Honey Roasted Peanuts

By
Elizabeth LaBau
Sweet Book of Candy Making Elizabeth LaBau
Elizabeth LaBau
A professional pastry chef, cookbook author, and writer, Elizabeth LaBau has published more than 600 articles on baking and candy making.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 01/6/23
Honey roasted peanuts in a blue bowl with honey in a small bowl

The Spruce Eats
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 35 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
277 Calories
21g Fat
18g Carbs
10g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 277
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 21g 26%
Saturated Fat 4g 18%
Cholesterol 5mg 2%
Sodium 217mg 9%
Total Carbohydrate 18g 7%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Total Sugars 14g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 37mg 3%
Iron 2mg 10%
Potassium 273mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Warm roasted peanuts are a wonderful snack that has been an American favorite for decades. They're usually bought in commercially-made tins and it's almost impossible to eat just one handful. Our homemade version will make it even harder! Coated in butter, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt, these peanuts are roasted in the oven for a mere 20 minutes. Very little prep is required to serve this sweet-savory snack. If you're keen on spicy foods, use our recipe as a template and add cayenne or chipotle powder to make spicy honey-roasted peanuts.

For this recipe, using raw peanuts is best, but unsalted roasted peanuts are also good. The least amount of processing the peanuts you're using have, the better. Use these sweet crunchy peanuts to decorate cakes and cupcakes or to top ice-cream or fruit parfait. Pack in little bags to give away to friends and family, and simply keep them in an airtight container at room temperature.

Ingredients

  • Cooking spray

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1/3 cup honey

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

  • 1 pound raw peanuts, or roasted unsalted

  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for honey roasted peanuts gathered

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  2. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying it with nonstick cooking spray. Place the butter, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave the mixture until the butter is melted, about 45 seconds, stirring halfway through. Once melted, stir until the liquid is smooth.

    Melted butter, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt in a glass bowl

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  3. Add the peanuts to the honey mixture and stir until they're all evenly coated.

    Peanuts in a glass bowl

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  4. Pour the peanuts out onto the prepared baking sheet and spread them into an even layer.

    Honey-coated peanuts spread onto a baking sheet lined with foil

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  5. Bake the peanuts for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to prevent burning. The peanuts at the edges will brown faster, so it's important to stir regularly to get an even roasting.

    Honey roasted peanuts looking golden in color, on a baking sheet

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  6. Once the peanuts are golden brown, remove them from the oven and stir again to distribute the honey that has dripped onto the baking sheet.

    Completed honey roasted peanuts on a baking sheet

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  7. Let the peanuts rest for a minute or two. Sprinkle the granulated sugar and the remaining teaspoon of salt on top and stir again. The sugar and salt will add flavor and texture to the peanuts.

    Sugar sprinkled on honey roasted peanuts

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  8. As they continue to cool at room temperature, stir occasionally to break up any big clumps. Enjoy warm or cold!

    Honey roasted peanuts cooling on a baking sheet to room temperature

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Honey Roasted Peanut Butter

Who doesn't love a good old peanut butter sandwich? These delicious honey roasted peanuts make decadent peanut butter with a sweet flavor already added. Simply use a high-speed blender or food processor to blend the peanuts into butter. The result will have texture because of the peanuts' skins, but also a lot of flavor and character. Blending the roasted peanuts once the final sugar and salt are added makes the blending process easier.