Last updated on June 5th, 2025.
These Candied Cashews are sweet, crispy, and full of cinnamon-confirming flavor. This is one of my favorite snacks, but it is also a great holiday season recipe you can add to your repertoire. This cinnamon sugar candied cashews is a great homemade gift and a great way to show someone that you care.
I turned them into candy as if Cashews are so easy to resist. We all know and love Caramelized Pecans and Chocolate Covered Pecans, but we are unfamiliar with a Candied cashews recipe.
For more delicious nutty recipes, check out this Honey Roasted Cashews and this chocolate-covered cashew for more candied nuts recipe.
BTW, if you prefer your nuts plain, check out my post about How To Roast Cashews?
So What are candied cashews?
In short, these are cinnamon-roasted cashews. If we want to get into details, they are cashews coated with egg whites, sugar, and spices and baked until crunchy.
You are probably right if you find using an egg white a bit unusual for candy. But the egg white has a crucial part in this recipe. Not only is it the “glue” that holds the sugar, spice, and nuts together, but because we whisk it into a soft meringue, it will firm up as it bakes and give a crispy exterior layer. To learn more about the role of eggs in baking, get a copy of my cookbook Baking Science.
I love that you can eat the nuts by themselves, sprinkle them on ice cream or top salads, or add them to a cake layer for an extra texture. Although this recipe calls for cashews, you can use any of your favorite nuts.
Even though this recipe calls for cashews, you can use any of your favorite nuts.
Ingredients
- Cashew nuts (raw nuts). You can use roasted nuts if you have it at hand, but keep in mind that the nuts will roast during the baking process so there is no need to roast them before. You can also use other type of nuts to make candied pecans, almonds, and even candied walnuts.
- Light brown sugar and granulated sugar. A combination of flavor and texture, while the light brown sugar provides a deep spicy flavor coming from the molasses in to, the granulated sugar add a crisp crystalize texture.
- Egg whites and Water. These are the “glue” in this recipe helping the sugar and spices stick and coat the nuts. For a vegan option replace the egg whites with aquafaba (canned chickpeas water), and process with the recipe as is. Or, use your go-to egg replacement.
- Cinnamon. Adds another layer of flavor, and you can add your favorite type of spices.
Flavor Variations
- Spice it up. You can add any of your favorite spices like cayenne pepper, clove, cardamom, or even pumpkin spice. (about 1/8-1/4 teaspoon of each mixed in a small bowl).
- Mix 1-2 tsp of soy sauce with the egg whites.
- Sweet and Salty. Sprinkle sea or kosher salt when you remove the caramelized cashews from the oven
Step By Step Instructions
You can find the full cashew recipe at the bottom of this post in the recipe cars.
- Mix the sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites until fluffy and foamy, about 1 minute on medium-high speed.
- Add the water and keep whisking for additional minutes at high speed.
- Combine cashews and egg whites, stir to thoroughly coat, add the sugar mixture, and use a rubber spatula to cover the nuts.
- In a single layer, Spread the coated cashews on top of a cookie pan lined with parchment paper and bake in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until the nuts are dark golden. Note that when warm, the nuts will be chewy so it is important to allow them to cool completely and set.
Ideas How To Serve
I like to eat this treat as a snack out of the bag, but these nuts are a great way to upgrade any type of dish:
- Sprinkle on ice cream or salad.
- Chop them and fold them into your cookie dough, as I did with these Coffee Pecans Cookies.
- Top your pavlova for extra texture.
- Grind them into a paste, like in this Pistachio Muffins recipe.
- Wrap them in a small plastic cookie bag or a mason jar as an edible gift.
Storing
At room temperature in an airtight container (preferably glass) for up to 1 month. Or freeze in a freeze sealed bag for up to 6 months.
Freezing
Allow the cashews to thoroughly cool, place them in an airtight container or a freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months.
Be sure to check out my other easy recipes and “How to’s”
PIN FOR LATER
Candied Cashews
Ingredients
- 4 Cups Whole Cashews (raw or roasted) ( 480 g / 13 oz)
- 2 Medium – large Egg Whites
- 2 tsp Water
- 3/4 Cup Sugar (150 g / 5.5 oz)
- 6 TBSP Light Brown Sugar (90 g / 8.5 oz)
- 3 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300F.
- Mix the cinnamon and sugars in a bowl and set aside.
