Candied Peanuts (2 Ingredients Only)
Using just two ingredients, these sugar-coated candied peanuts are crunchy, sweet yet savory, totally addictive, and taste like a homemade version of Boston Baked Bean peanut candy.
Let me list all the reasons why I love this candied peanuts recipe. First, it’s so easy to make. You just need a little bit of patience as you make the sugar syrup and then cook the peanuts. Second, you only need two ingredients: peanuts and sugar. Yep, this candied peanuts recipe is gluten-free and vegan. I’ve included some variations below, but we’re sticking to the basics for these deliciously crunchy sugar-coated peanuts.
Third, this recipe is so inexpensive. I love my candied pecans, but pecan halves are definitely more expensive than peanuts! Finally, these candied peanuts taste SO good. They’re sweet yet savory, crunchy, and totally irresistible. Just try and not to eat them all at once!
Candied peanuts make a great gift for the holidays. I also enjoy serving them as a game-day snack and after dinner as a nibble for the adults. Keep reading to see some more serving suggestions!
Recipe Ingredients
- Raw peanuts (purchased on the aisle right next to the pecans and such).
- Sugar
Also some water but we’re unusually blessed in that most of us reading this have that readily available at all times.
To begin with, place the sugar and water together in a nice pot and stir it up a bit.
Put this over medium heat and stir constantly until the sugar is dissolved.
Note: I am making a triple recipe in all of these photos. You won’t have this many unless you triple the recipe as well.
Like this.
Now add your peanuts.
No, we’re not going to remove those skins. They’ll be just fine and besides, we aren’t into high maintenance food.
Put this back on medium heat and cook for about 30 minutes, until the liquid has all evaporated and you’re left with sugar-coated peanuts. I promise this will happen. Stir constantly during this.
See? Told ya!
Now spread the boiled peanuts out onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
Place this in a 300-degree oven for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
Remove your from the oven, allow to cool, and package in bags or airtight containers.
Mama just puts hers in little mason jars.
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.
Recipe Notes
- Besides enjoy as a delicious , here are some serving suggestions for your candied peanuts:
- Enjoy them sprinkled on vanilla ice cream for dessert.
- Add a handful to your favorite salad or coleslaw.
- In the end (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.
- Instead of peanuts, you can use other “smooth” . This includes macadamia, , or .
- Substitute the white sugar for brown sugar for a sweeter version of these caramelized peanuts.
Here are more tasty peanut recipes:
Peanut Butter Cheesecake Cookie Bars
Peanut Butter Brownies with Peanut Butter Fudge Icing
Yellow Cake with Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Icing
Peanut Butter Pie Recipe: Made the Old Fashioned Way
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cups peanuts raw, skin on
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and water. Place over medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves.1 cup sugar, 1/2 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 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. Allow the roasted peanuts to cool on the cookie sheet and then store in a sealed container.
Video
Nutrition
“What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. These are but trifles, to be sure; but scattered along life’s pathway, the good they do is inconceivable.”
~ Joseph Addison
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I have a question..
I’ve made these before & they turned out a lovely golden color & great ! this time it took a very long time to cook down, they are super dark & once on the cookie sheet they never did harden… they are coated but they are nothing like yours or like the last time I made them.
Do you have any suggestions ??
My mom made these every year for christmas but she would bold them for about 15 minutes toll all liquid was absorbed, but them on a greased cookie sheet, lightly salt them in oven for 15 minutes
Hello,
I just made these and they are not hard like a peanut at all, they are somewhat soft & alittle chewy like a dried raisin or cranberry. I put them back in the oven for another 30 mins. but now that they are cooled they are still the same….. so can anyone tell me is this how they are suppose to be ?? I used raw peanuts…….I appreciate any & all help & advise anyone can give me.
Thanks
I’ve never had that happen, or even anything close to resembling that happen and I don’t even know how many times I’ve made these. This is a real quandary. They are supposed to be crunchy with a crunchy candy coating. The only thing I can think that could have gone wrong, if your oven normally bakes alright and you cooked them until they were kindly dry and coated on the stovetop first, is that there is an issue with the peanuts. This is a new one to me! I’m sorry I don’t have a solution. I almost wish I could step inside your kitchen and investigate because this one has me thrown!
I made a triple batch of these last night as a test for Mason jar Christmas gifts. I was a bit skeptical because if the few ingredients. OMGeeeeee they are delicious!! I bought skinless peanuts because I was working from memory in the grocery store. They worked just fine. Next batches will be skin on.
I am so glad you liked them Ken!!! Have a Merry Christmas!
Don’t forget the Chocolate Coated Penuts
Ohhh, can’t forget those Bob!!
Love candied peanuts so now have another thing to make, suspect you could run the salted nuts under water since you bake them in the end.
I hate those so real dreams, they plague me sometimes , the ones that really get me are when someone calls my name, and I wake up and then can’t get back to sleep.
Oh Eva, I know what you mean. Those type dreams can be so haunting.
Thanks for sharing this! I make a similar recipe every Christmas using pecans, but becans were very expensive last year!! Everyone LOVES the pecans, but I might try peanuts this Christmas to see what kind of reaction they get, and to save money, too.