Homemade Glazed Nuts

Homemade glazed nuts are a protein-packed snack that is easy to take on-the-go.

Homemade glazed nuts are a family favorite. We like them so much it is hard to keep them around for long. The first time we made them we tried a crockpot recipe from  theseoldcookbooks.com. They were delicious, but like the instructions say, the nuts end up a bit soft. Our family prefers a firmer result, however, so we decided to experiment a bit. We loved the taste of theseoldcookbooks.com's glaze and the ease of the crockpot for imbuing the nuts with the flavor, but wanted the firmer results of an oven-baked nut. In addition, we read that toasting the nuts before glazing them brings out their flavor. Thus, we decided to tweak the recipe a bit. The results were fabulous.

Our favorite homemade glazed nut recipe requires a couple more steps than the original, but we find the extra steps well worth the time due to the flavor profile and texture of the finished product. Here are the instructions for making our family's favorite homemade glazed nuts:

1) Modify the recipe from theseoldcookbooks.com as follows: 

Ingredients

2 lb. pecans or mixed nuts (pecans and walnuts work well because the grooves hold the glaze) 

2 egg whites

1 3/4 - 2 c. cane sugar 

2 t. cinnamon

2 t. salt

2) Toast the nuts. Toasting them beforehand makes a huge difference in the finished product. The nuts themselves turn out crispier and much more flavorful. We use raw pecans, walnuts, and cashews in a ratio of about 2:2:1, 

3) Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and toast them at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes. Stir every 3 minutes to ensure they are toasted evenly. Be sure to keep an eye on the cashews (or any soft nut) as they will burn faster than the pecans and walnuts.

4) Allow the nuts to cool. Once cooled, whip the egg whites until foamy. Stir in the nuts until they are well coated, then fold in the sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir them long enough to ensure that the dry ingredients mix in well and that the glaze coats the nuts evenly.

5) Pour the mixture into a greased crockpot on high for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes to prevent potential burning or sticking. At this point, the sugar will be melted and the glaze soaked into the crevices on the pecans and walnuts. 

6) Place them on parchment paper on a baking sheet and bake at 250 degrees for 35- 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. If you use only a pound of nuts, I recommend decreasing the baking time to 15-25 minutes. Finishing them off in the oven hardens the glaze and keeps them from being soft.

7) Cool the nuts. 

8) Once cool, remove them from the parchment paper, breaking up any large chunks as you do so, and store the glazed nuts in air tight jars. 

We consume these rather quickly so we keep them in the cupboard. However, you can keep glazed nuts in the refrigerator or even in the freezer if you plan to store them for more than a week. Keeping nuts in the freezer helps keep the natural oils from turning rancid over time.