These honey roasted almonds are perfectly sweet, slightly salty and deliciously crunchy with just a touch of honey flavor. An easy and festive recipe requiring only 6 simple ingredients and 30 minutes total. These nuts make a great snack or gift!
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So scrumptious. So fancy. So gift-giving worthy.
These easy to make honey roasted almonds require only 6 ingredients and about 20 minutes start to finish. They are coated with a decadent sugar mixture. The end result is a deeply toasted nut encased in crunchy caramelized sugar. Perhaps even more recognizable than the flavor ... the smell. As these nuts cook, the aroma of melting sugar and toasting nuts may be the very best part of the whole situation.
FACT: You should give these little guys to EVERYONE on your Christmas List. They. Are. That. Good.
This recipe would be fantastic to gift to friends, neighbors and family. Pop them into a cute container and pair them with Jumbo Gingerbread Streusel Muffins or these adorable Christmas Tree Iced Sugar Cookie Bars and you've got a curated present that anyone would be thrilled to receive!
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Ingredients
- Whole Almonds - I purchase pre-roasted to save time, but the directions on how to prepare raw almonds is included on the recipe card as well.
- Sugar - white sugar is my go-to, a combination of white and brown sugar would also work.
- Ground cinnamon - adds a woody, spicy, warm flavor to the roasted almonds.
- Honey - a natural sweetener that helps form the candied almond coating.
- Butter - salted or unsalted, the purpose is just to stop the nuts from sticking to the wax paper - you will not need this ingredient if you are using a silicone mat.
- Sea salt - adjust according to taste preference - we recommend going for a hint of salt taste.
Instructions: Honey Roasted Almonds
Step 1: ** ONLY DO IF USING RAW ALMONDS. Spread almonds on a baking sheet. Place in cold oven. Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Roast for 9-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Almonds should be lightly toasted and fragrant. Set aside.
Step 2: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, water, cinnamon and honey. Bring to a boil. Add roasted almonds. Cook and stir mixture until the liquid is completely evaporated. The nuts will be clumped and very sticky.
Step 3: Thinly coat the wax paper with a layer of butter to prevent the roasted almonds from sticking. Alternatively, you can use a silicone mat (no butter required). Spread almonds onto wax paper or mat.
Step 4: Use 2 forks to separate each individual nut. Sprinkle sea salt evenly over the nuts. Serve warm or allow them to cool and harden. Package for a wonderful gift or enjoy!
Substitutions
- Almonds - almonds can be substituted for whatever nuts you have on hand. Cashews, pecans or even a mix of all three all work well.
- Vegan - eliminate honey, no additional substitutions or recipe adaptations required
Variations
- Sweet and Spicy - add chili or cayenne pepper, paprika and cumin to your sugar and honey mixture to kick these nuts up a notch
- Chocolate - drizzle a little dark chocolate over cooled nuts for an extra sweet treat
Storage
Honey roasted almonds should be stored in the refrigerator in an air-tight container to maximize their shelf life. Roasted almonds should stay fresh for up to 6 months.
Honey roasted almonds freeze VERY well. Arrange the room temperature almonds into a single layer on a wax paper coated cookie sheet. Freeze nuts overnight. Remove sheet pan with almonds from the freezer and dump nuts into an airtight freezer safe bag or container. To thaw, place the nuts (in their bag or container) into the refrigerator overnight.
Equipment
- Wax paper - it is important to use wax paper (special non-stick coating) and not regular parchment paper as your nuts will stick and pull the paper apart.
- Silicone baking mat - This is the one I use and love. This is not required for this recipe, but it is helpful. It replaces wax paper and eliminates the need for a butter coating.
Top Tip
I highly recommend purchasing pre-roasted and salted almonds. This will allow you to skip step 1 (roasting the almonds) and start directly with preparing the sugar mixture. The taste will still be great, the only thing you will miss is the delightful aroma of roasting almonds, and likely, your time is worth more than that.
PRINTABLE GIFT TAG PDF
PrintRecipe
Honey Roasted Almonds
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups
Description
Perfectly sweet, slightly salty, with just the right amount of crunch. An easy and delicious recipe requiring only 6 ingredients and that comes together in under 30 minutes. Perfect for snacking or gifting!
