Growing up, we always had delicious Christmas sweets around as we got closer to the holiday. They were simple things, mostly candied nuts and easy homemade chocolates, that were easy to grab and great for last-minute entertaining. These absolutely delicious Cinnamon Glazed Walnuts were my favorite quick and easy dessert recipes for the holidays! 
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And now they are one of my favorite holiday treats to make too! I just love to share my family recipes and traditions with you. As you know, my style is not complicated and the recipes I post are tasty but super easy.
This glazed walnuts recipe couldn’t be easier. Anyone who has ever had these cinnamon walnuts has raved about the flavor. And when they are given the recipe they are blown away by just how easy they are.
If you are more of an almond fan, be sure to check out my recipe for Candied Almonds too!
How to Make Cinnamon Glazed Walnuts
Aside from the walnuts, you probably have all of the ingredients at your house already! Like any great holiday treat you need sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. That’s it. And a little bit of water.
- 3 cups whole walnuts (or halves)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 5 TBSP water
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
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Combine the sugar, cinnamon and water in a saucepan or skillet.
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Cook on low heat until mixture dissolves and it cooks down a bit (about 7 minutes total).
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Remove from heat.
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Add vanilla and mix well.
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Add walnuts and stir to coat.
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Spread out on a greased cookie sheet to dry.
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Eat up.
Tip: You don’t want to buy walnut pieces since you want to be able to eat these candied walnuts like a finger food. The bigger the pieces the better!
You may notice the color of my sugar isn’t white. I was going through a natural-ish phase and used one that wasn’t bleached. Do not substitute honey for the sweetener in this recipe. Honey doesn’t harden at room temperature the way sugar does. And you want a shell-like coating.
This is my favorite type of recipe. Mix it all together on the stove and let it melt together. Easy. One of my favorite things about this is that there is no candy thermometer required. Anything that requires that precise level of watching and waiting is too much for me.
Stir often so the sugar doesn’t burn. I think most things take on more flavor when they are a little overdone. Not sugar though, man. That just gets nasty.
Once the mixture has cooked for a few minutes, add in your walnuts and mix to stir. Then spread them out on a cookie sheet so they can dry. I’m going to be honest, because I’m no expert and I own my mistakes (all of them… you guys, that perm was NOT a good idea), I didn’t cook the sugar mixture quite long enough when I made them for this post.
One thing you should know about me is I’m a skimmer. I read recipes through beforehand and then when it counts, when I’m actually making a recipe, I skim and miss valuable information.
Like when it said cook until the water dissolves which would have made this mixture a little more caramel-y and harden up nicer.
It didn’t ruin them. They still tasted amazing. It just meant that they didn’t harden up as nicely as usual and because the mixture didn’t cook down enough, there was some extra sauce on my nuts…yeah, I know how that sounds and I hope you got a good chuckle out of it.
When I say harden, I don’t mean these will be break your teeth hard. I just mean that the sugar mixture won’t be tacky, and kind of candied but the walnut won’t be any more crunchy than it is on its own.
And, if you are like me and like that sweet and savory combo, sprinkle a little sea salt over the wet nuts on the cookie sheet before they harden too much!
This Cinnamon Glazed Walnuts recipe totally reminds me of my grandmother. I’m not sure where she got the recipe from but these were always waiting for us at her house when we came to visit around the holidays. And my mom also made them every year.
You could always find these out on her holiday treats table on Christmas day alongside her fudge, the cinnamon candy, the best caramel corn ever and my fave candied orange peels. And now, my mother in law makes them around the holidays. It’s so fun to see my families share what they love with each other.
This Glazed Walnuts Recipe is a Great Edible Gift Idea
This cinnamon walnuts recipe would make a great gift for the neighbors, teachers or even a hostess gift when you are making the rounds this holiday season. They are also great to keep on hand in case friends and family drop by unannounced (you know how they do) at this time of year.
Store them in an air-tight container, out of sight, or else you will eat them all. I guarantee. I finally had to throw the rest of them away (I gave away a bunch too!) because I think my pants are starting to not fit anymore…Tis the season! And always serve them on a cute plate.
I suggest putting out a little bit at a time so they don’t get gobbled up right away.
Printable Cinnamon Glazed Walnuts Recipe
Cinnamon Candied Walnuts
A family tradition that you wait all year for. This is our go-to Christmas snack when we want a sweet treat! These cinnamon candied walnuts are always a crowd pleaser!
Ingredients
- 3 cups whole walnuts or walnut halves
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 5 TBSP water
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
-
Combine sugar, cinnamon and water in a skillet or saucepan.
-
Cook on low heat until mixture dissolves and it cooks down a bit (about 7 minutes total).
-
Remove from heat.
-
Add vanilla and mix well.
-
Add walnuts and stir to coat.
-
Spread out on a greased cookie sheet to dry.
-
Eat up.
Go ahead and just print out a few copies of this recipe to have on hand for when you serve these Cinnamon Sugar Walnuts to people. They will ask you for it. SO good. I can’t wait to make these!
More Christmas Snack Ideas
- Cinnamon Hard Candy – We skip the red coloring but not the spicy flavor!
- The BEST EVER Caramel Corn Recipe – This is not an exaggeration. It’s SO good!
- Dried Beef Roll Ups – These are the perfect savory appetizer for your holiday party. And no one has probably ever had them before.
- Best Ever Cheese Ball Recipe – Seriously delicious and something that I crave throughout the year.
- Bacon and Cheese Dip – It’s full of so much delicious flavor that you will find yourself not moving away from the serving dish.
- Rose Petal Goat Cheese Log – The rose petals make this sound crazy but the flavor is SO AMAZING! It’s a show stopper.
- Super Easy Sweet and Salty Snack Mix – My friend Tanya has a delicious snack mix that is sure to please your family!
- Candy Cane Christmas Trees – The perfect holiday idea from my friend Cristy!
- Cocktail Meatballs with Bourbon and Jelly – Trisha has the perfect snack idea for a cozy night in.
- Christmas Trail Mix – I’ve never met a trail mix I didn’t like and this one from Brandi looks like just the right mix of holiday flavors.
Pin this yummy candied nut recipe for later!
Cinnamon Glazed Walnuts are the BEST holiday snack! You’ll love how simple this recipe is to make and more importantly, eat! You’ll want to make a double batch once you find out how tasty they are! And don’t forget, they make a great edible gift idea!
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