How to Make Glazed Walnuts (Quick & Easy!)

These glazed walnuts have a crunchy coating of pure maple syrup! They’re easy to make, healthier than candied nuts, and perfect for salads and snacking.

Glazed walnuts are perfect as a crunchy topping for salads, oatmeal, or just for sneaking a few as a snack. These are glazed in a crunchy coating of pure maple syrup, and they taste incredible. When I first tried them as a topper on my Spinach Apple Salad, they were the true icing on the cake. The best part is that they’re a healthier spin on candied walnuts, and just as delicious!

The basic steps

These glazed walnuts are so easy to make that I was almost upset that I hadn’t been making them for years after the first attempt. They’re so crunchy and the perfect addition to any green salad. Here’s everything you need to know about how to make them.

Step 1: Simmer the walnuts and maple syrup 6 to 8 minutes.

Make sure to use pure maple syrup here, none of that corn syrup version pretending to be maple! Combine ¼ cup of it with 1 cup of walnuts. (You could actually do this with any type of nut you’d like.) Heat them in a non-stick skillet and when it just starts to bubble, turn down the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally.

Step 2: In the last minute, stir constantly, then remove from heat.

Here’s the only tricky part. In the last minute, when the maple syrup looks like it is mostly evaporated, start to stir constantly! The maple syrup will become very thick and dark brown. This means that it’s done! Immediately remove the walnuts from the heat. It’s important that you watch them very closely during this part so they don’t burn!

Step 3: Place on parchment paper.

Place the walnuts on parchment paper and allow them to cool to room temperature so that the maple shell hardens. This should take about 15 minutes. At this point, you can store the glazed walnuts in a sealed container at room temperature, and the coating will stay crunchy!

How to serve glazed walnuts

Now, you’re left with a beautiful bowl of shiny glazed walnuts! They’re a perfect, easy salad topping that’s even better than croutons, in my opinion. Here are a few great ways to use them:

• Green salad: This Spinach Apple Salad features a zingy balsamic dressing, apples and pears, and crunchy glazed walnuts.
• Vegetable salad: Go savory and put them in this Sweet Potato Salad!
• Oatmeal: Try them with my Best Oatmeal or Instant Pot Oatmeal. They add the perfect crunch! Add a sliced banana and a spoonful of peanut butter to make it next-level.
• Pancakes: Add them as a topping for Cottage Cheese Pancakes, Banana Oatmeal Pancakes, or Almond Flour Pancakes.
• Ice cream: Why not add walnuts to an ice cream sundae? Instant party!

Want more ideas for walnuts? Try these 10 Tasty Walnut Recipes.

This glazed walnuts recipe is…

Vegetarian, plant-based, vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free.

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