Quick Summary: Caramelized hazelnuts are whole-roasted hazelnuts cooked in a sugar syrup until they are coated in a glossy, crunchy caramel. They take about 15 minutes and 3 ingredients, and you can eat them on their own or use them to top cakes, ice cream, and salads.
What are caramelized hazelnuts?
Also known as noisettes caramélisées in French, these are a classic French confection that turns a plain nut into a sweet, crisp bite. The hard caramel shell gives a snappy crunch, while the toasted hazelnut inside stays rich and buttery.
Unlike a smooth praline paste or a soft candied nut, each hazelnut keeps its shape and coating, so they hold up well as a garnish or a snack straight from the jar.
Cook the hazelnuts in a mixture of sugar and water until caramelized, then add your favorite seasonings, if desired. Once caramelized, let them cool and enjoy.
Caramelized hazelnuts vs. candied hazelnuts
Although the terms are often used interchangeably, they are not the same. Caramelized hazelnuts are coated in smooth, glossy caramel, creating a crunchy, slightly sticky glaze. Candied hazelnuts are coated in caramelized sugar that crystallizes, forming a dry, sugary, crunchy coating.
The same distinction applies to other caramelized and candied nuts.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Quick and simple. This stovetop recipe needs only a few basic ingredients and comes together in about 15 minutes.
- Snack or gift. They are great as a game-day snack, a road-trip treat, or a homemade gift packed in a pretty jar with a bow.
- Endlessly useful. Use them as a topping for salads, ice cream, and cakes like hazelnut cake; as a decoration for Bûche de Noël; or as an addition to a holiday cheese board.
- A base for more. Blend them into hazelnut praline paste, or browse more candied nuts recipes for other ideas.
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, macadamias, or pecans, as they all work perfectly for this recipe.
- Sugar: the recipe calls for granulated sugar; replace it with caster sugar if desired. I wouldn't recommend using brown sugar. It caramelizes to a very dark amber, which can make the nuts look burned.
- Water is used to make caramel.
- Salt enhances the flavors of caramelized nuts; if available, use French fleur de sel.
- Butter: Use unsalted or salted butter; if using salted butter, omit salt.
Equipment
To make these caramelized hazelnuts, you will need:
- thick-bottomed saucepan
- candy thermometer
- wooden spatula
- baking sheet
- parchment paper or silicone mat
How to make caramelized hazelnuts
Step 1: In a thick-bottomed saucepan, add water and sugar, and heat to 244°F (118°C) (check with a candy thermometer). Remove from the heat, add hazelnuts, and mix them with the hot sugar syrup.
Step 2: Mix nuts with a wooden spatula, stirring continuously until they are evenly coated with sugar. They will appear coated with a white film resulting from sugar crystallization (photo 1).
Step 3: Return the pan to low to medium heat and let the hazelnuts caramelize.
Step 4: Stir continuously and wait until the sugar melts, caramelizes, and starts to coat the nuts (photo 2).
Step 5: Once the nuts are coated with golden-brown caramel, add the butter and salt, then stir well (photo 3). Then pour it onto a sheet pan or cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Step 6: Using a wooden spatula, spread nuts in a single layer. Sprinkle them with sesame seeds if desired. Let the nuts cool, separating them and the caramel strands as you go (photo 4).
Expert Tips
- Avoid high heat when making this recipe; medium or 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.
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) at the end of cooking, or experiment with 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 with sesame seeds on parchment paper.
- To serve, top vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce and caramelized, chopped hazelnuts: the salty side brings out the sweetness of vanilla and dark chocolate.
Storing & 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. You can freeze it for up to 2 months if desired.
FAQ
How do you caramelize hazelnuts?
Heat sugar and water in a heavy saucepan to 244°F (118°C), stir in the hazelnuts off the heat until coated, then return the pan to low-medium heat and stir until the sugar melts, caramelizes, and coats the nuts in golden caramel.
How do you make caramelized hazelnuts?
Cook the nuts in a sugar-and-water syrup until it melts into a golden caramel that coats each nut in a crisp shell, then spread them out to cool.
How do you make caramelized chopped hazelnuts?
Chop the whole hazelnuts first, then follow the same recipe for caramelized hazelnuts.
Can you make caramelized mixed nuts?
Yes. Use the same recipe for a mix of nuts, such as hazelnuts, almonds, and macadamia nuts.
What can you use caramelized hazelnuts for?
Use them as a topping for ice cream, cakes, and salads, as a decoration for Bûche de Noël, or blend them into hazelnut praline paste.
How do you remove caramelized sugar from a pan?
Fill the pan with water and bring it to a boil to dissolve the residue, or soak it for 15 to 30 minutes, then rinse thoroughly.
Love nut recipes? Try these next!
Start with candied nuts and dive into pastries:
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PrintRecipe card
Caramelized Hazelnuts
Caramelized hazelnuts are easy and fun to make. Enjoy them on their own as a sweet, crunchy snack, or use them to top cakes, ice cream, and salads.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- 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 in the water, add the sugar, and heat to medium heat until it reaches 244°F (118°C) (check with a candy thermometer).
- Remove from the heat, add the hazelnuts, and mix with a wooden spatula, stirring continuously until they are coated with sugar. They will look coated with a white film 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 the butter and salt, and stir well.
- 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 the caramel strands as you go.
Notes
- Choose roasted, blanched, or unblanched hazelnuts.
- Avoid high heat when making this recipe; medium or low-medium heat is enough.
- Keep an eye 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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