Step 1: Soaking the Walnuts
- 2 cups raw walnuts
- 3 to 4 cups water
To prepare the walnuts, in a medium bowl, soak the walnuts for 3 to 4 hours to soften. Strain, reserving the walnuts and discarding the liquid.
For flavored/candied nuts, the process of soaking them first gives the coating a better chance of adhering to the nut. It also helps to create a nice crunch after dehydrated. While the soaking is not 100% necessary, it is a good idea for candied nuts when using a dehydrator.
Step 2: Preparing & Dehydrating the Nuts
- 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp chipotle powder
- 1/2 cup maple sugar, finely ground*
- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
To prepare the nuts, place them into a bowl and add the remaining ingredients and toss well to evenly coat the walnuts.
To finish the candied walnuts, set the dehydrator at 115°F (45°C). Spread an even layer of walnuts on dehydrator trays, leaving room for air circulation. Continue to dehydrate for 7 to 10 hours or until crisp.
To roast the nuts in the oven, it is better to set the temperature quite low — say around 170°F — roast the nuts for 45-60 minutes or until they look nicely toasted.
Store walnuts in a sealed container and refrigerate to retain crispness.
Chef's Notes
These maple spiced walnuts pair well with both sweet and savory dishes. They’re a great addition to desserts or sprinkled on your favorite salads.
Maple sugar is a great ingredient when creating raw candied nuts since the sugars melt and crystalize, while giving a nice crunchy finished to the nuts—as opposed to using a wet sweetener such as date paste, syrups, etc. Maple sugar can be found in many health food shops in the baking aisle. It occasionally comes in large crystals so you would need to blend for a powdered product.
This recipe was inspired by super talented Chad Sarno from Wicked Healthy Food.