Easy Honey Nut Candy (just 3 ingredients!)

Here’s how to make a quick, easy honey candy with just 3 ingredients and no candy thermometer needed!

To make this, you’ll need: salted butter, honey, and your favorite kind of nut, such as pecans, almonds, etc.

squares of pecan honey candy made with just 3 ingredients which are butter, pecans, and honey.

Many years ago, I bought a used copy of Rodale’s Naturally Delicious Desserts and Snacks by Faye Martin. It’s an out of print book, from 1978, but you can still pick up used copies from Amazon for only a couple of dollars plus shipping.

I started with a recipe from that book, then adapted it to my family’s dietary needs and taste preferences to create this yummy and addictive honey candy.

There are some similarities between it and my Honey Nut Brittle Candy Recipe, but this one requires no candy thermometer (yay!) and is almost fool-proof.

If you’re craving a sweet & crunchy easy honey candy treat in a short amount of time, this is the recipe for you!

a square of easy honey candy made with nuts such as almonds, walnuts, or pecans

Substitutions for Allergies:

I’ve tested this with coconut oil (using 1/4 cup coconut oil instead of 1/3 cup butter), and while it did well in texture, there is no comparison to the flavor as when you use real, salted butter.

So, if you try to swap out the real butter in this recipe and use coconut oil instead, keep that in mind and you might want to add a dash of salt/vanilla/cocoa or other flavor-jazzer-uppers to compensate.

If you’re allergic to nuts, try sesame seeds or other seeds instead.

stages of cooking honey nut candy

Easy Honey Crunch Candy

  • 1/3 cup salted butter (see note above about substituting coconut oil)
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 3/4 cup chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, hickory nuts & slivered almonds all work well)
  1. Line a plate or small baking pan with parchment paper.
  2. In a heavy skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.
  3. Add the honey and stir constantly for about three minutes.
  4. Add the nuts, mix well, and stir frequently for another 4 minutes or so, until the mixture starts turning golden brown. It will thicken as you stir.
  5. Spread the hot mixture in an even layer onto the parchment paper lined plate.
  6. Cool to room temperature, then cut into squares.
  7. Store in the refrigerator for a day or two, or in the freezer for longer term storage, separating the candy in single layers between parchment paper so the pieces won’t stick together.

Makes about 16 pieces of honey candy.

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author, herbalist, soapmaker

Jan Berry is a writer, herbalist, soapmaker, avid forager, and bestselling author of The Big Book of Homemade Products, Simple & Natural Soapmaking, and Easy Homemade Melt & Pour Soaps. She lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains with her family and a menagerie of animals, where she enjoys brainstorming creative things to make with the flowers and weeds that grow around her.

10 Comments

  1. Hi Jan. This timely post (Happy Valentine’s Day!) reminds me of the old song that goes: “Sweets for my sweet, sugar for my honey….” :)

    1. Happy Valentine’s Day to you as well! I just did a youtube search for that song and am playing it now while I respond to comments – quite catchy! :)

  2. Wow, Jan–those look lovely! I really love brittle, I can eat so much of it in one sitting! I need to also say that you have such a knack for photography, I really admire your photos. :)

    I’d love it if you came and shared this (and up to two other posts, if you’d like) at Blog Fest #20. It’s live now! :)

    Hope to see you over there!
    ~Kristi

    1. Hi Kristi! I’m a little late to the party, so will hit up this Friday’s! Thank you for the invite and the kind words! :)

  3. Yummy! I have to make this for my children. I’m always looking for healthier treats.

  4. i’ve been looking for the recipe to make honey and seseame candy would this be it if a substitute the nuts?

    1. Hi Elaine, this is indeed one version of a honey & sesame candy – you can substitute sesame seeds with the nuts in equal measure. :)

  5. It hasnt totally solidifies yet and i am already eating it…. Ahh im bad, but it’s soo good.

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