Maple Walnuts (super quick, easy, 3 ingredients!)

These maple walnuts couldn’t be any easier! They only call for 3 ingredients and take just 5 minutes to prepare. They also make excellent homemade Christmas gifts! They’re also naturally paleo and vegan since they only use maple as a sweetener.

These aren’t your average, overly sweet candied nuts. These are entirely maple-sweetened and have just the right amount of sweetness. Add a little vanilla and salt, and you’ve got an excellent healthier fall treat!

Ingredients

You likely already have this stuff. And if you don’t normally have maple syrup on hand, and you’re not sure what else to use it in, I have 111 maple syrup recipes that you could check out. Or just use it on some pancakes! (these Eggless Pancakes are my favorite).

  • Walnuts – pecans also work.

  • Maple syrup – I used the lightest (and cheapest) type of maple syrup. If you prefer a stronger maple flavor, definitely go with what was previously called Grade B. It’s now called “Dark Color, Robust Flavor.”

  • Vanilla – you can omit this if you must, but added vanilla is always a good idea. ;)

  • Salt – you’ll definitely want to add this. I love salt and used ¼ teaspoon but you may not want to use that much. I list ⅛ teaspoon in the recipe and say to add more after tasting.

I also tried these maple walnuts with pumpkin pie spice, thinking that I’d created the best candied nuts ever, but those just tasted weird. They tasted less strange with just cinnamon, but I oddly preferred them without the extra spice.

One time, I toasted the walnuts first, thinking that the final product would even be yummier, but they just tasted too roasted after the candying process.

If you prefer to soak your nuts first, I have directions on how to do that in my Walnut Butter post. But you’ll want to go with the dehydrator option, because like I said, toasting them once in the oven and once in the pan is just too much.

Do note that this recipe yields a thin coating. It’s not like other candied walnuts, made with granulated sugar, which have a thick sugary coating. Those are definitely nice but not what I was going for here.

I was going for healthy, or at least healthier (though they don’t taste healthy!). Sugar is sugar, but I’ll take these over the traditional version any day. Feel free to use more maple syrup or fewer nuts if you want more coating.

How to make them

These maple walnuts are super easy to make. Let’s get started!

Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper or a Silpat. This is a must or the candied walnuts will stick to the pan.

Preheat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. It’s important to preheat it first so that the maple syrup caramelizes properly.

Add the walnuts, maple syrup, vanilla and 1/8 teaspoon salt to the pan.

Stirring almost constantly, cook for 2-5 minutes or until the syrup has caramelized.

There should be no runny liquid left in the pan. The maple syrup coating will seem soft but will harden as it cools.

Spoon the walnuts evenly onto the lined baking sheet and spread. Test one of the nuts, but make sure that the maple coating isn’t so hot that you burn your tongue.

If it’s not salty enough, add more salt. If you don’t want the nuts to be clumped together after cooling, make sure to separate them now.

These harden within about 20-30 minutes, but you need to let them cool for about 2 hours before placing them in an airtight container. When not kept in an airtight container, they start to get a little sweaty.

They can be kept at room temperature for several weeks. If you want to make them as gifts, I recommend keeping the nuts stored properly until you give them away.

So don’t put them in a tin can, that’s not airtight, and then let them sit a few days. Better would be to pack them in little cellophane bags, tie them very tightly with ribbon, and then place them in an airtight container until you’re ready to give them away.

If using them as a topping

If you want to use these as a topping for a cake or pie, you can either leave them whole or chop them up. But for both, you need to add them just before serving if they’re sitting on something kind of liquidy.

The maple syrup coating will dissolve if it’s sitting on something liquidy, like a soft cream cheese frosting. If it’s on a firmer frosting, they should be okay. But it’s safest to just add then just before serving.

If you want to leave them whole to place on a cake, then just follow the recipe.

But if you want to chop them up and place them all over the cake, you’ll need to chop them up (and leave behind any dusty nut remains) before candying them. That way you maximize the amount of maple coating.

If you candy them first and then chop, you’ll have a lot of exposed uncandied walnuts.

I’ve only tried this method with walnuts and pecans, but I imagine it’d work with other types of nuts – but I’m not positive. If you try it out, let us know in the comments!