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw, whole almonds OR 2 cups pre-roasted almonds
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup water
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon honey
- butter (only if using wax paper instead of silicone mat for drying)
- salt to taste
Instructions
- DO THIS STEP ONLY IF USING RAW ALMONDS. IF USING STORE-BOUGHT ROASTED ALMONDS, SKIP TO STEP 2. Spread almonds on a baking sheet in a single layer. Place in cold oven. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Bake for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Almonds should be lightly toasted and fragrant once cooked. Set aside.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, water, cinnamon and honey. Bring to a boil. Add roasted almonds. Cook and stir mixture until the liquid is completely evaporated. The nuts will be clumped and very sticky.
- Thinly coat the wax paper with a layer of butter to prevent the roasted almonds from sticking. Alternatively you can use a silicone mat (no butter required). Spread almonds onto prepared waxed paper or mat. Use 2 forks to separate each individual nut. Sprinkle sea salt evenly over the nuts. Serve warm or allow them to cool and harden.
Notes
- Do not stop stirring until all the liquid evaporates. If you stop when the liquid is still "syrup" your nuts will be sticky.
- If you purchase pre-roasted almonds, skip step 1 and begin recipe at step 2.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Holiday
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ¼ Cup of Almonds
- Calories: 314
- Sugar: 28.7 g
- Sodium: 291.5 mg
- Fat: 17.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 35.6 g
- Protein: 7.6 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
FAQ: Honey Roasted Almonds
Raw almonds have a much softer texture than roasted almonds. They are chewier. Roasting the almonds in the oven results in a crunchier nut. If the finished almonds seem chewy or soft, you likely didn't roast them long enough.
Honey roasted almonds an be a healthy snack option depending on the recipe. Whole natural almonds are loaded with healthy fats. This version is high in sugar (that's how we get that downright decadent candy coating) and should be enjoyed in moderation as part of a healthy diet.
Enjoy them as a delicious snack or add them to granolas, use as a salad topper, or even create a custom trail mix.
Shelley guest
I just made these using coconut oil and they are so good.. I put them in the freezer to cool and they are nice and cold and crunchy that way.. So good
Bailey Sissom
Hi Shelley!!! I'm so glad that they turned out well for you! There really isn't anything better than the smell of roasted nuts!! Storing them in the freezer is a great idea! Happy Friday:)
Shirley
Did you use raw almonds?
I made with raw and maybe I did not toast long
enough because some of mine are soft
Bailey Sissom
Hi Shirley. I have used both types, but I have never had the almonds come out soft. I'm sorry that happened. I think you are on the right track thinking that maybe they need to be toasted longer??
McKenzie Cook
Any other substitute for the coconut sugar?
Bailey Sissom
Hi McKenzie.. you could use brown sugar in the place of the coconut sugar:)
Tara Dodson
Bailey
I tried these for a Christmas, they are awesome. I will be making these very often. I gave them to my neighbor as a gift, but I don't think he has tried them yet. he doesn't do sugar so I think this is a great option for at treat! Thanks !
Tara
Bailey Sissom
Hi Tara! I LOVE hearing that you gave the almonds a shot. They are one of our favorite recipes around here. I'm sure that your neighbor will love them:)
Carol Stewart
How about adding a touch of ginger powder to the nuts for an added twist?
Bailey Sissom
That sounds delicious! If you try it, let us know how it goes:)
Geraldine Powell
Hi there. These sound delicious but they are NOT vegan as the recipe includes honey, an animal product, which vegans do not eat. Could you possibly swap for maple syrup or agave nectar?
Bailey Sissom
Hey Geraldine! You are absolutely right. I have not tried with agave or maple syrup but I don't see a reason why that wouldn't work just as well. Thanks for pointing out this mistake. I am going to remove the vegan tagging from the post.
Dana
I made these and they are delicious! I added a little cinnamon to the coconut sugar/salt mixture-- YUM!. Thanks for a great recipe!
Bailey Sissom
Hi Dana! I'm so glad that you enjoyed them. They are def a favorite around here!
Campingmom
I am sure these would taste wonderful. Put them on wax paper and stuck to high heaven. I think you should change your recipe to read Parchment Paper. I had to throw them away.
Anne Palmer
The liquid does not want to evaporate. And I've been stirring it for 20 mins. Maybe skip the water??