Easy 2-Ingredient Candied Peanuts
These Candied Peanuts are crunchy, sweet, savory, and totally addictive. They’re simple to make with just two ingredients and taste just like a homemade version of Boston Baked Bean candy! They’re also gluten-free, vegan, and perfect for sharing or giving as a holiday gift. Think of them as a budget-friendly alternative to my candied pecans — just as delicious, but easier on the wallet!
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Recipe Name: Candied Peanuts
- Serves: 4
- Main Ingredients: sugar, water, peanuts
- Why You'll Love It: These Candied Peanuts are coated in a crackly shell of sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla that makes them seriously addictive. They’re perfect for gifting, snacking, or tossing on top of salads for a sweet crunch.
How do you make candied peanuts?
Stir 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Add 2 cups of raw, skin-on peanuts and keep stirring until the syrup is gone and the peanuts are coated, about 30 minutes. Spread them on a cookie sheet and bake at 300°F for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Let them cool completely before storing.
Simple, Sweet, and Totally Addictive
I’ve never been able to make a batch of these candied peanuts without sneaking a handful before they’re even cool. These things are that good. And I’d be remiss not to mention that they require some serious self-control to avoid eating the whole batch in one sitting!
When you want these, you want them bad, so luckily they cook up quick and easy. All you need is a little patience while the sugar syrup cooks down and coats the peanuts, and for me, watching it happen is half the fun! I kept the recipe simple for that classic, old-fashioned flavor, but I’ve also included a few variations below if you want to switch things up.
A bowl of these is perfect for game day, just as good set out as an after-dinner nibble for the grown-ups, and they make a wonderful homemade gift during the holidays, right there with my Holiday Popcorn Crunch and Best Ever Vanilla Chai Powder Mix!
Ingredients
- Raw peanuts
- White sugar (or brown sugar for a sweeter version)
Tips for Making Candied Peanuts
- Once the peanuts have soaked up the sugar syrup, you can add a teaspoon of additional spices if you like. Sweet-wise, opt for cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, or gingerbread spice for the holidays. For spice, add chili powder or cayenne pepper. You could also simply add a teaspoon of salt or vanilla extract.
- Ovens and stoves vary, so treat the 30 minutes as a guide and not a rule! Stick close and check on the peanuts every time you stir, especially if this is your first time making them.
- Resist judging the crunch straight out of the oven. They firm up and crisp as they cool, so give them a good 20 to 30 minutes.
- Let them cool completely before you jar them up. If you put them in a container warm, the steam makes them sticky.
- Fill your pot with hot water as soon as you’re done. Hardened sugar is a pain to scrub, but it melts right off if you soak it.
How to Make Easy Candied Peanuts
1. Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 300°F and get out an ungreased cookie sheet.
2. Dissolve the Sugar
Grab a medium saucepan and toss in your sugar and water. Set it over medium heat and give it a stir until the sugar is fully dissolved.
3. Add the Peanuts
Next, add your peanuts into the sugar water, keeping the heat on medium.
You’ll want to stir this constantly until the peanuts are fully coated and all of the syrup has been absorbed. It takes about 30 minutes, but it’s worth it!
4. Roast in the Oven
Now, spread those boiled peanuts out onto your ungreased cookie sheet. Place them in the oven for 30 minutes, giving them a stir every 10 minutes or so to make sure they don’t burn.
5. Cool & Serve
Take your roasted peanuts out of the oven and let them cool down a bit.
Then, pack them up in bags, mason jars, or airtight containers. Or just dig in while they’re still warm. Enjoy!
Storage
Store your candied nuts in an airtight container either at room temperature or in the fridge for up to one week. You can also freeze a batch of candied peanuts in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature for a few hours before serving.
2-Ingredient Candied Peanuts FAQs
I find mine in the same aisle as the pecans and other baking nuts. A few readers have also spotted bags in the produce section at their grocery store, so it’s worth a look there too.
I haven’t tried it myself, but I think it’s a great idea, especially if you have leftover roasted peanuts from a can of mixed nuts. Go for it!
Sure can! Instead of peanuts, you can use other “smooth” nuts like macadamia, almond, or cashew nuts.
Beyond snacking, candied peanuts make a great topping for ice cream. Try them on my Deep Fried Ice Cream Milkshakes or No Churn Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream! You can also toss a handful into your favorite salad, like this Chicken, Wild Rice & Kale Salad, or sprinkle them over creamy coleslaw.
These candied peanuts are a family favorite in my house. Are they a hit in yours? Rate the recipe and share your thoughts in the comments!
Candied Peanuts
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup water
- 2 cups raw peanuts skin on
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and water. Place over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves.1 cup sugar, ½ cup water
- Add peanuts to sugar water. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the peanuts are completely sugar-coated and no sugar syrup remains. This will take about 30 minutes.2 cups raw peanuts
- Pour the boiled peanuts out onto an ungreased cookie sheet and spread them out a bit. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
- Let the roasted peanuts cool on the cookie sheet, then store them in a sealed container.
when i was a child my mother would make these with cinnamon and we gave them to our teachers as Christmas gifts. we didnt have a lot of money and this worked very well and made the teacher like us very much!!
I just tried to make these and stepped away from the stove for one minute and the whole thing burned! :(. Very important to not go anywhere, especially near the end!
I just signed up for your emails and received your welcome email. I too am from North Alabama (Colbert Co.) and love our southern cooking. From what wandering I’ve done through your website so far I can tell I’m gonna love it.
Welcome to Southern Plate Margaret!!!!!
As one mother of a marching band son to another mother, I have to say this probably won’t be the last of your dreams which end up being nightmares! I’ve had the same experiences because there are so many harried details of their band and concert activities to be aware of Accckkkkk!! It’s worth it in the end, though!
These are delicious. I keep putting them away and they keep “calling my name” to come back and have a few more. I love your website and have both of your cookbooks = all of which is wonderful. Hope you and your family had a wonderful Christmas and a very happy and blessed New Year.
I am so glad to hear that you liked the peanuts, and the books!!! I hope you have a very Happy New Year as well!!
Thanks for the recipe reminder of what my grandmother used to make around the holidays. I made these for my birthday a week ago. Storage of leftovers was not an issue. I made a huge batch last night before church. I brought some to church and the rest I’m going to try to keep away from until our guests arrive later on this afternoon. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to tell you how well they store.
Have a blessed Christmas, you and yours.
God bless.
I think you could use any nuts. I used what was called for but think any would be good. Not sure about salted thought as they are very sweet. However my friend said they would be good with a little cayenne. So maybe the salted would work.