Maple Roasted Cashews
Rich cashews are the perfect pairing for sweet maple syrup and a hint of salt. These maple roasted cashews are great as a snack, dessert topping, or served on your next vegan charcuterie board!
vegan • gluten free • easy
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Jump to:
- 📝 quick recipe overview
- ❤️ what you'll love about these maple roasted cashews
- 🥣 ingredient notes
- 🔪 equipment notes
- 🧑🏽🍳 instruction notes
- Recipe
- 🍽️ how to serve maple cashews
- 🧊 storage
- ✅ acceptable substitutions and variations
- ♻️ sustainability profile
- waste
- ❓ frequently asked questions
- 🥜 more nutty recipes
- 🕰️ the latest
Maple cashews are the perfect addition to the fall table...and I think you'll find these are so good you can enjoy them all year. 😉 Rich, sweet, a little salty and crunchy, these are a great snack, topping, or addition to the vegan cheese board. Having nuts on hand helps when you need to make a quick treat for last-minute guests or just need a little crunch for yourself.
📝 quick recipe overview
- Skill level: Beginner
- Taste: Sweet and salty, warm
- Waste: Low
- Sustainability: Low waste
- Cleanup: Easy
- Ingredients: Easy to source
- Equipment: Common
- Time: 15 minutes
- Consistency: Crunchy
- Kid-friendly: Yes
❤️ what you'll love about these maple roasted cashews
Easy to make with simple ingredients. A recipe that only calls for a few ingredients is always a winner. Roasted nuts are classic options for snacks, toppings, and a quick appetizer when you need something delicious and easy to serve.
Ready in 15 minutes. Cashews don’t need much time in the oven. From start to finish, these maple roasted cashews are ready in just 15 minutes.
Delicious and comforting. Of course, the flavor is the real star of the show. Maple syrup coats the rich, buttery cashews with a layer of sweet, caramel-like flavor. Add some coarse sea salt, and the finished product is a classic sweet-salty combination!
🥣 ingredient notes
Organic raw cashews. If you have the opportunity to purchase organic, I recommend supporting organic growers and mitigating pesticide exposure. However, it’s not mandatory. This recipe will be delicious either way!
Pure maple syrup. I recommend using a good quality Grade A maple syrup since it’s such a prominent ingredient in this recipe.
Flaky or coarse sea salt. If you don’t have coarse sea salt, add a pinch of your desired salt. If using a more fine-grained salt, add less than what's called for in this recipe and only add more as needed.
🔪 equipment notes
Baking sheet.
Small bowl. Your bowl size will depend on how much you choose to make. 1 cup fits well in a small bowl.
Spoon or spatula. Either will work well here. I always enjoy using a wooden spatula from Earlywood (affiliate link).
Measuring cups and spoons.
Parchment paper. I prefer the If You Care brand (affiliate link), which is compatible with home composting.
🧑🏽🍳 instruction notes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Coat cashews in maple syrup. Stir until the syrup is completely coating each nut.
Pour cashews onto parchment-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Spread into an even layer and sprinkle the salt so it’s distributed as evenly as possible.
Bake for 10 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Giving the cashews a little stir helps promote even cooking. We don’t want over-browning in some areas and undercooked in others. Allow to cool for a few minutes before enjoying or storing.
Recipe
Maple Roasted Cashews
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a small bowl, add cashews and maple syrup. Stir until cashews are evenly coated in maple syrup.1 cup raw cashews, 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- Pour the cashews onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and press into an even layer. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt.¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Bake for 10 minutes, stirring once after 5 mintutes.
- Allow to cool and enjoy!
Nutrition
Notes
- Maple syrup is a more sustainable sweetener than cane sugar.
- Select organic and fair trade cashews when possible to support workers and companies embracing more responsible farming practices.
- Use compostable parchment paper.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!🍽️ how to serve maple cashews
To be honest, these usually disappear right off the parchment paper. If you’d like to enjoy a little longer, though, here are some of my favorite serving ideas:
- Trail mix
- Oatmeal topping
- Vegan ice cream topping
- Sprinkled into a salad with dried cranberries
- Vegan yogurt topping
- Vegan charcuterie board
🧊 storage
Of course, the cashews are best enjoyed fresh. If storing, their shelf life will depend on the method:
Room Temperature. In an airtight container, these candied cashews will last up to 2 weeks.
Refrigerator. Also store in an airtight container. When refrigerated, these should last 3 weeks.
Freezer. Choose a freezer-safe container for storage and enjoy within 3 months.
To determine if candied nuts are still good, check for any mold growth, color changes, and any rancid odor.
✅ acceptable substitutions and variations
Nuts. Swap with your favorite nut of choice! Keep in mind different size nuts can alter the amount of time needed for oven roasting. For larger nuts, be prepared to add a few minutes to the cooking time.
Liquid sweetener. If you prefer agave, you can substitute with the same amount. I wouldn’t recommend a pancake syrup unless you’re up for a big experiment (ha!). Remember that to keep this recipe vegan-friendly, honey isn’t compatible.
♻️ sustainability profile
sourcing
When possible, opt for cashews that are organic and fair trade. The majority of the world’s cashews are produced in Vietnam, India, and Ivory Coast, since cashews are a tropical nut. Labor issues exist throughout the supply chain, but negative impacts are mitigated when purchased from fair trade companies.
Of course, choosing organic is also beneficial for local ecosystems (and our larger global environment). However, if you need to prioritize what groceries to purchase organically, save our shopping guide based on the EWG’s ‘Dirty Dozen’ and ‘Clean Fifteen’ lists.
Cashews use less water than other tree nuts, so using a nut that’s less thirsty is always a plus! Learn more about choosing fair trade cashews and fun facts at this FoodPrint article.
Using maple syrup in place of cane sugar makes this recipe more sustainable. Maple syrup does face production issues related to climate change, but tapping trees for syrup is a practice that can be done responsibly…and with less impact to the environment compared to sugar cane production.
waste
This recipe is low waste, producing minimal scraps that are discarded. If you choose a compostable parchment paper, like the If You Care brand (affiliate link), you can wipe it clean and toss it in your home compost bin.
❓ frequently asked questions
What is the difference between glazed and candied nuts?
Glazed nuts and candied nuts are very similar, but their preparation and ingredients differ slightly. Glazed nuts refers to a liquid flavoring that is roasted until it caramelizes on the individual nuts. Candied nuts typically require a binding agent like egg whites (or aquafaba for vegans) that will hold the spices to the nut as it bakes in the oven and result in a finished texture that's a little drier and more brittle than glazed nuts.
What nuts go well with maple syrup?
Most common nuts pair well with the rich, sweet depth of flavor from maple syrup. Pecans, almonds, cashews, and walnuts are classic options to glaze in maple syrup, but you can experiment with the nuts of your choosing! Just remember that you want to start with a raw nut and not one that has already been seasoned.
How do you make sticky spiced cashews?
Creating that delicious, sticky glaze to coat cashew nuts, you simply need to coat the nuts in a liquid sweetener like maple syrup or agave nectar. Prior to adding to the cashews, combine the spices of your choosing with the maple syrup so the entire mixture is evenly combined. Roast in the oven for about 10 minutes and allow to cool for a few minutes. During cooling, the cashews will continue roasting and the glaze will harden.
What spices go well with cashews?
Cashews are delightfully rich, and their neutral flavor allows for a wide variety of spices create a delicious coating. If you're interested in a sweet flavor profile, consider spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. For a more savory result, garlic powder, red pepper, onion powder, and paprika to name a few. Creating your own spice mix to roast cashews can be a fun adventure!
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