These Gingerbread Candied Nuts make a super fun vegan DIY Christmas Gift for loved ones or a tasty snack for cozy December nights. Super easy to make, so it’s the perfect recipe for beginners and families.
For more vegan Christmas content, check out our Christmas desserts, Christmas cookies, DIY gift ideas, Christmas brunch, stocking stuffers and gift baskets roundups.
It’s only the end of October but I’m already super excited for Christmas.
Especially when I smell anything even closely related to the holidays. That can be orange, cinnamon or in this case: gingerbread spice.
I love DIY Christmas gifts. The sky is the limit when it comes to creating handmade gifts to your loved ones.
Also, a handmade gift is much more meaningful.
I mean anyone can go into a store and buy something, right?
But when you spend TIME and ENERGY creating something yourself, that is so much nicer.
So, yes. I love getting and giving homemade (or DIY) gifts, but I especially love it when they are edible. 😉
I love LOVE eating after all. So today’s recipe is this wonderfully festive and tasty gingerbread spiced candied nuts.
Warning: it’s SUPER addictive.
When I make this for my boyfriend he usually eats the whole batch in one afternoon ( that’s 2 cups of almond and pecans, yo!). It’s no joke.
When someone asks for my opinion on what kind of DIY gifts they should give to their friends or family, I always recommend this recipe first.
Why? Because it’s ridiculously easy to make and looks super fancy in a jar.
(No, really. You can go crazy decorating… at least I always do.)
But how easy is this recipe, you ask? Well, let me tell you how. You put the nuts, water and sugar in a nonstick soup pot.
Stir the mixture on medium heat for a few minutes, add the spices and vanilla, stir again and done. After placing them on a parchment paper to let them cool, you can eat the whole thing.
That’s what makes it so beginner-and family friendly. Even the kiddos could do it (probably).
One more awesome thing. You can literally use any kind of spice and flavoring you want.
Are you into orange-y flavors? Just use 1 teaspoon of orange zest.
Do you like plain cinnamon? Go ahead and add 1 tsp cinnamon. Pumpkin spice? Sure thing!
Get ready though, because your house will smell amazing and you will get in some serious XMAS mood.
But before you start cooking, here are a few tips. Be very careful because the sugar can burn quickly, so keep stirring!
You will know the nuts are ready when the sugar is beautifully clumped together and have coated the almonds evenly.
Carefully take them out and spread them on a parchment paper, so the nuts can cool down.
If you hear tiny sizzling sounds and pops while the nuts are cooking in the pot, that’s perfectly normal! It’s just the peel of a nut trying to come off. 🙂
That’s about everything I wanted to say.
I hope you will have a tremendous amount of fun creating these delish treats and if you gift them I’m sure they will bring happiness to everyone.
Wishing You and Your Family a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! <3
Gingerbread Candied Nuts (DIY Christmas Gift)
Gingerbread Candied Nuts (DIY Christmas Gift)
Ingredients
- 2 cups nuts
- 1/2 cup raw cane sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tsp gingerbread spice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Put the nuts, sugar and water in a medium, nonstick pot.
- On medium heat, start cooking the mixture (while stirring constantly) until the water evaporates and the sugar clumps together.
- Before the sugar clumps together, add the the gingerbread spice, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt and stir until the coating on the nuts solidifies.
- Carefully place the coated nuts on a parchment paper and let them cool for about an hour.
- Place in a decorated jar for a fun DIY gift or enjoy with hot chocolate on a chilly evening!
More DIY Christmas Gift Ideas:
- Cranberry White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies in a Jar
- Chocolate Dipped Candied Orange Peels
- Vegan Danish Butter Cookies
Did you make these Gingerbread Candied Nuts?
Let me know in the comments!
Hello
When you said gingerbread spice is that different to ground ginger? If so can I use that?
Hi Emma! Gingerbread spice is a mix of different spices! If you only use ground ginger it’s not going to taste very good! 🙂
These are so great! I used pumpkin pie spice (all I had!) and added a bit of ground ginger. They’re amazing – thanks for the recipe!
I’m so glad you liked them, Hayley! Pumpkin spice with ginger sounds amazing. 😛
Yum! Very addictive. I used German gingerbread spice (Lebkuchengewürz) which is slightly different than gingerbread spice in the US/UK but they are still so great! Thanks for the recipe.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Dorothea! Merry Christmas! 🙂
How far in advance can I make them? How long do they keep?
Keep them in an airtight container and they should last to up to 2 weeks!
Loved it, grateful I can make these yummies for my son and his family. I used cinnamon and it was delicious. I have a feeling my temp may have been a little high. It was medium on my stove but the nuts are not shiny like yours. Please let me know what you think. I was thinking of using allspice next time, have you ever used it on these?
I think all spice is just as good! I’m not sure why they are not as shiny. 🙁 But if they were delicious, I wouldn’t worry about it. 🙂 You can try making it on a lower temperature next time and see what happens.
Really excellent (and easy!) recipe. My budget is slim this Christmas, so I’m making food gifts. This was perfect. Thank you.
I’m so glad to hear that Michelle! I agree that it makes a wonderful homemade gift. 🙂
Could I make these nuts using a sugar substitute such as Truvia? I’m looking for a recipe for a diabetic. These would be wonderful if I could use a sugar substitute. Thank you!
Hi Debbie!
I’m not sure Truvia would work, but if you try it, do let me know! Good luck!
Approximately how long does it take for the water to evaporate?
Sounds great! Do you use raw nuts to start?
Yes, I used raw nuts. 🙂
Thanks!