Spanish Christmas Turrón With Toasted Almonds and Honey

Imperial November 14, 2026November 14, 2026

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Spanish Turrón with Toasted Almonds and Honey is a festive Christmas confection packed with golden almonds and fragrant honey. Make the firm, crunchy version below, or follow the adjustments for a soft, finely ground almond version inspired by turrón de Jijona.

Yield: 36 small squares; 1 square per serving
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 7 hours, including 6 hours to cool and set

Quick Ingredients

450 g whole blanched almonds, about 3 cups
150 g mild honey, about 7 tablespoons
150 g granulated sugar, 3/4 cup
45 ml water, 3 tablespoons
30 g egg white, from 1 large egg, at room temperature
0.75 g fine sea salt, 1/8 teaspoon
2.5 ml neutral oil, 1/2 teaspoon, for greasing the parchment
Optional: 2 edible wafer-paper sheets, each 20 × 20 cm

Do This

1. Line a 20 cm / 8-inch square pan with parchment and lightly oil it. Toast the almonds at 160°C / 320°F for 12 minutes, stirring halfway through.
2. Keep the almonds warm. Beat the egg white and salt to firm peaks in a clean, grease-free bowl.
3. Heat the honey, sugar, and water in a heavy saucepan to 115°C / 239°F. Remove from the heat and carefully whisk in the beaten egg white in three additions.
4. Return to medium-low heat and stir continuously until the mixture reaches 150°C / 302°F, approximately 18–22 minutes. Watch closely to prevent scorching.
5. Immediately fold in the warm almonds, scrape into the pan, and press into an even slab using lightly oiled parchment.
6. Leave at room temperature for 6 hours, then cut into 36 squares. For the soft version, use finely ground toasted almonds, stop the final cooking at 125°C / 257°F, and allow 12 hours to set; see the detailed instructions.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

A lovely Christmas tradition: These almond-filled squares are perfect with coffee after a festive dinner.
A short, simple ingredient list: Toasted almonds and good honey provide nearly all the flavor.
Two delicious textures: Choose a firm, crunchy Alicante-style confection or a soft, almond-rich Jijona-inspired version.
Made for sharing: The neat little squares make beautiful gifts and can be prepared ahead.

Grocery List

Produce: None required; optionally buy 1 orange if making the orange variation.
Dairy: No dairy needed; pick up 1 large egg from the refrigerated section.
Pantry: Whole blanched almonds, mild honey, granulated sugar, fine sea salt, neutral oil, parchment paper, and optional edible wafer paper.

Full Ingredients

For the Turrón

450 g whole blanched almonds, about 3 cups; use unsalted almonds with their skins removed.
150 g mild honey, about 7 tablespoons; orange blossom honey is especially lovely.
150 g granulated sugar, 3/4 cup.
45 ml water, 3 tablespoons.
30 g egg white, from 1 large egg, brought to room temperature for 20 minutes.
0.75 g fine sea salt, 1/8 teaspoon.

For Preparing the Pan

2.5 ml neutral oil, 1/2 teaspoon, for lightly greasing the parchment and pressing sheet.
2 edible wafer-paper sheets, optional, each trimmed to 20 × 20 cm / 8 × 8 inches. Use confectionery wafer paper, not rice-paper spring-roll wrappers.

For the Soft, Creamy Option

Use the same ingredient quantities, but finely grind all 450 g of the toasted almonds after they have cooled.
Allow extra setting time: Approximately 25 minutes prep, 35 minutes cooking, and 12 hours setting; 13 hours total.
Texture note: This home-friendly version is inspired by turrón de Jijona. Its creamy, slightly crumbly almond texture differs from the exceptionally smooth texture produced by traditional commercial grinding equipment.

Spanish Christmas Turrón With Toasted Almonds and Honey – Closeup

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the pan and equipment

Line a 20 cm / 8-inch square metal pan with two crossed strips of parchment, leaving enough overhang to lift out the finished slab. Lightly grease the parchment with some of the measured oil. Lightly oil a second piece of parchment for pressing the top. If using edible wafer paper, place one sheet in the bottom of the lined pan.

Have a sturdy heatproof spatula, an electric hand mixer, and a digital candy thermometer ready. Use a heavy, high-sided saucepan with a capacity of approximately 2.5–3 liters. Hot sugar can cause serious burns, so clear your work area before beginning.

Step 2: Toast the almonds

Heat the oven to 160°C / 320°F, conventional setting. Spread the almonds in one layer on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 12 minutes, stirring after 6 minutes. They should smell nutty and look pale golden, not dark brown.

For crunchy turrón: Reduce the oven to 100°C / 212°F and keep the almonds warm while you cook the honey mixture. Warm nuts make the thick candy easier to combine.

For soft turrón: Let the toasted almonds cool for 15 minutes. Process them in a food processor for 2–4 minutes, stopping to scrape the bowl, until very finely ground and just beginning to clump. Do not deliberately process them into a runny almond butter. Set aside.

Step 3: Whip the egg white

Place the egg white and salt in a clean, dry, grease-free bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 2–3 minutes, until glossy, firm peaks form. The peak should stand upright when you lift the beaters. Stop before the white becomes dry or grainy.

