Nanocrystalline CuFe 2O 4 and CuFe 2O 4/ xSnO 2 nanocomposites ( x=0, 1, 5 wt%) have been successfully synthesized by one-pot reaction of urea–nitrate combustion method. The transmission electron microscope study reveals that the particle size of the as synthesized CuFe 2O 4 and CuFe 2O 4/5 wt%SnO 2 are 10 and 20 nm, respectively. The SnO 2 coating on the nanocrystalline CuFe 2O 4 was confirmed from HRTEM studies. The resultant products were sintered at 1100 °C and characterized by XRD and SQUID for compound formation and magnetic studies, respectively. The X-ray diffraction pattern shows the well-defined sharp peak that confirms the phase pure compound formation of tetragonal CuFe 2O 4. The zero field cooled (ZFC) and field cooled (FC) magnetization was performed using SQUID magnetometer from 2 to 350 K and the magnetic hysteresis measurement was carried out to study the magnetic properties of nanocomposites.