Sugar Coated Almonds

A wooden bowl lined with parchment paper, filled with roasted, caramelized almonds. Some almonds and star anise are scattered on a light-colored surface around the bowl.

Course: party food, Snack

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegan

Keyword: candied almonds, glazed almonds, sugar coated almonds

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 17

coolling time: 15

Total Time: 47

Servings:

Calories: 407kcal

Author: Cindy Rainey

Crunchy, sweet, and lightly spiced, these sugar-coated almonds taste like something you’d buy from a holiday market stall ( only you made them in one pan,) in under an hour. They caramelize, crackle, cool, and suddenly you have a bowl of glossy, cinnamon-scented almonds that disappear faster than you think they will. Snackable, giftable, dangerously addictive.

Print Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup water
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups raw whole almonds
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Instructions

Prep the pan Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Keep a wooden spoon nearby for stirring later.
Dissolve the sugar In a heavy skillet or saucepan, combine the sugar, water, and cinnamon. Heat over medium, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved.
1 cup granulated sugar, ½ cup water, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Add the almonds Stir in the almonds and continue cooking over medium heat. The syrup will look glossy and thin at first.
2 cups raw whole almonds
Continue and Watch for crystallization After about eight to ten minutes, the syrup will begin to crystallize and coat the almonds with a dry, sandy texture. Continue stirring to keep the coating even.
Melt and caramelize Keep cooking and stirring for five to seven minutes more. The sugar will melt again and turn golden, forming a shiny coating on the almonds. Remove from heat when the almonds are evenly glazed.
Finish and cool Stir in the vanilla and salt. Spread the almonds onto the prepared baking sheet and separate them with a fork while warm. Cool ten to fifteen minutes, then break apart any clusters.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, Pinch of salt
Let cool completely before storing.

Notes

Stir constantly once the sugar starts to thicken. Caramel can burn quickly.
For a shinier finish, add a teaspoon of vegan butter in the last minute of cooking.
Cool completely before storing — warm almonds will turn sticky in a container.
Store in an airtight jar at room temperature for up to two weeks.
Use raw whole almonds if you can. They toast gently in the sugar syrup and turn crisp inside. If you are using roasted almonds, just make sure to use unsalted roasted almonds.
Roasted almonds will work, but they can over-brown before the sugar fully caramelizes and may taste slightly more bitter.

Nutrition