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If you love cashews then these Candied Cashews will be your new best friend. They require minimal effort to make, use only a few simple seasonings and are highly addicting! They’re perfect for parties or gatherings and great for gift giving so your actual best friend can enjoy ’em, too! 😉

Well, dang. That was somewhat of a long (unplanned and unintentional) hiatus! Forgive me. I was too busy over the holidays making several batches of these Candied Cashews. No, really. After the first batch, the boyfriend asked (more like DEMANDED) that just about everyone he knows get a jar. And since they’re so easy to whip up and are done in just a few simple steps, I OBVIOUSLY could not say no. Besides, giving food as gifts is just my love language.

These Candied Cashews are the perfect balance of sweet and salty. They’re deliciously coated in a salted cinnamon sugar then oven roasted low ‘n’ slow to achieve the perfect crunch and texture. They’re so good that all the recipients of said jars over the holidays admitted they gulped ’em all down before they even got a chance to share any with their families. Hmmm, sounds quite familiar. A classic husband thing to do, I suppose.

bowl of candied cashews with some in the background

I’m not gonna lie though, I totally get it with these. These Candied Cashews are so good and addicting, you ALMOST don’t even notice your hand reaching back into the jar for another handful. And even if you do, you couldn’t possibly bring yourself to stop. And I don’t blame ya. I’m admittedly speaking from my own experience.

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CANDIED CASHEWS

ingredients for candied cashews - cashews, brown and white sugar, egg white, vanilla extract, salt and cinnamon — *Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.*

Only a few simple ingredients make up these deliciously tasty Candied Cashews. Annnnd you probably already have ’em all on hand. Let’s get into them in a little more detail down below.

Cashews: Of course! The star of the show. Plain, unsalted and unroasted whole cashews work best in this recipe since we’ll be seasoning and roasting them ourselves.
Brown Sugar and White Sugar: Adds the perfect coating of sweetness to the cashews. Caramelizes the nuts as they bake in the oven making them extra addicting!
Salt: Balances out the sweetness from the sugars and adds the perfect hint of saltiness. Also amplifies the overall flavour of the candied cashews. PRO TIP: If you happen to be using salted cashews, omit the salt or add less.
Cinnamon: Adds a warm, sweet and spicy note to the candied cashews. Goes perfectly with the other spices.
Egg White: Used to help the seasonings stick to the cashews. Provides a nice outer crust for the nuts as they bake in the oven then cool.
Vanilla Extract: Mixed with the egg white beforehand then coats the nuts helping the seasonings stick. Adds flavour and umph to the candied cashews.

hand grabbing some candied cashews out of a bowl

HOW TO MAKE CANDIED CASHEWS (KEY TIPS)

hand holding up a candied cashew above a bowl with the rest

Froth up the egg white and vanilla mixture before tossing the nuts to coat. This will help in forming the caramelized crust and getting the seasonings to stick to the nuts.
Mix the seasonings in a bowl prior to dumping them over the cashews to coat. This will ensure that they’re evenly distributed and every cashew will get evenly coated in the spice mix.
On that note, really stir the cashews and spices to combine well. You want them all to be nicely and evenly coated in the mix!
Line the baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and for easy clean up. The spices combined with the egg mixture can be quite messy and the parchment paper will be a literal time (and life!) saver.
Spread the cashews out as much as you can on the baking sheet but don’t worry if they’re touching. Some touching is ok but overlapping is not. PRO TIP: Use the back of a spoon to help push the cashews flat over the baking sheet to ensure they’re in a single and even layer.
Keep the oven on low to ensure nothing burns. If you’re in a rush and want to get ’em done quicker, you can crank the heat up to 350° or so. Keep an eye on them, though, as they’ll need way less time!
Be sure to stir the cashews every 15 minutes to promote even baking and prevent clumping.
Let the cashews cool after removing them from the oven. The coating will firm up and harden slightly and the seasonings will become more profound as they do. However, don’t get me wrong, definitely snag a few hot ones… they’re *almost* just as good! 😉 No need to transfer them to a different spot to cool…You can keep them right on the pan.
Feel free to halve or double the recipe according to how many nuts you want. Just remember, they’re definitely addicting (you’re gonna want more than you think!) and last a while if sealed in an airtight jar or container sooo why not just make a big batch?!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHY USE RAW CASHEWS INSTEAD OF ROASTED?

Raw, whole, unsalted and unroasted cashews work best in this recipe. Since we control the seasonings and we’re roasting them ourselves in the oven, there is no need to begin with roasted or salted cashews.

SHOULD CASHEWS BE SOAKED BEFORE ROASTING?

In this particular recipe for Candied Cashews, it is not necessary to soak the cashews before roasting. Simply begin with plain raw cashews and watch as they turn into something magical after they’re seasoned and roasted!

HOW LONG DO CANDIED CASHEWS LAST?

If stored in an airtight container or mason jar, these Candied Cashews will be good for up to a month. To prolong the shelf life even longer, store them in the fridge.

EXTRA TIP: You can freeze Candied Cashews in either a resealable Ziploc bag or a freezer safe container. I like using these. They’ll be good in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, simply thaw them out at room temperature before eating. I like to lay them out on a sheet pan to thaw to avoid sticking, clumping together or softening up too much. Then, I transfer them to a bowl or jar as needed.

CAN I USE ANOTHER TYPE OF NUT?

Yes! This recipe works great for any type of nut or a mixture of nuts. Peanuts, almonds, walnuts and macadamia nuts…you get the idea. If you’re looking for a spicy version of these candied nuts, try my Spiced Candied Pecan Recipe instead!

CANDIED CASHEWS

Yield: ~4 Cups

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

These Candied Cashews require minimal effort to make, use only a few simple seasonings and are highly addicting! They're perfect for parties or gatherings and great for gift giving.

Ingredients

1 pound Unsalted and Unroasted Whole Cashews (about 4 cups)
6 tbsp Brown Sugar
4 tbsp White Sugar
1.5 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 Egg White

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 250° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, whisk the egg white and vanilla until very frothy and bubbles form.
In a separate bowl, add the sugars, cinnamon and salt and stir until well combined.
Add the cashews to a large bowl and pour the frothy egg white mixture over top. Stir until the cashews are nicely coated.
Add the sugar mixture over top and stir until well combined and all the cashews are coated.
Lay the cashews out onto the lined baking sheet and push/spread them out with the back of a spoon. It's okay if they're touching but try not to have them overlap. Cover as much of the baking sheet surface as possible.
Bake for 50-60 minutes, stirring the cashews every 15. Allow to cool completely on the sheet pan before eating.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 772Total Fat: 53gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 40gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1326mgCarbohydrates: 67gFiber: 4gSugar: 34gProtein: 18g

Nutrition is only an estimate and calculated using Nutritionix. Nutritional info is based per cup of candied cashews.