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These quick and easy candied chestnuts make a fantastic snack for Christmas! Soft, tender chestnuts are candied in a mixture of brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon for a delicious holiday snack!
Quick candied chestnuts are a delightful treat during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays! They are candied with brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup and are ready in only 15 minutes.
This recipe will get you deliciously soft and tender chestnuts coated in spiced sugar syrup. The sweet and sticky glaze pairs perfectly with nutty, buttery chestnuts that make them a popular side or snack for Christmas.
If you’re a fan of marrons glacés, you’ll love how simple and easy this is to make. Unlike the traditional French candied chestnut (marron glacé), this quick and easy recipe doesn’t require days to make and requires no overnight soaking. But you’ll still end up with deliciously sweet, glazed chestnuts!
Ingredients
- Chestnuts – Use peeled and pre-cooked chestnuts. Roasted chestnuts are a great option in addition to store-bought chestnuts that are already cooked.
- Sweetener – Brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup adds wonderful flavor.
- Butter – This adds a rich, buttery flavor to these quick candied chestnuts.
- Spices – Use any spices you’d like. Cinnamon and nutmeg are excellent options.
Steps for Quick-Candied Chestnuts
- Simply add the brown sugar, butter, water, salt, and cinnamon to a pot and bring it to a boil.
- Add the chestnuts and gently stir to coat them with the candy syrup. Let the mixture reduce until it’s almost gone. Serve and enjoy!
Tips
- Avoid over stirring which can break up the chestnuts. Gently toss to coat them in the candy syrup.
- Watch carefully for burning once the candy syrup is reduced. Don’t walk away from the stove during this time.
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Serving suggestions: Add to salads, roasted vegetables, or serve as a side for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
More recipes:
Quick Candied Chestnuts
Ingredients
- 2 cups chestnuts, cooked and peeled; See Note 1
- 1 ½ cup water
- ⅓ cup brown sugar, packed; or honey, agave, or maple syrup
- 1½ tablespoons butter
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Make candy syrup: Add the water, brown sugar, butter, salt, and cinnamon to a pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.1 ½ cup water, ⅓ cup brown sugar, 1½ tablespoons butter, ⅛ teaspoon salt, ⅓ teaspoon cinnamon
- Add chestnuts: Add the chestnuts and stir gently to coat them with the syrup, being careful not to break apart the nuts. Let the mixture boil uncovered until most of the liquid is reduced. Serve and enjoy!2 cups chestnuts
Notes
- You can use roasted chestnuts for this recipe or store-bought chestnuts that are pre-peeled and cooked.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Oh my gosh! These are DANGEROUS, lol!! Can’t stop eating them ?! My new favorite Christmas treat!! Just one question – how did you get your finished ones to look so nice in the photo? I.e., did you remove them from the syrup with a slotted spoon? Or just keep tossing them in the syrup until they’re cooled?
Thank you SO much!! Merry Christmas!
So perfect for the holidays – or any time of year, really! These were such a hit at my house. My family devoured them instantly. I made the roasted version on your site, too and both were delicious! Will make again, soon!
Incredible recipe! I LOVE Christmas, so am always testing recipes ahead of time. This is DEFINITELY going on my “must make” list this holiday season. I made exactly as the blog post advised and they turned out perfect. Thanks!
Candied chestnuts are my new favourite treat! These are absolute perfection – the perfect gift if you’re travelling over the holiday season to see family or friends! The touch of cinnamon really adds such a lovely subtle warmth – so so good! Your recipes are always such a delight 🙂
These are absolutely delicious! So easy to make and so tasty.
Yum, yum, yum. That’s all I can say about this recipe and also, I really appreciated the simplicity of it. Thank you!
Chestnuts and Christmas just go together. I went to Germany a few years ago and had a bag of chestnuts from a street vendor. He had them roasting over an open fire. Since then, I have been looking for wonderful chestnut recipes to make at home. This recipe is fabulous!
I have actually never had candied chestnuts before, but these look so delicious I can’t wait to make them! They’re perfect for the holidays too!
These are going on rotation for Christmas! I bought some store-bought chestnuts on a whim that I had no immediate plans for and this recipe is perfect!