If you love crunchy, caramelized nuts, these orange candied almonds are a delicious treat to have around. The bright, citrusy flavor from the oranges cuts through the sweetness from the sugar and lends these almonds taste fresh and festive.
Just like my cocoa dusted almonds, these are perfect to batch-make over a weekend, serve at a party you're hosting and even feature on a charcuterie board.
I love how easy these are to make, too. There’s no stovetop candy-making or complicated techniques involved. Just a bit of mixing, and then hands-on baking in the oven.
These sugared nuts are perfect for snacking, gifting, adding to a dessert platter, or even sprinkling over ice cream and salads. I love chopping them up and using them as a topping over my baked yogurt cups.
Quick Look: Orange Candied Almonds
- 🔪 Prep time: 10 mins.
- ⏲️ Cook time: 1 hour.
- ❄️ Cooling time: 15 mins.
- 👪 Servings: About 6.
- 📋 Main ingredients: Almonds, egg white, orange juice, orange zest, brown sugar, white sugar, vanilla.
- ♨️ Cooking method: Whisk egg and orange juice → add remaining ingredients → mix and bake → cool and serve.
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy.
- 🥣 Best served: As a snack, topping over whipped goat cheese, party treat, or homemade gift.
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What's So Great About the Recipe?
- It's really easy to make- everything comes together in one bowl before going straight onto a baking sheet.
- It's great for gifting, especially during the holidays. If you like making homemade edible gifts, these would be perfect- just like my cranberry butter and honey fermented cranberries.
- The sugared almonds are super versatile. You can enjoy them on their own or use them to add crunch to desserts, yogurt, oatmeal, and salads.
Recipe Ingredients
Almonds: Raw, unroasted, unsalted almonds.
Sugar: I used a mix of white and brown sugar here to add a bit of deeper flavor and some texture to the almonds.
Vanilla: For that aroma!
Orange juice + zest: Freshly squeezed, for the best flavor!
Egg: To help the sugars cling to the surface of the almonds, and for that nice bit of crunch.
Salt: To balance out the sweetness. I love using my homemade orange salt here for that bit of extra citrusy zing.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Try lemon, lime, or grapefruit zest instead of orange for a different flavor, or add a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom if you're making these around the holidays.
- You can also try this recipe with different nuts like pecans, walnuts, cashews, or hazelnuts using the same general method. Just remember that the baking time will vary.
- You can add a little more dried orange zest if you love a strong citrus flavor.
How to Make Orange Candied Almonds
Step 1: In a bowl, whisk the egg white with a little orange juice.
Step 2: Add in the almonds along with both the sugars, vanilla, orange zest and a bit of salt.
Step 3: Mix well to ensure almonds are nicely coated.
Step 4: Transfer to a lined baking sheet and bake at 250 F for about an hour.
💭Top Tip
Let the almonds cool completely before judging their texture. They'll continue to crisp up as they cool, so don't be tempted to put them back in the oven just because they're still slightly soft when they're hot.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- Use raw, unsalted almonds for the best results.
- Don't over-whisk the egg white; lightly frothy is enough.
- Spread the almonds into an even layer before baking. I always do this whenever I'm roasting nuts- even when I make my Air Fryer salt and vinegar almonds and my hot honey roasted peanuts.
- Bake low and slow at 250°F.
- Let the almonds cool completely before storing, and store them in an airtight container away from humidity.
- Break apart any clusters after cooling if you prefer individual candied almonds.
How to Serve Orange Candied Almonds
These candied almonds are delicious straight from the container as a crunchy snack, but there are plenty of other ways to enjoy them.
You can serve them alongside a cheese board or dessert platter for a sweet, crunchy element- like I do with my Sumac roasted nuts. They're also delicious sprinkled over vanilla ice cream, yogurt, oatmeal, or even some almond milk rice pudding.
Sometimes, I like to roughly chop the almonds and add them to green salads or fruit salads. The sweet orange coating pairs especially well with greens like arugula- which is why I actually added it to my mango arugula salad and grilled peach burrata salad too.
And of course, you can also package them into small jars, cellophane bags, or decorative boxes and give them as a homemade edible gift. I love giving these and my rosemary roasted cashews!
Troubleshooting and FAQs
Raw almonds are preferable because they have enough time to toast while the coating bakes. If using already roasted almonds, keep a close eye on them so they don't become overly dark.
The egg white helps the sugary coating adhere to the almonds and contributes to the crisp texture, so it is an important part of this recipe. An egg-free coating would require a different method.
Once completely cooled, transfer the candied almonds to an airtight container in a cool, dry place away from humidity.
More Easy Snack Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you tried this orange candied almonds or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Orange Candied Almonds
Ingredients
- 2 cups almonds raw and unsalted
- 1 egg white
- ¼ cup white sugar
- ¼ tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 orange juiced and zested
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the egg white and orange juice to a bowl and whisk for about 1 minute until lightly frothy.
- Add the almonds, brown sugar, white sugar, vanilla, orange zest, and salt.
- Mix thoroughly until all the almonds are evenly coated.
- Spread the coated almonds onto the prepared baking sheet in an even layer.
- Bake for about 1 hour at 250°F, until the coating is dry and the almonds are fragrant and crunchy.
- Remove from the oven and allow the almonds to cool for about 15 minutes.
- Once cooled and crisp, break apart any clusters and serve or transfer to an airtight container.
Notes
- The almonds will continue to crisp as they cool.
- Make sure they are completely cool before storing.
- Keep them in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.
- Fresh orange zest gives the best citrus flavor.
- If your almonds form clusters while baking, simply break them apart once cooled.
