Cinnamon Sugar Candied Cashews

February 2024

December 2023

1 tablespoon water
3 cups cashews (I used 1 pound bag of roasted, lightly salted; substitute with almonds, pecans, walnuts, peanuts or a combo)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 to 2 teaspoons cinnamon, or to taste (I used 2 heaping teaspoons)
1 teaspoon Kosher salt, or to taste (salt will vary based on preference and if you’re using salted or unsalted cashews)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional and to taste (reduce to 1/4 teaspoon for milder heat)

Preheat oven to 300F. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper. Don’t skip lining your baking sheet; set aside.
To a large bowl, add the egg white, water and whisk vigorously until very frothy, foamy, and bubbly, about 2 minutes by hand.
Add the nuts and stir to coat.
Add the sugars, cinnamon, salt, and optional cayenne, and stir to coat evenly.
Turn nuts out onto to prepared baking sheet, spreading them in an even flat layer.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes (I baked 28 minutes); don’t overbake or nuts can burn. Coating will appear bubbly, quite soupy and wet in the center of the tray even when nuts are ready to be pulled from the oven. It will seem like nuts should bake longer so the coating dries out more, but it firms up dramatically as nuts cool. As always, use your judgment and let your nose and eyes be your guide to doneness.
Allow nuts to cool on a baking tray for at least 30 minutes. Ideally, leave nuts on a baking tray and exposed to air to cool overnight; this helps them get extra crispy and crunchy.
When nuts are cool enough to handle break apart large clusters.
Transfer nuts to airtight containers or jars. Nuts will keep airtight at room temperature for at least 1 month.

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