What to use them on

These maple pecans are great in a lot of fall recipes. I actually used pecans in the following recipes, but you get the idea. :)

Here you see them on my Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake. If you’re vegan, also check out my post on Is Maple Syrup Vegan? Some manufacturers use an animal product during production that you may or not be okay with.

And here they are on my Paleo Pumpkin Cake.

They’re also fantastic on these mini Maple Cheesecakes!

By the way, if you love maple, these Maple Sandwich Cookies look fantastic!

Benefits of Walnuts

Walnuts are great for adding antioxidants and omega-3 fats to your diet. And nothing is sweeter than having candied walnuts to add a little variety, too.

So here are the most common benefits:

  • Compared to other nuts, walnuts have higher antioxidant activity.
  • They have the highest level of omega-3 fat than any other nut.
  • They can help decrease inflammation, which is a key culprit in many chronic diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s and heart disease.
  • They help support weight control and may contribute to lower blood pressure.
  • They promote a healthy gut.
  • They help manage type 2 diabetes and may also lower the risk of type 2 diabetes.

It’s amazing to me that these little nuts can have so many benefits, plus, they’re easy to add to your everyday diet. Especially when candied! ;)

Other recipes with walnuts:

If you’re hooked on walnuts, you might also try some other yummy baked goods with, you guessed it, walnuts!

These Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies are vegan, gluten-free. They’re made with oats and oat flour making them 100% whole grain and so good!

These Cinnamon Walnut Blondies are gooey, chewy and full of cinnamon. With a dairy-free option.

This Paleo Vegan Apple Crisp is perfect for the season. It’s a healthy maple-sweetened treat with a crunchy walnut topping and gooey warm sweet apples. It’s vegan, gluten-free, grain-free and dairy-free.

Whatever you decide to make, I’m always interested in hearing about it. If you make these Candied Walnuts for yourself or as a gift, don’t forget to snap a pic and tag #texanerin so I can find them easily!

Healthier Maple Candied Walnuts

♥♥♥♥♥
Rated 5.0 by 5 readers
Maple Walnuts (super quick, easy, 3 ingredients!)
  • Prep Time:
  • Cook Time:
  • Ready in:
  • Yield: 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups (165 grams) walnuts1
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt (plus up to 1/8 teaspoon more)

Directions

  1. Get out a Silpat or a piece of parchment or wax paper.
  2. Preheat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. It's important to preheat it first so that the maple syrup caramelizes properly.
  3. Add the walnuts, maple syrup, vanilla and 1/8 teaspoon salt to the pan.
  4. Stirring almost constantly, cook for 2-5 minutes or until the syrup has caramelized. There should be no liquid left in the pan. The maple syrup coating will seem soft but will harden as it cools.
  5. Spoon the walnuts evenly onto the Silpat and spread. Test one now (making sure that the maple coating isn't so hot that you burn your tongue!) and if it's not salty enough, add more salt. If you don't want the nuts to be clumped together after cooling, make sure to separate them now.
  6. These harden within about 20-30 minutes but let them cool for about 2 hours before placing them in an airtight container. When not kept in an airtight container, they start to get a little sweaty. Can be kept at room temperature for several weeks.

Notes

  1. If you want to use these as a topping for a cake, cupcakes, etc., chop the nuts before candying.

Recipe by  | www.texanerin.com

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61 comments on “Maple Walnuts (super quick, easy, 3 ingredients!)” — Add one!

2 comments are awaiting moderation!

  • Robin
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    says
    February 11, 2024 @ 10:19 pm

    Oh soooo good !! Thank you . Tasty and healthy but gone in seconds

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Robin
      February 12, 2024 @ 2:51 pm

      Oh, yay! I’m so glad that they were a hit. Thanks for your comment! :)

      Reply
  • Lisa
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    says
    July 31, 2023 @ 2:14 pm

    These maple walnuts are so addicting! I love using them as a salad topping.

    Reply
  • Shelby
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    says
    July 31, 2023 @ 1:59 pm

    Ohh these are the perfect munchy snack! They’re delicious as is but also make salads just that much better.

    Reply
  • Jane
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    says
    July 31, 2023 @ 12:17 am

    I really love these maple walnuts! They’re a bit overly sweet, but I love the crunchiness and the way they taste with vanilla ice cream.

