Simple Candied Walnuts Recipe

Candied walnuts are a delightful treat that can add a sweet and crunchy touch to many dishes, ranging from breakfasts to salads to baked goods. They are incredibly easy to make and require only a handful of simple ingredients, making them the ideal snack or topping option for those who are short on time. Wellness coach and recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe for simple candied walnuts and says, "One of the easiest ways to elevate a basic salad to fancy status is to throw in some candied walnuts. They taste delicious and add a nice crunch along with being full of health benefits."

These walnuts are also great paired with yogurt or even chocolate banana (vegan) ice cream. If you want to make them vegan, it's as simple as swapping out the butter for vegan butter. Read on to learn how to doll up your own batch of candied walnuts, and get ready to enjoy the sweet, crunchy goodness.

To make this recipe of course we'll need some walnuts. "You can use walnut halves for this recipe or walnut pieces. I like using halves because they make more of a statement in the final presentation but if that doesn't matter to you, you can use smaller, broken-down nuts. Also, if you plan to use the candied walnuts as an ice cream topper, the smaller size will be a better choice," Hahn explains.

You'll also need some butter, coconut sugar, cinnamon, and sea salt. "If you don't have coconut sugar on hand, you can substitute brown sugar. Once you start cooking with coconut sugar you will love the fact that it doesn't harden like brown sugar, making it easier to store," Hahn shares.

For the candy coating, we'll need to melt the butter and sugar. Pull out a medium pan and bring the heat to medium. Then add the butter and sugar. Stir to melt them both, then add the cinnamon and salt.

Now add in the walnuts and stir with a wooden spoon to coat them with the buttery mixture. Cook on low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Once the walnuts are done cooking, we'll want to lay them out in a single layer to harden. "I like to use a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper for this so that I can easily move them around in my kitchen if needed, but using parchment paper on your counter is fine," Hahn shares. After about 10 minutes the walnuts will be perfectly hardened and ready to eat as-is or be stored. The walnuts will last up to a month when stored in a sealed container in the pantry, especially if you have used extra fresh walnuts. Your boring salad just got exciting and more delicious!