Crispy Citrus-Candied Pistachios Recipe

These crispy candied pistachios make great use of homemade fresh lemon syrup.

By
Stella Parks
Stella Parks
Editor Emeritus
Stella Parks is a CIA-trained baking nerd and pastry wizard, dubbed one of America's Best New Pastry Chefs by Food & Wine. She was the pastry editor at Serious Eats from 2016 to 2019.
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Updated August 29, 2018
20160225-candied-pistachios-vicky-wasik-9.jpg
Photographs: Vicky Wasik

Why It Works

  • Fresh Lemon Syrup is almost pure sugar, giving the pistachios a super-crisp candy shell.
  • A light coat of organic powdered sugar prevents the sticky roasted pistachios from clumping as they cool.
  • Organic powdered sugar has a subtle toffee flavor that's not too sweet.

This recipe takes advantage of Fresh Lemon Syrup, which doesn't contain any added water or juice, helping the pistachios toast up extra crisp and crunchy. The syrup's subtle acidity brightens the darker notes of the roasted nuts and caramelized sugar, keeping the overall flavor fresh and light, perfect for sprinkling over spring salads and fruity desserts, or just snacking out of hand.

March 2016

Recipe Details

Crispy Citrus-Candied Pistachios Recipe

Active 5 mins
Total 20 mins
Serves 3 to 4 servings
Makes 5 ounces

Ingredients

  • 5 ounces (1 cup; 140g) shelled pistachios (see note)

  • 1 1/4 ounces (2 tablespoons; 35g) Fresh Lemon Syrup

  • 1 ounce (1/4 cup; 25g) powdered sugar, preferably organic

  • 1/8 ounce (1 tablespoon; 4g) freshly grated lemon zest (optional)

Directions

  1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat to 350°F. Combine pistachios and lemon syrup in a small bowl, stirring to coat. Spoon onto a rimmed aluminum baking sheet lined with parchment (not waxed paper or aluminum foil). Toast pistachios until deep amber in color, 12 to 15 minutes; the acidic syrup browns dramatically, which makes the pistachios difficult to judge by eye, but don't mistake this for burning.

  2. Sift powdered sugar into a medium bowl and whisk with lemon zest, if using. Add hot pistachios and toss to coat. Set aside until cool and crisp, about 30 minutes. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months at room temperature.

Special Equipment

Rimmed aluminum baking sheet

Notes

To my surprise, this recipe works equally well with raw or roasted pistachios, so use whatever's easiest to find, or try pecan halves instead (these are better raw). Other nuts, like almonds and hazelnuts, aren't porous enough to absorb the syrup, so they won't crisp up the same w

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
281Calories
16gFat
31gCarbs
7gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3 to 4
Amount per serving
Calories281
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g21%
Saturated Fat 2g10%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 163mg7%
Total Carbohydrate 31g11%
Dietary Fiber 4g14%
Total Sugars 18g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 6mg28%
Calcium 41mg3%
Iron 1mg8%
Potassium 366mg8%
*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.)

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