Carmeled Peanuts

Slow-baked caramelized peanuts where the magic happens in the oven, not the stove. An egg white whisked with a teaspoon of water gives the peanuts a thin sticky coat that holds onto the brown sugar and salt. Then a long, low bake (an hour at 225°F / 110°C) toasts the peanuts while the sugar slowly caramelizes around each nut into a crunchy, candy-coated shell.

The stirring every 15 minutes matters more than it sounds. Without it, the sugar settles to the bottom and burns while the tops stay underdone. With it, you get even coating and uniform color. These keep for weeks in an airtight tin and make popular holiday gifts.

Kitchen Tips

• Use raw or dry-roasted unsalted peanuts. Salted peanuts will throw off the seasoning, and oily roasted peanuts won’t take the coating cleanly.
• Line the pan with parchment, not just foil. The sugar coating sticks like cement to bare or buttered foil but releases cleanly from parchment.
• Don’t rush. Higher heat burns the sugar before the peanuts toast through.
• Let cool completely before storing. Warm peanuts go soft and clump together in the jar.

Variations

• Add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or a pinch of cayenne for spiced caramel peanuts.
• Use almonds, pecans, or cashews in place of peanuts.
• Swap brown sugar for maple sugar for a different sweetness profile.