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Dark Crunchy Sweet Dessert Walnuts
These Vegan Dark Coconut Sugar Candied Walnuts are sweetened just right with a hint of cinnamon. Hard to believe something this good only take 16 minutes to make. So quick and easy, it’s been my go to recipe for years. Perfect as a topper for desserts, ice cream, granola and breakfast puddings. Love it on a fresh green and fruit salad and pares up perfectly with beets and sweet potatoes. As a fast time cruncher this is an add on that can be made ahead of time. With this recipe make simple dishes a little more gourmet and decadent.
Let’s start this recipe blog off with a bit of walnut history and nutrition.
A Little History Of The Beginning Of The Walnuts
Walnuts are known to be the oldest tree food consumed by man going back to 7000 B.C. Way back in early history it is indicated that the English walnut that we all know today came from Persia. To the Romans walnuts were called Juglans regia or rather “Jupiter’s royal acorn.” Maybe this title came about because the walnut in Persia were reserved for royalty.
Hard to believe but the spread of the walnut goes back to the ice age. This caused walnut’s growing space to shrink leaving pockets of strong survivors, thanks to its hard shell. After the long life threatening freeze early man was lucky. As there is evidence that this wonderful tree food sprouted and we began our foraging of this life saving nut some 45,000 years ago.
After being hunter and gathers and branching into farmers our delicious walnut went on journeys. Yes! Trade of these little nuggets went on routes to China, the Near East and all the way to Europe. After Alexander the Great brought them back from Asia they became loved by the Romans and Greeks. Creating more trade of the Persian walnut into Southern Europe and into Northern Africa. Hence, because of this mass spread of walnuts, by the Middle Ages it was seen as a medicine in many medical books. This made it more desirable and with the help of the English sea-men walnuts spread around the world.
When eating the walnuts in foods today it is hard to believe it has come so far in time in surviving. It gives me great wonder to this amazing nut and all that it has provided and still keeps feeding the world.
Important Nutritional Value Of Walnuts
As you know walnuts taste amazing and they are in many desserts and breakfast items. What most people don’t know is that they are full of alpha-linolenic acid or better known for it’s abbreviation of ALA. Also they are the only nut with a great source for omega-3 fatty acids which help reduce inflammation. Being that they have anti-inflammatory polyphenol compounds they help reduce the risk of heart disease and reduce triglycerides.
These omega-3 fatty acids are also crucial for supporting brain function. Tests on walnuts have shown that they aid in development of an amazing amount of over thirty different neuron-transmitters in the brain. Very impressive, because this is what helps effective signaling and clearing the way for communication between brain cells. This improves brain function and helps slow mental decline.
Everything in moderation is true. Remember walnuts have a lot of fat and too many isn’t a good thing. A small handful goes a long way.
How To Make Vegan Coconut Sugar Candied Walnuts
This is one of those recipe with a couple of steps but they are very easy.
First preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
On a parchment lined sheet pan add the walnut halves and spread them out evenly. Put them in the oven to roast for 10 minutes. Watch as not to burn. Every oven is different so yours might be hotter. After the 10 minutes remove the roasted walnuts and set them aside to cool for 10 minutes.
In a medium sauce pan on medium heat add the water and coconut sugar. With a wooden spoon keep stirring the mixture for about 4 minutes or until the sugar is dissolved. Then add the vanilla, cinnamon and sea salt. Mix into the dissolved sugar and let bubble for 1 minute.
Quickly add the cooled walnuts and quickly stir and coat the walnuts with the sugar mixture. When they are coated, quickly pour them back out onto the parchment lined sheet pan. Quickly separate the walnuts from each other and spread them out on the pan.
Let the walnuts completely cool on the parchment lined sheet pan before storing. This will make them more crunchy.
What To Serve Vegan Dark Coconut Sugar Candied Walnuts With
These Candied Walnuts are so versatile. You can just eat them as they are because they are so good. Or, put them on top of other desserts or breakfast ideas. They even make for a beautiful decoration for the tops of cakes like my Fig Date Nut Prune Christmas Cake (With Grand Marnier). On top of muffins like my Vegan Cinnamon Crumb Top Muffins. Or, top off slices of sweet breads like banana bread or zucchini bread with vegan whip cream or my Vegan Coconut Cornmeal Pancakes.
Break them up and put them on top of your yogurt, ice cream, chi seed puddings, granola or oatmeal. They are perfect for that little extra sweetness and crunch for a green salad. Works wonderful with a sweeter salad dressing or a raspberry vinaigrette. Love them on cooked beets with a great orange sauce. Like my Orange Lemon Vegan Sauce and my Beet Salad With Vegan Feta. This beet salad has roasted pecans, but these Vegan Dark Coconut Sugar Candied Walnuts will be just as flavorful and tasty sweet to complement the salad.
I really love how the sugar in these candied walnuts are not over sweet. I hope you love them as much as we do. Enjoy!
More Recipe You May Like:
Dairy Free Vegan Coconut Raspberry Pudding
Rich Dark Chocolate Salted Olive Oil Cookies
Easy Delicious Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip
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Vegan Dark Coconut Sugar Candied Walnuts
- Prep Time: 3 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 28 minutes
- Yield: 8 to 10 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These are decadent Vegan Dark Coconut Sugar Candied Walnuts. This recipe is so easy and delicious that it has been my go to for years. It only takes 16 minutes to make these perfect heavy coated sweet and crunchy walnuts. Makes these for the topping of your next dessert or ice cream. Wonderful on green salads with fruit and sweet tangy vinaigrettes, granola and breakfast puddings. This recipe makes 3 cups of candied walnuts. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Vegan Dark Coconut Sugar Candied Walnuts
- 3 cups of Walnut Halves or Pieces
- 1 cup Coconut Sugar
- 1 1/2 Tbsp Water
- 1 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 tsp Sea Salt
Instructions
Vegan Dark Coconut Sugar Candied Walnuts
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Spread walnuts on a parchment lined sheet pan.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Bake until fragrant and slightly darkening. DO not Burn!
- Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes.
- In a medium sauce pan on medium heat add the coconut sugar and water. Mix and with a wooden spoon keep stirring for about 4 minutes.
- After the sugar has dissolved add the vanilla, cinnamon and sea salt. Mix into the dissolved sugar and let bubble for 1 minute.
- Quickly add the walnuts and stir and coat the walnuts quickly.
- When the walnuts are coated return the walnuts back onto the parchment lined sheet pan.
- Quickly separate the walnuts from each other and spread out onto the sheet pan.
- Let the walnuts cool completely before storing them. This will make them more cruncky.
- Enjoy!
Love this recipe! These candied walnuts make a great addition to your favorite salad or just to snack on!
That bit about walnuts being called “Jupiter’s royal acorn” by the Romans genuinely stopped me mid-scroll — there’s something wonderful about a nut that’s traveled from Persian royalty to my Tuesday salad topper. Using coconut sugar here is a smart move beyond just keeping it vegan; it has a naturally lower glycemic index than refined white sugar and brings those caramel-molasses undertones that pair so well with the slight bitterness walnuts already carry.