    Reply
  • Gen
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    says
    July 30, 2023 @ 9:53 pm

    These walnuts are so delicious! I was going to put them in a salad but I need to make more because we kept eating them before they made it to the plate. :)

    Reply
  • Giangi Townsend says
    July 30, 2023 @ 6:01 pm

    I made your recipe with walnuts as well as pecans, and it was both times, super delicious.
    Thank you for the recipe.

    Reply
  • Angeline says
    October 13, 2018 @ 5:21 pm

    I just made these – soooo goood!!! Not sure there will be enough left before I can put them in the air right containers 😅

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Angeline
      October 14, 2018 @ 8:25 pm

      Haha. I hope there were a few left. ;) Thanks for your comment!

      Reply
  • Shafia says
    December 8, 2017 @ 4:37 am

    Hi! I was wondering if I can use dark corn syrup instead of maple syrup, would they still turn out fine?

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Shafia
      December 8, 2017 @ 5:36 pm

      I’ve never used corn syrup so I’m really not sure. It’s quite a bit stickier and thicker than maple, so I’m not very hopeful. Sorry I don’t have a more definite answer!

      Reply
  • Kathy says
    December 14, 2016 @ 12:58 am

    When the nuts cooled I put them an airtight container but they all stuck together. Is there a way to fix this?

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Kathy
      December 14, 2016 @ 10:13 am

      Hmm. I’m stumped! If they were totally cooled and you used an airtight container, that shouldn’t have happened. Had the maple syrup mixture cooked away or was it still very liquidy / sticky? The only thing I could think of is to cook them a little longer and then refrigerate the nuts.

      Reply
  • Cindy says
    October 25, 2016 @ 3:15 pm

    I bet if you make these, put them in either a tissue lined Christmas tin or those pretty Christmas food gift bags they’d make great gifts😉 OR a great hostess gift if your traveling to someone’s house for Thanksgiving😊
    Thank you for all your fantastic recipes!!💕

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Cindy
      October 25, 2016 @ 6:50 pm

      I love your ideas! I’ll have to try that this year. :) Thanks so much for the tips and your nice comment!

      Reply
  • Terri says
    October 24, 2016 @ 12:02 am

    Thank you so much for this yummy maple syrup candied nut recipe. They are so delicious and so healthy! I like to eat them as a snack😋 I also tried this recipe with a curry powder and it was also very yummy and tasted great in my salad!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Terri
      October 24, 2016 @ 8:16 pm

      Yum! I love your curry powder idea. And I’m so happy you enjoy the nuts. :) Thanks for the tip and your comment!

      Reply
  • Mary says
    October 20, 2016 @ 9:34 am

    Can recipe.be.doubled or.tripled?

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Mary
      October 20, 2016 @ 1:44 pm

      Yes, it can! :)

      Reply
  • Sunita Pradhan says
    July 13, 2016 @ 8:28 pm

    Hi there. Can I use honey instead of maple syrup? Does the procedure remain the same?

    Thanks.

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Sunita Pradhan
      July 14, 2016 @ 7:02 pm

      I haven’t tried it so I’m not sure. Maple syrup is much runnier than honey so it may not work. If you decide to try it out anyway, let us know how it goes. :)

      Reply
  • Tana says
    February 24, 2016 @ 10:47 pm

    This is the 4th time I made these, this time used a mix of pecans, walnuts and whole salted almonds, and used dark maple syrup. Pretty sure they won’t last the day!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Tana
      February 25, 2016 @ 8:25 am

      Yum! That sounds delicious. :) I’m so happy you’ve been enjoying them! Thanks for your feedback.

      Reply
  • Naomi Bullis says
    June 12, 2015 @ 10:34 pm

    Made this recipe with pecans instead and they turned out great!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Naomi Bullis
      June 14, 2015 @ 9:54 am

      Yum! Pecans sound even better than walnuts. Pecans are so extremely expensive here that I never even thought about it! But once I find a cheaper source, I’ll have to try that. Thanks for letting me know that they came out well! :)

      Reply
  • Kaitlin @ TheGardenGrazer says
    April 5, 2015 @ 11:57 pm

    Love these

    Reply
  • San says
    November 17, 2014 @ 1:01 pm

    Do you use pure maple syrup or artificial syrup?

