Indulge in the irresistible goodness of homemade Sweet & Crunchy Candied Walnuts. Learn the perfect recipe for a tasty, crunchy treat!

Have you ever been at the fair, a festival or passed by a street vendor selling candied nuts? The smell of sweetness in the air is irresistible to me. I love a good candied walnut, pecan or even almonds. The crunchy combo of sweet and salty gets me every time. I've made several batches before where they didn't hold their crunch, weren't sweet enough, were too sweet or I didn't get that yummy cinnamon taste. Well, I finally perfected my recipe and made the most delicious candied walnuts that are crunchy, sweet and salty with just the right hint of cinnamon. Which is also dangerous because now I can't stop making them! They are great on salads, in homemade trail mix or for snacking by the handfuls. My favorite way to eat them is on my Strawberry Salad. They add a sweetness and crunch that makes this salad extra delicious.

Candied Walnuts are very easy to make on your own. Simply whisk an egg white and fold in your nuts. Add the sugar mixture coating the walnuts evenly and bake. You'll want to bake them for the full hour. They may seem done earlier than that but believe me, it's the key to keeping them nice and crunchy. You can cut this recipe in half or do like me and bake a big batch, keeping some out on the counter to use and freezing the rest. They'll last in the freezer for up to 3 months so you can have delicious candied walnuts whenever the craving strikes.

Candied Walnuts

Ingredients:

• 4 cups raw, unsalted walnuts

• 1 egg white

• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Lightly grease a large cooking pan.

• In a small bowl, combine sugar, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.

• In a large mixing bowl using a whisk or fork, whip egg white and vanilla until frothy.

• Add walnuts to egg mixture and stir until evenly coated.

• Stir in sugar mixture being sure to coat walnuts and scrape any sugar mix that sticks to the side of the bowl.

• Spread in an even layer, trying to overlap, on prepared cooking sheet.

• Bake at 250 degrees F for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. It's important to bake them for the full hour even if they seem done after 45 min. This will help to retain crunchiness of the nuts.

• After 1 hour, remove from oven, give them another stir and allow to cool on cooking sheet.

• Transfer to airtight container and store at room temp for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for 3 months.