- With a hand whisker, beat the egg whites until frothy, about 1 minute. Add the water and whisk for about an extra minute.
- Add the nuts to the egg whites and toss to evenly coat the nuts.
- Add the sugar mixture into the nuts and toss to evenly coat.
- Spread the nuts on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and baker for 25-30 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to mix the nuts halfway through baking.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Nutrition
Love this recipe and how easy and simple it is. So so delicious and a great holiday basket treat. Definitely making it again.
I could not agree more, this recipe is just as delicious as it is simple.
Great recipe, made it twice, once to add to an edible basket and again to enjoy as a snack. Super easy to follow and turned out really delicious!!!
this is so great to hear, so glad you enjoyed it over and over!
Thank you so much for the recipe, used it to make some candied pecans when I came a cross your pumpkin cake, it was a great hit and will make it again for the holidays.
thank you so much Lian, so happy you enjoyed it and I hope you had a chance to make the pumpkin cake as well.
My cashews stuck to the parchment. Should I have transfered the parchment and cashews to a cooling rack or do you think I cooked then too long?
That’s ok and you should be able to peel the parchment paper off when they are cool and set.
This is a wonderful recipe. It turned humdrum cashews into a delicious treat. My whole family enjoyed it. Thank you!
Can you use salted cashews?
yes.
Love this recipe! Very easy and so delicious..I did omit 1/2 tsp of water and substituted 1/2 vanilla. Thank you for sharing this with us
that’s great! So glad yo enjoyed it
This recipe was a bit of a problem for me…I made ahead of time to freeze for my popcorn nut and candy table, for my high school reunion. We’ll, bad thing is I put them in ziplock bag to freeze…bad idea!! That made it all the easier to get my little paws in there for “just a few” a few too many times!! AND, I had made a double batch! We’ll I am now making another double batch, hopefully will keep my hands out of it! Delicious and easy!! Freezes great…we’ll…still don’t know for how long, considering they haven’t ever lasted in there…thank you for recipe! I’m going to stalk you and see if you have any other nut recipes
lol! thank you, Taylor; so glad you enjoyed it, despite the inconvenience.
Love this recipe, made it using a mix of nuts and it turned out very delicious. Do you think I can crushed some and mix it into a cupcake batter?
Hi Patricia,
Yes, you can definitely crush some into cake or cupcakes batter.
Imade these today. I had inadvertently purchased unsalted cashews. This made theme delicious! I will make these again.
Thank you, Carol; so glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you ☺️💜
Can you use this recipe for any kind of nuts?
Yes, absolutely
Wondering if I can use all brown sugar?
yes.
Hi Dee:
I was eating cashews the other day and thought, these are a little dry. Actually if you warm them in the micro they taste better. It reminds me of when I was about 20 years old living in San Francisco. There was a nut store that only sold nuts. It was right where the bus stop was. While waiting for the bus once in a great while I would treat myself to some warm cashews.
Fast forward about 10 TO 15 years later I made the candied nuts using pecans. I also have used a packaged product I bought from Target. Fast forward another 20 years went by. I was thinking of making the candied nuts using the cashews I was eating. I did a search and found several recipes all pretty much the same. Yours was the only one that took less time to make.
I increased the cinnamon to 4 1/2 tsp. and I think it could use another tsp. Cinnamon is one of my favorite flavors. The cashews are so yummy I can’t stop eating them. Your recipe is so easy anyone can make it. The cashews I used was salted but you can’t tell. I have a wide convection toaster oven and baked the nuts in it. I’m going to Costco today to get some pecans and make more candied nuts!!!
Thank you for your recipe, I’m so happy I found it.
Have a happy day and happy munching!
Best Regards: ginger lym
I sent off the first comment, I see that I needed to correct/edit a few words. sorry…
Thank you so much, Ginger, loved reading your comment and am glad to hear you are enjoying te recipe!!!
Wonderful recipe! We have traveled to German Christmas markets and wanted to try to make our own candied nuts. This recipe was perfect!
I know the recipe calls for raw cashews, but I happen to have a HUGE container of unsalted roasted cashews in my pantry. Will they burn in the oven if they are already roasted? I would hate to waste them and can pick up raw cashews on my next grocery run, I just want them NOW! 😉
Hi Lauren,
I think it should be fine. The coating will probably will prevent the nuts from burning. If your oven runs high maybe reduce the temperature