I'll never forget the first time I walked past one of those nut kiosks at the mall during the holidays. The smell of Christmas Candied Almonds stopped me dead in my tracks (Emily still teases me about it). I bought a small bag for $12, devoured half of it before we even got to the car, and immediately thought: "I bet I could make these at home."
Turns out? I was right!
These cinnamon sugar almonds are ridiculously simple to make with just 6 ingredients and about an hour of hands-off baking time. They're crunchy, sweet, perfectly spiced, and honestly taste even better than those overpriced mall versions. I've made batch after batch every holiday season for the past five years, and they disappear faster than cookies at our house.
The best part is you can freeze them for up to 3 months. So when I'm meal prepping on Sunday afternoons, I'll often double the batch and toss half in the freezer for later. Want another simple snack recipe? Try my crispix mix recipe that's perfect for munching during movie nights!
Jump to:
- Why You Will Love These Candied Almonds
- Ingredients for Christmas Candied Almonds
- How to Make Christmas Candied Almonds
- Storing Your Candied Almonds
- Tips and Variations for Candied Almonds
- Frequently Asked Questions About Christmas Candied Almonds
- Recipes You May Like
- Final Thoughts
- Christmas Candied Almonds
Why You Will Love These Candied Almonds
- Super Easy to Make - If you can stir ingredients in a bowl and set a timer, you can make these candied almonds. No candy thermometer needed!
- Budget-Friendly - Making your own homemade candied almonds costs a fraction of what you'd pay at the mall or fair. I'm talking like $8 for a huge batch versus $12 for a tiny bag.
- Perfect for Gifting - Pack these in mason jars with a cute ribbon, and you've got yourself impressive holiday gifts that people actually want (trust me on this one).
- Great Texture - These aren't chewy or sticky. They're perfectly crunchy with just the right amount of sweet cinnamon coating that doesn't make your fingers gross.
- Versatile Usage - Sure, they're amazing as a snack, but I also throw them on salads, yogurt bowls, oatmeal, and even ice cream. Emily puts them on literally everything.
- Freezer-Friendly - Make a big batch now and enjoy them for months. They thaw in minutes at room temperature (or honestly, they're good straight from the freezer too).
Ingredients for Christmas Candied Almonds
Here's what you'll need to make these cinnamon roasted almonds:
- 16 ounces raw almonds (about 3 cups) - Make sure they're raw and unsalted. This is important!
- 1 egg white - This is what makes the coating stick properly. Don't skip it.
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract - Use the real stuff, not imitation. Your taste buds will thank you.
- ¾ cup granulated sugar - Regular white sugar works great here.
- 1 teaspoon sea salt - I use fine sea salt. If you only have table salt, cut it in half.
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon - Don't be cheap here. Good cinnamon makes all the difference.
That's it! Six simple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.
How to Make Christmas Candied Almonds
- Preheat your oven to 250 degrees F. Grease a large baking sheet really well. Here's the thing that caught me off guard the first time I made these: DO NOT use parchment paper or foil. The almonds need direct contact with the greased pan to get that perfect texture. I learned this the hard way after a batch turned out weird.
- Mix your dry ingredients. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, sea salt, and cinnamon. Set this aside for now.
- Whip the egg white mixture. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg white and vanilla extract for about 1 minute until it gets frothy. You don't need it super stiff like meringue, just frothy.
- Coat the almonds. Add your raw almonds to the wet mixture and stir until every almond is coated. This usually takes me about 30 seconds of good stirring.
- Add the sweet cinnamon coating. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the wet almonds and stir like your life depends on it. Make sure you scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl because all that cinnamon sugar goodness needs to coat every single almond. This step takes about a minute of thorough mixing.
- Spread on the baking sheet. Arrange the almonds in a single layer on your prepared baking sheet. They can touch but try not to pile them up.
- Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Set a timer for 15-minute intervals. When it goes off, give the almonds a good stir with a spatula. This ensures even coating and prevents burning.
- Don't skip the full hour! I know they might look done at 45 minutes (they fooled me once), but trust me and bake for the full 60 minutes. This is what gets them properly crunchy instead of sticky.
- Cool and enjoy. After an hour, take them out, give them one final stir, and let them cool right on the baking sheet. Or don't wait and eat them warm – they're incredible either way!
Storing Your Candied Almonds
Let me share what I've learned about keeping these cinnamon sugar almonds fresh.
At Room Temperature: Store them in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. I use mason jars because they look pretty on the counter and keep the almonds crunchy. Just make sure they're completely cool before sealing them up, or they'll get soggy (learned that lesson the hard way).
