Candied Almonds (Cinnamon Roasted Almonds) (2024)

FAQs

How do you get seasoning to stick to roasted almonds? ›

To get the spices to stick to the nuts, use egg whites, butter, coconut oil, olive oil or blanch the nuts in boiling water. Some recipes call for nuts to be fried in oil prior to seasoning, but this adds unnecessary fat – you can make them just a delicious without all the extra calories.

Again, you likely didn't bake the almonds for long enough. The almonds will also be slightly soft when they're still warm, so if you've sampled them before they've cooled completely to room temperature wait a little longer before eating them.

Soaking and roasting almonds

They can also be soaked and then roasted. Soaking almonds is said to be beneficial to digestion and increase the availability of nutrients in nuts, yet anti-oxidant vitamin E can be lost at the higher temperatures required for roasting.

Roasting is defined as a slow-cooking method, wherein indirect heat is used to evenly cook the food on all sides. There are two types of roasting: dry roasting and oil roasting. Dry roasting is a type of roasting in which no oil is used, whereas oil roasting is just that - when oil is used in the cooking process.

Turn the oven on to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake almonds, stirring occasionally, until light tan and fragrant, 12 to 15 minutes. The nuts will continue to cook after removing them from the oven. Meanwhile, mix sugar and salt together in a small bowl; sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar mixture into a large bowl.

After baking, coat the warm nuts with a bit of olive oil and a couple shakes of sea salt and let them cool. They soak up all that goodness and then look like the perfectly roasted almonds that they are.

Usually if the almonds are soft after candying it means that they weren't cooked for long enough.

Quite a long time, actually! If you store them in the freezer, they will last up to 6 months. If you store them in the fridge, they will last up to 2 months. Just make sure to keep them in an airtight container, and they'll be just as tasty as they were when fresh.

The candied nuts most likely didn't cook long enough on the stovetop. Sugar has to reach a certain temperature to achieve that brittle, candy coating state. Transfer parchment-lined baking sheet to 325ºF oven (do not put wax paper in the oven) and bake for 5-15 minutes, or until they are less sticky.

Reduced Anti-Nutrient Impact: Soaking almonds mitigates the impact of anti-nutrients like tannins and phytic acid found in the almond skin. These compounds, when present in excessive amounts, can interfere with the absorption of essential minerals. Soaking acts as a preventive measure against this interference.

Why must I discard the water I soaked almonds in? ›

But if you are using bitter almonds, then the water they are soaked in may contain enough cyanide to make you sick, or to kill a child or other small person. Soaking is, I think, the way that cyanide is removed to make bitter almonds more palatable (and safe).

The Science-Backed Serving

Studies suggest a daily intake of around 30 grams (approximately 20-23 whole almonds) can be beneficial for weight loss.

1. Almonds. Relatively low in calories, almonds are an excellent food for health due to their protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Bitter almonds grow as a cyanogenic plant, meaning it contains cyanide. The almonds are fine once they're cooked or roasted, but they are not safe to eat raw. The raw form of the bitter variety is actually illegal in the U.S., but it's more prevalent in certain parts of Europe.

Raw and dry-roasted nuts have very similar amounts of fat, carbs and protein. Although, roasted nuts have slightly more fat and calories per gram, but the difference is minimal.

Rinse the nuts under running water and pat dry. Spread over a dehydrator rack, or baking tray. Dry in the dehydrator for around 12-24 hours. If drying in the oven, set the oven at the lowest temperature possible, preferably no more than 65C.

Seasoning. Now it's time to season. Toss the seeds in a bit of olive oil or melted butter first to help the seasoning stick (and to add some extra flavor and keep the seeds from burning). For seasoning, you could just use salt and call it a day, nothing wrong with that!

And I'm not alone: Many recipes that call for nuts, also call for toasting the nuts because it makes such a difference in the overall flavor of the dish. Toasting or lightly roasting nuts removes all the raw green, slightly astringent flavors that you taste when they are uncooked. This is especially true with walnuts.