bow on it and call it a gift!
It’s a delicious gift, and a little different from the storm of baked goods that change hands over the holidays (although no one’s complaining about cookies and Christmas). They also hold up a while since the nuts are candied, so they’re safe to make a while ahead. They’d make a perfect little stocking stuffer if you want to make them ahead before your holiday season gets too crazy! And of course your batch is mostly limited by the size of your slow cooker.
These slow cooker candied cinnamon nuts are an odd combination of hands off and hands on. Getting the nuts started in the slow cooker is easy, but you can quite “set it and forget it” the way you can with some crock pot recipes. You’ll need to stir the cinnamon nuttiness every 20-30 minutes.
This will prevent your candied cinnamon nuts from burning and really make sure that you get a good, even sugary coating on the nuts. I highly recommend a timer! You think you’ll remember, but I promise you won’t. Just set a timer and immediately start it over when it goes off. Use your phone, your microwave, whatever timer you have. And of course, make sure you get up and stir the nuts. Don’t forget that part.
Let’s talk nuts! You know I’m nuts, so I should be an expert on the subject (I’m not). But for these slow cooker candied nuts, my personal favorite nutty options are walnuts and pecans. We tried cashews in the mix this time around as well, but I definitely do not recommend. Because they’re softer, they get more chewy and end up being not a particularly nice texture. So pecans and walnuts are the way to go!
Almonds also work plenty well because they tend to be a harder nut. They’re also a more cost-effective option, as pecans and walnuts can be expensive. Pecans are typically the most expensive, so I find walnuts to be a happy medium, since I like them better than almonds myself. But really, play to your own favorites for making these slow cooker candied cinnamon nuts.
Secrets to success;
- Go nuts for nuts! My personal favorite is a blend of walnuts and pecans, but almonds are also delicious in the mix. Note: don’t use cashews, as they can end up kind of chewy with their softer texture.
- Don’t forget to set your timer! Stirring and checking on the nuts is a must so they don’t burn. Set a timer on your phone, in your kitchen, whatever, and immediately re-set it when you acknowledge it.
- Toss these delicious suckers on salads, yogurt, ice cream, cookies, you name it! Or eat them straight. They also make for a wonderful holiday gift: throw them in a pretty jar and tie a colorful bow ’round. It’s a nice refreshing change from all the Christmas cookies, and will keep a long time in the pantry.
Looking for other recipes?
- Check out this california raspberry salad that uses these candied nuts!
- Spice cake crinkle cookies are delicious and easy–only 4 ingredients needed.
- Another homemade treat, try these five ingredient peppermint patties.
slow cooker candied nuts;
Ingredients
- 2 egg whites
- 3 Tbsp vanilla
- 6 cups nuts (I prefer walnuts and pecans, but you can also use or mix in almonds)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅛ cup water
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the egg whites and vanilla. Use an electric mixer to beat the egg whites until bubbly and frothy.
- Add in the 6 cups nuts and stir to coat with the sugars.
- Spray your slow cooker with cooking oil to coat.
- Add egg white-coated nuts to the basin of your slow cooker and add 1 cup of brown sugar, 1 cup of sugar, 2 Tbsp cinnamon, and ½ tsp salt. Mix together to coat thoroughly.
- Cook on low for 3-4 hours, stirring every 20-30 minutes to prevent burning. When down to the last hour, add the ⅛ cup of water and proceed as usual, stirring to coat every 20-30 minutes.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper and spread the nuts out to cool. They'll be sticky so make sure to spread them out so they're not touching, unless you prefer nut clusters.
4 Comments
raspberry california salad; | Best With Chocolate
April 2, 2021 at 9:04 am
[…] your own candied nuts! You’ll have a ton lying around for this recipe and others, or just to snack on. Of course if […]
churro cheesecake bars; | Best With Chocolate
August 4, 2023 at 12:31 pm
[…] Slow cooker candied cinnamon nuts are an easy way to get that cinnamon fix. Plus they’re versatile. Eat them straight, toss them on a raspberry California salad, or gift them around the holidays. […]
pecan pie muffins; | Best With Chocolate
July 12, 2024 at 3:34 pm
[…] about nuts at the holidays–they just go together so well! That’s one of the reasons my crockpot candied nuts recipe comes out on holidays. But the smell of these pecan pie muffins in the morning, freshly made, […]
Laura
September 30, 2024 at 9:03 am
So good–I need to make these more often!