Gebrannte Mandeln (German Candied Almonds)
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A Gebrannte Mandeln recipe (German candied almonds) the way you know and love them from the German Volkfests and fairs!
Growing up in Germany, I went to the Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas market) with my family every year. Home was Stuttgart which proudly boasts one of the oldest and largest Christmas markets in Germany, but we also loved visiting other Christmas markets around the country. Most large cities and even many smaller towns around Germany have their own Christmas markets and each has its own unique aspects and charms.
Whichever Weihnachtsmarkt we visited, I don’t think there was ever a time I went to one without getting some Türkischer Honig, a hot mug of Kinderpunsch (non-alcoholic spiced punch), and a package of Gebrannte Mandeln (candied almonds). That trio of goodies can be found at every Christmas market and they were my favorite treats to enjoy while strolling up and down the stalls and enjoying all the sights, sounds and smells of the Weihnachtsmarkt.
Since moving to the U.S. twelve years ago I’m not longer able to visit the German Christmas markets every year like I used to. But what I can do, and have done, is create many of my favorite Weihnachtsmarkt treats.
Today I’m going to show you how to make Gebrannte Mandeln. They’re made on the stovetop and there’s a key difference that distinguishes them from other candied almonds: Whereas many recipes will say the almonds are done once the sugar has melted and then thickened, the process for making German candied almonds continues through two additional stages that results in a fantastic flavor and texture. If you’ve never tried them before, you’re in for a treat!
And if you’ve had Gebrannte Mandeln before and love them as I do, I wish you a wonderful stroll down memory lane!
German Candied Almonds Recipe
Let’s get started!
Place the sugar, cinnamon, salt, vanilla extract and water in a heavy, well-seasoned cast iron pan or non-stick pan and bring it to a boil until the sugar is dissolved. Add the almonds and reduce the heat to medium-high.
Regularly stir the almonds. The process will take about 20-25 minutes.
The sugar will begin to turn darker.
The sugar mixture will become thicker. At this point stir constantly.
Before you know it the sugar will begin to crystalize.
The sugar will become dry and resume the appearance of crystalized sugar. Before you scream, “oh my gosh, what happened to my almonds?? They’ve seized and there’s no rescuing them!”, don’t panic. This is normal.
To prevent burning, turn the heat down to medium and continue stirring. Within a couple of minutes the sugar will begin melting. Stir continually, coating the almonds in the melted sugar.
Once the sugar has mostly melted and the almonds have a rough/bumpy coating around them, they are done.
Dump the roasted candied almonds out onto parchment paper and spread them out to cool down.
They are ready for eating!
Enjoy!
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Gebrannte Mandeln (German Candied Almonds)
Ingredients
- 2 cups cane (or regular) sugar
- 1 cup water
- 2 teaspoons quality pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 cups raw almonds
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients except for the almonds in a heavy, well-seasoned cast iron pan or non-stick pan. Bring it to a boil until the sugar melts. Add the almonds and reduce the heat to medium-high.
- Stir the almonds continually. The process will take about 20-25 minutes as the sugar caramelizes, crystalizes, becomes dry and powdery and then melts. Once the sugar dries and becomes powdery (don't panic, this is supposed to happen!), reduce the heat to medium to prevent burning. Stir constantly until the sugar begins to melt, stirring to coat the almonds with the melted sugar. Once the sugar is mostly melted and the almonds are rough and bumpy, they are done.
- NOTE: This is more of an "advanced" recipe as it is very easy to ruin. It requires the proper equipment and constant attention.
Nutrition
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
Just finished making these and my arm is tired. They turned out great. Thank you. Used to eat them in Frankfurt at the christkindl market
Fantastic, Rita, I’m so glad you’re effort was worth it, thanks so much for the feedback!
I was born and raised in Germany, specifically in the Rheingau but only till I was nine, at which time I immigrated to Canada to be with my mom who had immigrated two years earlier. In the summer every village between Wiesbaden and Rüdesheim had a festival, almost weekly there would another town with its own theme, our village had the Erdberfest (strawberry festival) for example. Everywhere there would be rides for the kids, music and dancing and the aromas of Bratwurst, young hess roasting on a spit, Lebkuchen hearts and Gebrannte Mandeln filled the air. Vender carts were equipped with open gas fire and huge blackened wok like pans. Ah, and the taste of those warm Gebrannte Mandeln, to die for.
My Omi was a superb cook and I watched her like a hawk but she never made Gebrannte Mandeln after all, they were available fairly often. So I had no idea how they were made only that it looked like a whole lot of work. But this year I thought it would be a nice addition to our Christmas goodies. Since I’ve already made three of your cookie recipes with great success, naturally you were my go to, only this time I did not bother to read the comments and jumped right into the recipe. I used a large cast iron skillet fairly new but well seasoned and ended up with a gooey black mess and almond briquets, the skillet I’m hoping to restore with a circular sander, as this sugar lacquer is not budging, not by soaking it in baking soda, or wire brush and tons of elbow grease.
