Easy Caramelized Walnuts with Maple Syrup

Crunchy, sweet, slightly salty and ready in just a few minutes: these maple syrup-glazed walnuts are a little kitchen miracle. All you need is a pan and a handful of simple ingredients – and you have the perfect topping for porridge or desserts.

For the past few weeks I've been totally into walnuts and have been adding them to many recipes, like my much-loved no-knead date walnut bread and my crunchy topping. Walnuts should really be on everyone's menu regularly, because they are among the most nutrient-rich nuts of all. From valuable fatty acids to essential minerals – a small handful of walnuts is a sensible daily addition to a balanced diet.

If you find them too boring on their own, I have a great recipe for you today: caramelized walnuts. Unlike many other caramelized nuts, these are made with maple syrup. No refined sugar, no complicated caramel cooking – and yet they turn out wonderfully crispy and are ready in just a few minutes.

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Why You'll Love This Recipe
The Ingredients
Step-by-Step Instructions
Top Tip!
Serving Suggestions
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Recipe
Comments

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Just a few ingredients – walnuts, maple syrup, vanilla and salt – that's all you need.
Ready in minutes – the nuts caramelize directly in the pan. Your sweet nut snack is ready in under 10 minutes.
No refined sugar – in this recipe, maple syrup provides the delicate caramel note.
Kitchen staple – once made, they keep for several weeks.

ingredients for caramelized walnuts without sugar

The Ingredients

Walnuts: Choose whole walnut halves, they look the prettiest. Store the rest of the package in the fridge or freezer for better shelf life.
Maple syrup: Provides the caramelized sweetness and brings all the ingredients together.
Vanilla extract: Adds a fine aromatic depth to the nuts. If you want to use the caramel nuts as a topping for savory dishes, simply leave out the vanilla.
Salt: Highlights the sweetness and provides the perfect contrast.
Cinnamon: Optional, brings even more flavor.

(You'll find the exact quantities further down in the recipe card.)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Before you start caramelizing the walnuts, place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet or a large plate. The salted caramel walnuts can cool there later.

Step 1: Heat a non-stick pan over medium to high heat. Toast walnuts for 1-2 minutes.

Step 2: Stir together the maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon and salt, then add the mixture to the pan.

Step 3: Caramelize the nuts in the pan for 3–5 minutes, stirring frequently. The syrup will thicken and coat the walnuts. As soon as there is no more liquid left in the pan, they are done.

Step 4: Spread the nuts out on the parchment paper and separate them from each other with a fork. As they cool, the maple syrup coating will become firm and crispy.

Let the nuts cool completely for another 20–30 minutes before transferring them to container.

Store the caramelized walnuts in an airtight container. This way they will keep at room temperature for several weeks.

Top Tip!

The longer you let the nuts caramelize in the pan, the darker they become and the more intense the caramel flavor will be. Just make sure they don't burn.

Serving Suggestions

On salads (e.g. with pear or beetroot)
Over roasted vegetables
On soups, such as carrot-ginger soup
In porridge (especially with chocolate porridge) or muesli
On desserts or cakes, like my sweet pumpkin-oat donuts, mocha chia pudding, wholesome carrot cake or banana cheesecake
Or simply on their own as a sweet and crunchy snack – that's how we prefer to eat the maple syrup walnuts

As a Dessert Topping

If you want to use the caramelized walnuts as a topping for a cake or another dessert, you can either leave them whole or chop them into smaller pieces.

In either case, you should only add them shortly before serving, especially if they will be sitting on a softer or moist surface. The maple syrup coating can dissolve if it stays in contact with something moist for a longer time, for example a soft cream.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my nuts still stick together after they cooled down?

In that case, you didn't caramelize the nuts in the pan long enough. The maple syrup should be reduced to the point where no more liquid drops are left in the pan.

Can I use other nuts as well?

Yes, of course! Try it with almonds or cashews.

Can I use date syrup instead of maple syrup?

More Vegan Walnut Recipes

Here are a few more delicious recipes with walnuts:

I hope you'll give my recipe for caramelized walnuts a try. If you do, let me know in the comments below. And don’t forget to rate the recipe. You can also tag a photo (#veggiejam) to show me your creation on instagram.

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