Caramel Walnuts Recipe

I whipped up Caramel Walnuts in five minutes with just three pantry staples, and they make brilliant snacks, salad toppers, and homemade gifts that impress.

I can’t stop making these Caramel Walnuts. Theyre chewy and crisp, salty but not too sweet, and somehow totally addictive.

I call them my answer when I want a snack thats fancy enough to impress but trashy enough to demolish in one sitting. Think Toffee Walnuts vibes without the sickly sweetness, a little crunchy thing that lifts a salad or finishes a dessert.

The stars are walnuts and a smear of salted butter, thats it. People always ask for the recipe then lie about sharing, and I love watching them demolish the jar.

Try it once and youll get why.

Ingredients

• Walnuts: crunchy full of omega-3s and protein, good fats but calorie dense
• light brown sugar: adds warm caramel sweetness and moisture, mostly simple carbs
• salted butter: gives silky richness and salty balance, adds saturated fat and gloss

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 cup walnuts (about 120 g), halves or pieces, not too big
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar (about 50 g)
• 2 tablespoons salted butter (about 28 g)

How to Make this

1. Measure out 1 cup walnuts (about 120 g), 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar (about 50 g) and 2 tbsp salted butter (about 28 g) and line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.

2. Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot, then add the butter and let it melt, swirling the pan so it doesnt burn.

3. Add the brown sugar to the melted butter and stir constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula until the sugar melts and forms a smooth, glossy caramel, about 1 to 2 minutes.

4. Toss in the walnuts and stir or fold them quickly so every piece gets coated with the caramel, keep the heat at medium and keep stirring so the sugar doesnt burn.

5. Let the nuts cook in the bubbling caramel for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until the walnuts are toasted and the coating is thick and sticky.

6. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately pour the walnuts onto the prepared baking sheet, spreading them into a single layer with a spatula or fork and separating any big clumps.

7. Let them cool completely at room temperature, about 15 to 20 minutes, until the caramel hardens but the nuts stay slightly chewy.

8. Break apart any stuck together pieces, then store in an airtight container at room temp for up to 2 weeks.

Equipment Needed

1. 1-cup measuring cup, plus measuring spoons for tablespoons, or a kitchen scale for 120 g
2. medium nonstick skillet
3. wooden spoon or heatproof spatula for stirring
4. spatula or fork to spread and separate clumps
5. baking sheet
6. parchment or wax paper to line the sheet
7. small bowl or plate to hold measured ingredients
8. airtight container or jar for storing the candied walnuts at room temp

FAQ

Caramel Walnuts Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Walnuts: swap with pecans or chopped almonds, 1 cup (1:1). Pecans = richer and butterier, almonds = crunchier, either toasts well.
• Light brown sugar: use dark brown sugar or packed coconut sugar, same volume, you’ll get a deeper flavor with dark brown or a slight caramel note with coconut sugar.
• Salted butter: use unsalted butter plus a pinch of salt (about 1/8 tsp) 1:1, or for dairy free try coconut oil by weight, but the glaze may be a bit looser so watch the cook time.
• If you want a syrupy, chewier finish: replace the 1/4 cup brown sugar with 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey and reduce butter by 1 tsp, stir gently until it clings to the nuts.

Pro Tips

1. Toast the walnuts first in a dry pan for 2 to 3 minutes till they smell nutty, then cool them before you caramelize. It brings out way more flavor and helps the coating stick better, just dont walk away or they’ll burn.

2. Keep the heat medium low and stir constantly. Brown sugar can go from glossy to burnt real quick, so if it starts smelling sharp turn the heat down. A smooth shiny caramel is what you want, not a dark bitter mess.

3. Spread and separate while warm. Get the nuts onto parchment asap and use two forks or a silicone spatula to break clumps apart. If it cools into big lumps, warm them briefly in the pan or microwave a few seconds to loosen up.

4. Finish smart: sprinkle a little flaky sea salt while the coating is still tacky for contrast, or add a teaspoon of light corn syrup to the sugar early on if you want an extra smooth, shiny glaze. Store only after completely cooled so you dont trap steam.