Caramelized hazelnuts recipe is easy and fun to make. Enjoy sweet nuts on their own for a gourmet break, or throw them into numerous desserts. Both ways are tasty and amazingly delicious.
There is something special about camelized hazelnuts (noisettes caramélisées in French). They are incredibly easy to make at home.
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Simply cook the hazelnuts in a mixture of sugar and water until they are caramelized, then add your favorite seasonings if desired. Once they are caramelized to perfection, let them cool and enjoy.
Caramelized hazelnuts vs. candied hazelnuts
While these terms are often used interchangeably, there is a difference between caramelized hazelnuts and candied hazelnuts.
The real distinction lies in the sugar coating of the nuts. The same difference applies to all caramelized and candied nuts.
Caramelized hazelnuts have a crunchy finish: they are coated in pure caramel that looks like a glossy glaze. That is why caramelized hazelnuts are often called glazed hazelnuts.
Candied hazelnuts are made with caramelized sugar: they go through caramelization and sugar crystallization.
They are covered with a sugary-looking, crunchy coating and are often called sugared hazelnuts.
Another difference between caramelized and candied nuts can be seen in their stickiness. Caramelized hazelnuts may be sticky, candied - not.
Why you should try this recipe
Really, why not love when you see a bowl of roasted hazelnuts enrobed in a luscious caramel glaze?
- Stovetop caramelized hazelnuts recipe calls for a few simple ingredients and is easy to make.
- These hazelnuts are great as a game-day snack, the perfect treat on road trips, and great for special occasions.
- They make a tasty topping for your favorite chicken salad, Peach Compote, Hazelnuts cake, a decoration for Buche de Noel, or an addition to a holiday cheese board.
- They make a wonderful great hostess gift, too. Just put them in a pretty jar and tie a bow around it. Your friends and family will love them.
Ingredients
For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.
- Hazelnuts: choose store-bought roasted unblanched or blanched hazelnuts. You can roast raw hazelnuts at home if preferred.
Replace hazelnuts with almonds, macadamia, or pecans that work for this recipe perfectly.
- Sugar: the recipe calls for granulated sugar; replace it with caster sugar if desired.
I wouldn't recommend using brown sugar. Its amber color gives a very dark caramel which leads one to believe it has burned.
- Water, as a liquid, is used to make caramel.
- Salt enhances the flavors of caramelized nuts; if available, use French fleur de sel.
- Butter: use unsalted butter or salted butter instead, but omit salt in this case.
Recipe variations
Candied hazelnuts are a classic snack to enjoy on their own or used to top off a variety of sweet and savory dishes. But why stop at the traditional flavor profile?
These candied nuts are versatile enough to be customized to suit your taste.
- For a sweet and spicy kick, try adding a tiny bit of ground red pepper (aka cayenne pepper) at the end of cooking, or experiment with adding ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice.
- Add three to four pinches of fleur de sel or flaked sea salt for a salty twist and make these hazelnuts an excellent aperitif.
- For a tempting texture and an eye-catching presentation, sprinkle still-hot nuts on parchment paper with sesame seeds.
- To serve, top vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce with caramelised chopped hazelnuts: the salty side brings out the sweetness of vanilla and dark chocolate.
How to make caramelized hazelnuts
In a thick-bottomed saucepan, pour water, add sugar, and heat at medium to 244°F or 118°C (check with a candy thermometer). Remove from the heat, add hazelnuts, and mix them with hot sugar syrup.
Mix nuts with a wooden spatula without ceasing to stir until they are covered with sugar. They will look like they are coated with a white film resulting from the sugar crystallization (photo 1).
Bring the pan back over the low-medium heat and let the hazelnuts caramelize.
Stir continuously and wait until the sugar melts, caramelizes, and starts to coat the nuts (photo 2).
Once the nuts are coated with golden brown caramel, add butter and salt and give a good stir (photo 3). Then pour it onto a sheet pan or cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Using a wooden spatula, spread nuts in a single layer. Sprinkle them with sesame seeds if desired. Let the nuts cool, separating them and caramel strands as you go (photo 4).
Expert Tips
- Avoid high heat while making this recipe: medium and low-medium heat is enough.
- Keep your eyes on your pan once the sugar-coated nuts start to caramelize: they tend to burn fast.
- Be careful working with the caramel nuts: use oven mitts to hold the saucepan and a wooden spatula to mix, spread, and separate caramelized nuts. Don't touch them until they cool down.
- If you want to double the recipe, cook in batches: small quantities of nuts tend to caramelize better.
Storing and freezing
Store caramelized hazelnuts in an airtight container or a glass jar at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Caramel can't stand humidity; that is what makes it melt. So it isn't recommended to store it in the refrigerator.
Can you freeze caramelized hazelnuts? You can freeze them for up to 2 months if desired.
FAQ
Chop whole hazelnuts and follow the same recipe for making caramelized hazelnuts.
Yes, use the same recipe for the mix of nuts, such as hazelnuts, almonds, and macadamia.
The best solution is to fill the pan with water and bring it to a boil.
The water will dissolve any residue, and you will have no trouble cleaning it up. Otherwise, you can soak for 15-30 minutes before rinsing thoroughly.
Love nut recipes? Try these next!
If you are a real nut lover, I have just what you crave. The website is brimming with recipes that make the most of almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, pistachios, etc. Start with candied nuts and dive into pastries.
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PrintRecipe card
Caramelized Hazelnuts
Caramelized hazelnuts are easy and fun to make. They are perfect for a gourmet break or use in numerous desserts. Both ways are tasty and amazingly delicious.
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 3 oz. (90 g) 1x
- Category: No-Bake Desserts
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: French
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 ½ tablespoons (40 g) water
- 2.7 oz. (75 g) roasted, unsalted hazelnuts (see note #1)
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) unsalted butter
- 2 pinches of salt or Fleur de Sel
- 2 pinches of sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
-
In a thick-bottomed saucepan, pour water, add sugar, and heat at medium to 244°F or 118°C (check with a candy thermometer).
-
Remove from the heat, add hazelnuts, and mix with a wooden spatula without ceasing to stir until they are covered with sugar. They will look like they are coated with a white film resulting from the sugar crystallization.
-
Bring the pan back over the low-medium heat and let the hazelnuts caramelize. Stir continuously and wait until the sugar melts, caramelizes, and coats the nuts. Add butter and salt and give a good stir.
-
Then pour the nuts onto a sheet pan or cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Using a wooden spatula, spread nuts in a single layer. Sprinkle them with sesame seeds if desired. Let the nuts cool, separating them and caramel strands as you go.
Notes
- Choose roasted blanched or unblanched hazelnuts.
- Avoid high heat while making this recipe: medium and low-medium heat is enough.
- Keep your eyes on your pan once the sugar-coated nuts start to caramelize: they tend to burn fast.
- Be careful working with the caramel nuts: use oven mitts to hold the saucepan and a wooden spatula to mix, spread, and separate caramelized nuts. Don't touch them until they cool down.
- If you want to double the recipe, cook in batches: small quantities of nuts tend to caramelize better.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 oz. (30 g)
- Calories: 336
- Sugar: 3.2 g
- Sodium: 106 mg
- Fat: 19.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 37.5 g
- Fiber: 1.7 g
- Protein: 4.2 g
- Cholesterol: 11 mg
The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.
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