These crunchy oven-baked candied cashews are coated in maple syrup, chipotle chili powder, cinnamon, and ginger.
A little while back, I did this recipe development project for a now-out-of-print magazine. It was a collection of festive winter salads and one of the salads had these chipotle candied nuts in it, which were totally irresistible. I kept picking at the caramelized, crunchy bits while assembling the rest of the recipe to the point that when I was done, there were barely any left for garnishing the final dish (oops).
I remembered that concept while brainstorming this year’s holiday recipes, and decided to nix the salad altogether and just keep the nuts as their own thing.
These chipotle-maple candied cashews make for a delightful little cocktail party snack. They’re simple to make, require few ingredients, and you can customize the seasonings if you want. They’d also be fabulous as part of a cheese board – and of course, as a salad garnish.
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
- Raw Cashews: This technique is meant for unroasted, unsalted cashews. Do not use roasted nuts for this recipe as they will end up overly roasted, if not burnt.
- Maple Syrup: i.e. pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup.
- Chipotle Chili Powder: This Mexican spice lends a smoky, savory flavor, as well as a decent amount of heat. If you don’t enjoy spicy things, substitute with ancho chili powder or smoked paprika.
- Cinnamon + Ginger: Give the cashews a warming, wintery personality. Feel free to just use just one or the other if you don’t have both.
- (Note: Unlike a lot of other candied nuts, these have no egg whites, so they’re fully vegan.)
How to Make Maple Candied Cashews (Step-by-Step Photos)
Find complete instructions with ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Prep the Seasonings
In a bowl, whisk together the maple syrup and spices.
Step 2: Add the Cashews
Add the nuts and toss with a rubber spatula.
Step 3: Transfer to a Baking Sheet
Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. (This quantity fits well on a quarter sheet pan.) Transfer over the nuts, making sure to scrape all the maple syrup from the bowl onto the baking sheet.
Arrange the nuts in a single layer, making sure there’s a bit of empty space around most of the cashews. They may not seem evenly coated in syrup at this point and that’s fine.
Pro Tip: Do not skip the parchment paper – otherwise the nuts will get stuck on the pan.
Step 4: Roast the Cashews
Roast in a preheated 350ºF oven until the syrup becomes bubbly and starts to thicken. Then give the cashews a good stir and continue roasting until they’re dark and fragrant, 20 to 25 minutes total.
Step 5: Cool Completely
Set the baking sheet aside until the cashews are completely cool, at least 30 minutes; they will harden over time and you’ll be able to break them apart.
Do not try to lift them out while they’re still warm.
FAQ’s
Once cooled, transfer these to an airtight container, and store in a cool, dry place for about 2 weeks.
Do not skip the parchment! Otherwise the nuts will get stuck to the pan and you’ll never pry them off. Alternatively, use a Silpat. Do not substitute with foil or wax paper.
The maple syrup needs to reach a certain temperature in the oven in order for the nuts to be able to harden when they cool. If they are still sticky after they cool, they probably weren’t baked for long enough. (Additionally, sometimes candy doesn’t harden because of high humidity.)
Yes! Feel free to sub in raw almonds, walnuts, or pecans, or use a mix. Just make sure the nuts are unroasted.
Feel free to play around with other seasonings, including garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, yellow curry powder, or Cajun seasoning. Just make sure to keep the volume of spices roughly the same as written – and don’t forget the salt.
More Snack Recipes to Try
Let me know if you try this recipe! Give it a rating below and leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag your creation with @thenewbaguette on Instagram.
The Full Recipe
Easy Maple Candied Cashews
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Chill Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
- Category: Snack
- Method: Oven
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These crunchy candied cashews are a delightful little cocktail party snack, cheese board addition, or salad topper.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup)
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder* (see note below)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup raw cashews
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper (or a Silpat) and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together everything except the cashews. Then add the cashews and toss with a rubber spatula to coat evenly.
- Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, making sure to scrape all the syrup from the bowl onto the sheet. Arrange the cashews in a single layer, making sure most of them are surrounded by a bit of empty space. (The nuts may not seem evenly coated at this point and that’s okay.)
- Roast until the syrup is bubbling and starting to thicken, about 10 minutes. Give the cashews a good stir to re-coat them, then return to the oven. Continue roasting for 12 to 15 minutes, until the nuts are darkened and smell caramelized, and the syrup is thick and slowly bubbling.
- Remove from the oven and cool completely, 30 to 40 minutes. The syrup needs to harden fully before you can break up the nuts.
- Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
If you don’t like spicy stuff, substitute with ancho chili powder or smoked paprika. Feel free to play around with other seasonings as well, like garlic powder, onion powder, yellow curry powder, or Cajun seasoning. Just make sure to keep the volume of spices roughly the same as written – and don’t forget the salt.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of the recipe
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 7.5 g
- Sodium: 98 mg
- Fat: 9.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 13.7 g
- Fiber: 0.8 g
- Protein: 3.9 g
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