In the Freezer: This is my go-to method. Once they're completely cool, transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag. They'll keep for up to 3 months. When you want some, just grab a handful and let them sit for about 5 minutes. Honestly though? Emily eats them straight from the freezer and says they're like crunchy candy.
Tips and Variations for Candied Almonds
After making these dozens of times, here are some things I've picked up:
About the Ingredients:
- Don't try to substitute the egg white. I've been asked this a lot, and nothing else works the same way. The egg white creates that crispy coating we're after.
- If you want to skip the vanilla extract, you can use 1 tablespoon of water instead, but the vanilla really adds something special.
- I've used both regular granulated sugar and organic cane sugar with great results. Both work perfectly.
Flavor Variations:
- Want them spicier? Add ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the sugar mixture. Emily loves these (she's got quite the spice tolerance).
- For a fall twist, use pumpkin pie spice instead of cinnamon.
- During the holidays, I sometimes add ½ teaspoon of nutmeg for extra warmth.
Serving Ideas: Have you ever put candied almonds on a salad? Game changer! They're amazing on mixed greens with goat cheese and dried cranberries. I also love them sprinkled over roasted sweet potatoes or mixed into trail mix.
The Stirring Schedule: Don't skip the 15-minute stirs. I set a timer on my phone and just hang out in the kitchen doing other prep work. It's really important for even coating and preventing the bottom layer from burning.
Frequently Asked Questions About Christmas Candied Almonds
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 3 months for longer storage.
While the recipe is designed for raw almonds, other readers have successfully used different nuts. Results may vary slightly in cooking time.
The almonds need direct contact with the greased pan to get the proper texture and caramelization. Parchment paper or foil will prevent this.
Enjoy them as a snack, sprinkle on salads, add to charcuterie boards, or use as a topping for yogurt and oatmeal.
Recipes You May Like
If you enjoyed these Christmas Candied Almonds, you'll love these other recipes:
- Homemade Grilled Chicken Salad - These candied almonds are the perfect crunchy topping for this fresh salad
- Crispix Mix Recipe - Another addictive snack that's perfect for gifting or parties
- Waldorf Salad Recipe - A classic salad that's traditionally made with nuts
Final Thoughts
These Christmas Candied Almonds have become one of my holiday traditions. Every December, I make at least three batches – one for us, one for Emily's teachers, and one for neighbor gifts. The house smells incredible while they're baking, and people are always shocked when I tell them how simple they are to make.
What I love most about this recipe is that it gives you that fancy, expensive treat feeling without the fancy, expensive price tag. Plus, you know exactly what's going into them (no weird preservatives or mystery ingredients).
Go ahead and make a batch this weekend. Your kitchen will smell like a cozy winter wonderland, and you'll have a delicious snack that actually lasts in the freezer if you have more self-control than I do!
Make sure to save this recipe to Pinterest so you can find it easily when the holiday baking season rolls around!
Christmas Candied Almonds
Equipment
- Spatula
- glass batter bowl
Ingredients
- 16 ounces raw almonds about 3 cups
- 1 egg white
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Grease a large baking sheet. (Do NOT use parchment paper or foil. Bake directly on the greased pan).
- In a small bowl, combine sugar, sea salt, and cinnamon, set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whip egg white and vanilla with a whisk until frothy (about 1 minute).
- Add almonds to wet mixture and stir until evenly coated.
- Once almonds are coated, sprinkle the dry ingredients over the almonds and stir until evenly distributed. Make sure to scrape any extra cinnamon sugar mixture off the sides and bottom of the bowl and incorporate it into the almonds.
- Spread the almonds evenly, in a single layer, on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake at 250 degrees F for 1 hour. Stir every 15 minutes. Even if they look done after 45 minutes trust me and bake for the full hour.
- After one hour remove the almonds from the oven, give them a final stir and let them cool on the baking sheet or enjoy them warm!
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the freezer!
Notes
Ingredient Substitutions
Raw Almonds. Use raw, unsalted almonds. I don't recommend any substitutions, although I have had other people using a variety of nuts with great success. Egg white. I do not recommend making any substitutes for the egg white. Vanilla Extract. Technically you can substitute 1 TBS water for the vanilla extract, although I do not recommend that substitution. Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor. Granulated Sugar. Regular granulated sugar and organic cane sugar are the two varieties I have used to make these cinnamon sugar almonds. Fine Sea Salt. If you only have iodized table salt, you will need to cut the amount of salt in half. Ground Cinnamon. Use a high-quality ground cinnamon for the absolute best flavor.Store
Store candied almonds in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.Freeze
- Let almonds cool completely
- Transfer to a freezer-friendly, airtight container.
- Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Let thaw at room temperature and enjoy! They thaw very quickly, and even taste great frozen!
