These simple and delicious walnuts take less than 10 minutes to make, and are coated in a sweet and spicy maple cayenne glaze.

walnuts glazed and candied with maple syrup and cayenne pepper

I get some really bad cravings from time to time. Okay, like every day.

But seriously, these cravings are ridiculous. The worst is when my body decides to crave something I can’t make at home, like Cheetos or Reese’s Puffs (I can’t believe I just wrote that on here). When I get cravings like that, I know I have no choice but to go on my “drive of shame” and buy what I need in order to avoid potential crabbiness, or cleaning out the entire fridge and still feeling unsatisfied.

But then there are times when I’m fortunate enough to crave something that I can make at home. Thank goodness for those times. Probably my most frequent at home craving is for these Cayenne Maple Glazed Walnuts.

Close Up of Raw Walnut Half

They are deceptively simple, and might seem like they aren’t anything special because they only have a couple ingredients. But trust me, they are delicious and are one of my absolute favorite snacks.

They’re the kind of snack that you pop into your mouth, one after another, and then look down in the bowl 2 minutes later and wonder where they all went.

Heat up a pan over medium heat and throw in some walnuts. Toss them frequently and let them toast up, and add a bit of cayenne and salt.

toasting walnuts in skillet to be glazed in maple syrup

After the walnuts have toasted for a few minutes and the pan is super hot, add the maple syrup:

glazing walnuts with maple syrup in stainless skillet

As you can see in the edge of the pan below, the maple syrup will bubble up ferociously and that’s when you toss around the walnuts like mad.

maple syrup glazing walnuts and bubbling in pan for candied process

The maple syrup caramelizes around the walnuts and coats them with sweetness and slight crunch:

Candied Walnuts Maple Syrup Glaze in Stainless Steel Skillet with Green Spatula

Let them cool slightly, then eat! Then, make them again, 10 minutes later 😉

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Maple Glazed Walnuts - in a Brown Ceramic Bowl on Burlap

Cayenne Maple Glazed Walnuts

Servings: 4
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
 These simple and delicious walnuts take less than 10 minutes to make, and are coated in a sweet and spicy maple cayenne glaze.
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup walnuts
  • 1/16 tsp ground cayenne
  • 1/16 tsp fine sea salt
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup

Instructions 

  • Heat a dry skillet over medium heat, then add the walnuts.
  • Let them toast for 6-8 minutes until they brown slightly.
  • Add the cayenne and sea salt, and toss it around.
  • Add the maple syrup, and turn off the heat. The maple syrup will bubble ferociously, so toss those walnuts around to let them coat evenly in the sputtering maple syrup for 60 seconds.
  • Remove the walnuts to a dish, and let them cool for 5 minutes before eating.

Nutrition

Calories: 72kcal, Carbohydrates: 8g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 5g, Sodium: 38mg, Sugar: 6g

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Author: Fifteen Spatulas