YaYa’s Candied Cashews
Ingredients
- 4 Cups Whole Cashews raw or roasted
- 2 Medium – large Egg Whites
- 2 tsp Water
- 3/4 Cup Sugar
- 6 T Light Brown Sugar
- 3 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F.
- Mix egg whites and water until frothy.
- Mix cinnamon and sugars in a bowl and set aside.
- Add the cashews to the egg whites and toss to coat evenly.
- Add the sugar mixture into the nuts and toss to coat evenly.
- Spread the nuts on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring once or twice while cooking.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container or freeze for later use.
Yaya’s Tips for Success
Make sure the egg whites are whisked until nice and frothy—this is what helps the sugar mixture stick and creates that crisp, candied shell.
Don’t skip the parchment paper or you’ll be scraping sticky sugar off your pan later.
Give those cashews a gentle stir halfway through baking to keep them from clumping up.
Don’t overbake, or they’ll lose that perfect crunch and get a little too toasty.
Yaya’s Customization Ideas
You can swap the cashews for pecans or almonds if that’s what you have on hand, or mix them together for a nutty blend.
Want to turn up the flavor? Add a pinch of cayenne pepper for a sweet-heat version.
Around the holidays, I like to toss in a splash of vanilla extract with the egg whites or even a dash of pumpkin pie spice.
These are also great packaged in mason jars with a ribbon for gifting.
Yaya’s Original Recipe Card