    Reply
    • Erin replies to San
      November 17, 2014 @ 1:02 pm

      Pure maple syrup.

      Reply
  • Sarah Walker Caron (Sarah's Cucina Bella) says
    October 24, 2014 @ 5:08 am

    I’ve never met a candied nut that I didn’t love. These sound amazing. YUM!

    Reply
  • Meseidy says
    October 17, 2014 @ 2:42 pm

    These look like addictive little treats!

    Reply
  • Lauren Kelly Nutrition says
    October 16, 2014 @ 3:28 pm

    I love everything about these! I bet they are amazing on salads too. I can’t wait to make them!

    Reply
  • Nutmeg Nanny says
    October 16, 2014 @ 5:08 am

    I would happily eat these nuts plain, on a cake, on ice cream…well you get the idea :)

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Nutmeg Nanny
      October 17, 2014 @ 5:45 pm

      Oooh! I’m making ice cream soon and these would be amazing on it! Thanks for the idea. :)

      Reply
  • Ginny McMeans says
    October 16, 2014 @ 4:36 am

    I love candied nuts and the fact that your husband has decided to help you. :)

    Reply
  • Nancy P.@thebittersideofsweet says
    October 16, 2014 @ 3:00 am

    We are nut eaters around here, but you are right they are awesome candied!

    Reply
  • Paula - bell'alimento says
    October 16, 2014 @ 1:42 am

    Hello sweet and salty deliciousness!

    Reply
  • Lauren @ Healthy Delicious says
    October 16, 2014 @ 1:23 am

    YUM! I bet these would be great on a salad! (you know, so you don’t feel guilty about a giant slice of that cake. ;))

    Reply
  • Stephanie @ Back For Seconds says
    October 15, 2014 @ 8:35 pm

    The photos are styled beautifully – great job to your hubby! Also, These walnuts look dangerous. I would eat way too many!

    Reply
  • Ashley @ Wishes & Dishes says
    October 15, 2014 @ 7:42 pm

    I’m also not huge on nuts unless they are candified :) So THESE I love :)

    Reply
  • Brenda@Sugar-Free Mom says
    October 15, 2014 @ 7:42 pm

    I love that you used so little maple syrup but just enough to give it that traditional taste!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Brenda@Sugar-Free Mom
      October 17, 2014 @ 5:51 pm

      Thanks, Brenda! I have to admit that when I make them again, I may use more syrup, just to see what they’re like. :)

      Reply
  • Cookin Canuck says
    October 15, 2014 @ 4:43 pm

    I am also a certified salt addict, so love that you did the salty-sweet thing here. And the maple syrup is a great substitute for brown sugar!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Cookin Canuck
      October 17, 2014 @ 5:53 pm

      Agreed! I would like to put maple syrup in everything (especially in the fall!)

      Reply
  • Heather // girlichef says
    October 15, 2014 @ 4:01 pm

    I love nuts no matter what, but candied nuts are definitely a bonus. The maple flavor would totally make these my nemesis, I’m sure (looooove). And I’m thinking these are the perfect use for the vanilla salt beckoning me from the counter!

    Reply
  • Medeja says
    October 13, 2014 @ 12:01 pm

    I don’t think there would be any of such walnuts left for the cake if I would be making them :D

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Medeja
      October 13, 2014 @ 6:58 pm

      Haha. Yeah. It’s pretty difficult to put them down. ;)

      Reply
  • Charlotte Moore says
    October 12, 2014 @ 7:43 pm

    These sure look yummy.

    Reply
  • Sam @ Pancakewarriors says
    October 12, 2014 @ 5:31 pm

    oh I love candied nuts but shy away because they are so addicting. These only having a little maple syrup shell sound amazing and a tad healthier like you said. I bet they are amazing with Brie and berries or apples. Thanks for sharing!!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Sam @ Pancakewarriors
      October 13, 2014 @ 8:40 am

      Yes! Exactly. Candied nuts are just way too addictive. And ooh… I need to try combining these with apples! Thanks for the idea. :)

      Reply

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