Missing Trader Joe's Coconut Cashews? Make Your Own With Just A Few Simple Ingredients

Deeply beloved and tragically discontinued, Trader Joe's coconut cashews were a sight to behold. The crunchy, candied nuts, which were indulgent but not overly sweet, vanished from the grocery chain a while back, prompting an outcry from a fair number of enthusiasts. Sure, TJ's has introduced some fun alternatives — like roasted cashews that are mind-blowingly encased in a layer of cashew butter — but nothing comes quite close to the tropical-tinged delicacy.

A glance at the discontinued snack's ingredients, however, reveals some good news: Like many ingenious recipes, the one behind Trader Joe's coconut cashews is not too complicated. The simple list of ingredients included cashews, sugar, and salt, along with coconut milk, coconut oil, and coconut powder. Even before its discontinuation, Trader Joe's coconut cashew inspired similar recipes from cooks and recipe developers alike, who tend to incorporate shredded or grated coconut, rather than the considerably harder-to-find coconut powder.  

From walnuts to almonds, candied nuts are a fairly simple formula: A typical recipe might use sugar and butter as a mixture to mix with the nuts. In this case, you'll want to combine finely shredded coconut in a bowl with sugar, seasoning to taste with salt. Opt for roughly a one-to-one ratio of sweetener and coconut, though you can adjust, depending on your desired level of sweetness. The sugar is key here: As the mixture roasts in the oven, it'll caramelize and thicken. Before adding the coconut flakes, try pulsing them in the food processor for a finer texture — or, try swapping it for coconut powder to more closely mirror the original TJ's recipe. 

Set aside your coconut-sugar mixture and in another bowl, evenly coat your cashews in either coconut milk or coconut oil. This will allow the sugar mixture to more easily bind with the nuts — and, it'll add another hint of coconut fragrance. Coat the nuts in your sugar-coconut mixture and pop into a preheated oven. Different nuts require different cooking times — in the case of cashews, gently roast the cashews for seven to nine minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bonus: Making it at home means you'll get to enjoy the toasty aroma of roasted coconutty goodness.