Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (292.5 g) walnut halves or pieces
- 1/4 cup (50 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup (85 g) honey
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Ingredients and Why They Matter
Walnut halves or pieces give lots of craggy surface area for the candy mixture to cling to and toast beautifully in the oven, turning extra fragrant and nutty. Light brown sugar adds sweetness and a gentle molasses note that deepens as it bakes, helping form the crunchy shell.
Honey not only sweetens but also helps the coating stay glossy and slightly chewy before it fully crisps; it caramelizes along with the sugar to bind everything around the nuts. Kosher salt cuts through sweetness and makes the nut and caramel flavors pop; its larger grains distribute evenly without making the nuts taste salty.
Unsalted butter, melted provides fat that helps the sugar–honey mixture coat the nuts evenly and encourages toasty, even browning without burning. Unsalted butter is preferred so the salt level stays controlled and consistent, since salted butter brands vary in salt and water content.
Step-by-Step Instructions (Oven)
Prep and Coat
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and make cleanup easy.
- In a large bowl, combine the walnut halves/pieces, packed light brown sugar, honey, kosher salt, and melted unsalted butter.
- Mix well until all the walnuts are evenly coated and there are no dry sugar pockets. The nuts should look glossy and sticky all over.
Bake
- Spread the coated walnuts in a single layer on the lined baking sheet, separating them as much as possible. This helps them toast and candy evenly rather than clumping.
- Bake for about 15 minutes total, stirring after 7 minutes to redistribute and flip the nuts so they brown evenly.
- The walnuts are done when they’re a deep golden to medium brown and smell toasty and caramelized; watch closely near the end since nuts can burn quickly.
Cool and Crisp
- Remove the pan from the oven and immediately stir the walnuts, spreading them back into an even layer. This breaks up any large clumps and helps them cool evenly.
- After about 5 minutes, stir them again to ensure they’re not sticking together in big clusters.
- Let them cool completely on the parchment. As they cool, the coating will firm up and turn crunchy.
- If, once fully cooled, they’re not as crisp as you’d like, return them to the oven for an additional 10 minutes at 350°F, then cool again.
Air Fryer Instructions
- Line the basket of your air fryer with parchment paper (trim it so it doesn’t block airflow or touch the heating element).
- Spread the coated walnuts in a single layer in the lined basket; work in batches if needed so they’re not piled up.
- Air fry at 350°F for about 6 minutes, stirring or shaking the basket halfway through to prevent scorching and encourage even coating.
- Pour the hot nuts onto a sheet of parchment paper to cool completely in a single layer. They will crisp as they cool.