Unbelievable, I thought I followed your instructions to a T. After reviewing everything re-read your instructions front to back including the comments and also checked two other sites and found the following differences: they specified 1/3 cup of water vs your 1 cup: they specified 8 to 10 min. vs your 20 – 25 min. I also noticed that the heat instruction were less specific, they said bring to a boil then turn down the heat but keep it bubbling, which to me, make more sense since different metals and ceramic and non stick finishes not to mention the different stove tops. Anyway, all those factors matter When heating sugar follow the instruction but use your senses and judgement Tomorrow, after I sand blast my pan and re-season it I’ll take another crack at it but with the following adjustments.
Put the dry ingredients in a cold pan then add 1/3 c of water, bring that to a boil and reduce the heat to maintain bubbling and steaming till the liquid has evaporated and it starts to crystallize, then reduce the heat even more until the sugar remelts and reaches the glazed colour as in your top picture, because that is how the true Gebrannte Mandeln should look not like that tarry gooey mess which turned my lovely almonds into briquets.
In future I will read the comments there is always a tip or two as your wonderful and informative stories about the history and customs associated with the dishes you feature.
Even with the warning of not to panic about when it becomes powdery, I still panicked lol. Mostly because it stayed powdery for so long. The total process took me ~35 minutes and I stopped while the almonds were still pretty powdery. I think this was to do with my pan, the temperature, and my ratios (didn’t have quite enough almonds). That said, the almonds still taste great and I can’t wait to try again and perfect my strategy.
I halved this recipe and it turned out great – probably could have left them in a littler longer for the dried sugar to truly melt all the way back but I was worried I’d burn it. For those who have a larger burner for big pots on your gas stove – turn the heat down a bit from what is instructed to avoid burning. Thank you for this recipe!!!
I made these in a nut roaster which is a pan that has a top and stirs from the bottom. (look up whirly pop) I did keep the top open but I think what is happing with the fails is that people are looking for the dry sugar stage but because our pans were deeper vs a cast iron wide skillet like those in the picture, not enough water boiled off before the sugar ‘remelted’. Because of this, we all cooked it way too long and got the goopy burnt mess – as I did. I ended up going with a recipe where you roast them in the oven which is not quite the same but worked. I would try this again in a cast iron or other wide skillet, and I think I would use 1/2 the amount of water, or if I didn’t use less water, I would stop cooking them right when the mixture turned a bit light brown. I will make 1/2 recipe next time to test this idea.
My trip back to Germany of course couldn’t happen this year. So happy to have found this recipe! I doubled the amount and it turned out just as I remember! The pain of stirring so much for so long was lessened by having a glass of Glühwein in hand!!
LOL! Fantastic, Megan, I’m so happy you enjoyed them!
We just made these as part of our home-made German Christmas market (since the real ones are closed this year). They came out looking and tasting EXACTLY like the ones on the markets. I made sure to keep stirring when the sugar turned powdery, and remove them from the heat just as it began to melt again, and the result was perfect. I just used a normal non-stick pan, but I literally did not stop stirring for 25 minutes, I was so scared about them burning! Thank you so much for this recipe!
Fantastic, Lucy, I’m so happy they were a success, thank you!
Just finished making this recipe. (Used pecans instead of almonds.). Fabulous!!! Thank you for sharing this recipe. And especially thank you for the advice not to panic. I was really thinking I had done something wrong, but I kept stirring and right before eyes appeared a delicious treat. Will definitely make these again over three Christmas holiday.
Fantastic, thanks so much for the feedback!
Yummo, oh them home feels…childhood memories. Thanks heaps they turned out perfect.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them, Uwe, thank you!
What am I doing wrong?? Using cast iron. Been stirring constantly!
The liquid mostly had Mostly absorbed… And now it is almost liquefying again… I’ve been at this for almost an hour! Sweet sticky and smelling A bit burnt… So disappointed. Was making this for my Oktoberfest gathering!!!
You don’t think of these during a Texas summer ,but we had a huge amount of almonds to do something with and I remembered munching on these during a christkidle market.This recipe is a good one,but if you have little experience cooking sugars to the candy stage you must follow the tempatures and times precisely.Eventually you will “just know” when the sugars have reached the “hard ball” or “soft ball” stage.I used the Mexican vanilla we are so fond of in Texas and use the freshest cinnamon.Its still 100 degrees in the shade but the house smells like its Christmas in July !
Wonderful, Phillip, I’m so glad you enjoyed them! I’m with you, I could eat these all year round :)
Just tried making this followed the recipe to the letter, ended up with a burnt gooey mess and a waste of good ingredients.
I made these last year and loved them. This year made them again usin my Le Creuset and ended up with a burnt mess because the sugar never dried out. It looks like a cast iron skillet is being used in the recipe above so will try again using my cast iron.
I have loved these since my childhood days in Bad Kreuznach. I’ve missed them and I’m so happy to see a recipe for them. I have one question. I have a flat glass topped stove and can’t use a cast iron pan. Do you think it would work in a heavy stainless steel skillet?
Hi David, not stainless steel but you can use a non-stick pan. Have a great Sunday!
Like a lot of other comments, this turned out to be a burned goopy mess!
I followed the instructions exactly, I won’t try it again, the almonds cost me 10$.
I have made gebranten mandeln many times. For me this recipe is off on proportions. I had way too much sugar to nut. I got to the dry stage and remelted but there was too much sugar and the nuts clumped together way too much. Tastes good but all the extra sugar hurts your teeth!