Set the bowl beside the stove. Complete the next step promptly so the whipped white does not sit for too long.

Step 4: Make the honey syrup and add the white

Combine the honey, sugar, and water in the saucepan. Warm over medium-low heat, stirring gently until the sugar dissolves, approximately 3 minutes. Once the mixture boils, stop stirring and cook until it reaches 115°C / 239°F, approximately 4–5 minutes more.

Remove the pan from the heat and wait 30 seconds for the most vigorous bubbling to subside. Carefully whisk in the beaten egg white in three additions, keeping your hands clear of the steam. The syrup will foam and expand. Whisk just enough to combine; it is normal for some of the egg white’s volume to disappear.

Step 5: Cook to your chosen texture

For firm, crunchy turrón: Return the saucepan to medium-low heat. Stir continuously with the heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom and corners, until the mixture reaches 150°C / 302°F. Allow approximately 18–22 minutes; the temperature, rather than the clock, determines when it is ready. Reduce the heat if the base begins to catch. The mixture will become thick, glossy, and pale honey-beige.

Keep the thermometer tip in the mixture without touching the pan. If the mixture is too shallow for an accurate reading, briefly remove the pan from the heat and carefully tilt it to pool the candy around the probe. A tiny drop placed in cold water should harden into a brittle piece that snaps rather than bends.

For soft, creamy turrón: Follow the same stirring method, but stop at 125°C / 257°F, usually after 8–12 minutes. You will combine this softer binder with the finely ground almonds. Simply lowering the temperature while keeping the almonds whole makes a chewy nougat, not a creamy Jijona-style confection.

Step 6: Fold in the almonds

For crunchy turrón: Remove the saucepan from the heat immediately. Add the warm whole almonds and fold firmly for 30–60 seconds, until every almond is coated. The mixture will be very thick, so work steadily and avoid touching it.

For soft turrón: Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the finely ground toasted almonds in three additions. Return to the lowest heat and fold continuously for 2 minutes, just until the mixture forms a cohesive, thick almond paste. A faint oily sheen from the almonds is normal; do not keep cooking until oil pools.

Step 7: Press into an even slab

Immediately scrape the mixture into the prepared pan. Cover with the lightly oiled pressing parchment and use the flat bottom of a second small pan or a sturdy measuring cup to press it evenly into the corners. Aim for a slab approximately 1.5 cm / 5/8 inch thick.

If using wafer paper, place the second sheet directly over the turrón before adding the pressing parchment. Press firmly enough to remove large air pockets, but do not squeeze or handle the hot candy with bare hands.

Step 8: Let it set, then cut into squares

For crunchy turrón: Leave the slab undisturbed at a cool room temperature of 18–21°C / 64–70°F for 6 hours. Do not refrigerate it to speed things up; condensation can make the surface sticky.

For soft turrón: Leave the pressed slab at the same cool room temperature for 12 hours to settle and firm up. It should remain tender and easy to slice.

Lift the slab from the pan and remove the parchment. On a sturdy cutting board, use a large, sharp chef’s knife to divide it into a 6-by-6 grid, making 36 squares approximately 3.3 cm / 1 1/3 inches wide. For the hard version, make shallow scoring cuts first, then apply controlled downward pressure; a few small almond crumbs are perfectly normal. Serve at room temperature.

Pro Tips

Weigh the ingredients: Sugar work is more reliable with a kitchen scale, especially when measuring honey and egg white.
Check your thermometer: At sea level, boiling water should read 100°C / 212°F. At higher elevations, lower the candy targets by the difference between your local boiling point and 100°C / 212°F.
Choose gentle honey: Orange blossom or a mild floral honey lets the toasted almonds shine. Very dark honey makes a stronger-tasting, darker confection.
Let temperature guide you: A shorter cook can leave crunchy turrón chewy; excessive heat can scorch the honey. Stir continuously after adding the egg white.
Choose a dry day if possible: Honey attracts moisture, so humid weather makes the finished squares more likely to become tacky.

Variations

Orange-scented turrón: Fold in 1 teaspoon / 2 g finely grated orange zest with the almonds. Use only the colored zest, avoiding the bitter white pith.
Almond and pistachio turrón: Replace 75 g of the almonds with 75 g unsalted shelled pistachios. Warm the pistachios at 100°C / 212°F for 5 minutes before folding them into the crunchy version.
Soft Jijona-inspired turrón: Follow the ground-almond directions throughout Steps 2–8, use the 125°C / 257°F final cooking target, and allow the full 12-hour rest. Expect a dense, tender almond sweet rather than a stretchy nougat.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Store the crunchy turrón in an airtight container at 18–21°C / 64–70°F for up to 2 weeks. Separate layers with parchment or wrap individual pieces in food-safe confectionery wrappers. Store the soft version airtight at the same cool temperature for up to 1 week. Keep both away from steam, direct sunlight, and strong kitchen odors.

If your home is warm, refrigerate the tightly wrapped turrón in an airtight container. Let the sealed container stand at room temperature for 1 hour before opening to limit condensation. For Christmas dinner, make the crunchy version 2–5 days ahead or the soft version 1–3 days ahead.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values for 1 of 36 squares, using the base recipe without optional wafer paper or flavor variations.