Sage-Candied Walnuts Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Make Ahead

by: Cristina Sciarra

January5,2012

4.3

6 Ratings

  • Makes a baking-sheet full

Jump to Recipe

Author Notes

I have never been a particular fan of nuts. Cashews were all right in my book, but pecans? Walnuts? I didn't want them muddying up my breads and cookies. Everything changed after I tried The Nut Box's candied pecans. Glorious! I think the word "addiction" is appropriate, and now I find myself giving all nuts a second look. All I know about the pecans are the ingredients: butter, sugar and salt. This is my take on them, using sage and walnuts. (I got the egg white tip from Smitten Kitchen). —Cristina Sciarra

Test Kitchen Notes

This is the kind of adult walnut confection that should be served at your favorite co*cktail bar. Don't be afraid to up the sage by half or reduce the sugar a little depending on your taste. Either way, you'll be munching on these til kingdom come. Highly addictive. —favabean

  • Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoonssalted butter
  • 1.5 tablespoonssage, finely chopped
  • 5 cupswalnuts
  • 1 egg white, beaten until a little stiff
  • 1 tablespoonmaple syrup
  • 1/4 cuplight brown sugar
  • 3/4 cupwhite sugar
  • a generous sprinkling of sea salt
Directions
  1. In a medium pan, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the finely chopped sage, and cook for a few minutes, until fragrant.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the egg white. Add the walnuts, and toss. Add the maple syrup and the butter, and incorporate. Add the sugars, and toss until the walnuts are evenly coated.
  3. Preheat the oven to 300F. Spread the walnuts evenly on a parchment-paper lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with sea salt. Cook the walnuts for 30 minutes, breaking them up about every 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Tags:

  • Candy
  • Egg
  • Maple Syrup
  • Sage
  • Walnut
  • Make Ahead
  • Serves a Crowd
  • Christmas
  • Halloween
  • Mother's Day
  • Valentine's Day
  • Vegetarian
Contest Entries
  • Your Best Portable Side
  • Your Best Hors d'Oeuvre
  • Your Best Recipe with Walnuts
  • Your Best Edible Gift

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Karen Brooks

  • Jharna Hogan

  • Bevi

  • vrunka

  • mdm

Recipe by: Cristina Sciarra

Cristina is a writer, cook, and day job real estate developer. She studied literature, holds an MFA in Fiction Writing, and completed the Basic Cuisine course at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. She lives in Jersey City with her husband--a Frenchman she met in Spain--and their sweet black cat, Minou. Follow her writings, recipes, publications and photography at theroamingkitchen.com.

25 Reviews

shoepershopper September 25, 2022

Yummm!!! I used these as a topping for some roasted Brussels sprouts, onions and apples for a Rosh Hashanah side dish. This is the PERFECT fall topper (or snack!) I'm definitely going to be using these for a topper for my Thanksgiving stuffing, topping on butternut squash soup and even some yummy fall salads. Thank you so much. Definitely don't forget to stir the walnuts as they cook. So glad I re-read the instructions half-way through the cooking process.

Karen B. August 24, 2022

What a great combination of flavors.

Jharna H. November 24, 2016

Making these now, they smell amazing! Planning to serve them as part of a cheese platter, and as an accompaniment to a Maple Brown Sugar Pumpkin ice cream I made last night.

Connie B. January 19, 2016

These are fabulous! The only addition I made was a heavy sprinkling of cayenne pepper stirred in with the sugars. So good, it's really hard to stop eating!

Cristina S. January 20, 2016

That sounds like a great addition!

cosmiccook July 22, 2015

I take it the egg white should be beaten only a little; before soft peaks?

calangus February 5, 2015

Can this be made with dried sage? i almost always have dried sage in my cabinet.

chez_mere February 5, 2015

That should work fine if you reduce the amount to about 1/2 a Tablespoon and add it to the mix by rubbing it into the sugars with you fingertips instead of frying it in the butter

pen_drifter December 21, 2014

These are so fantastic. I'm using them as Winter solstice gifts this year.

Katie November 22, 2014

How long will these stay fresh once made?

Cristina S. November 23, 2014

Hi Katie, I haven't tested that, but I imagine at least 1 week.

Bevi October 27, 2014

Yum! Am making these for gifts for sure!

Cristina S. October 28, 2014

Thanks, Bevi! I hope you will!

Karen March 10, 2014

Yummy!
I need my toddler to eat more walnuts, these are a. hit!!!
I am going to try ground mustard instead of the ginger.

vrunka November 27, 2013

Oh, man, these are great. And easy, too. I saw the recipe highlighted on Food52 less than an hour ago and now I'm sitting in the kitchen trying not to eat them all.

Cristina S. November 27, 2013

Ha, excellent! I haven't made these in a while, but I think I will pull them out for the holidays.

Alicia V. May 3, 2013

Could I do this with Pecans? Walnut allergy... :(

Cristina S. May 4, 2013

Hi Alicia, I'm not sure how sage and pecans will taste together, but no harm in trying! Also, for pecans, I'm crazy about this recipe: http://www.nytimes.com/recipes/1014381/Sweet-Spiced-Pecans.html

mdm January 11, 2013

So delicious! Made a ton over the holidays, thank you!

Cristina S. January 11, 2013

I'm so glad you liked them!

chez_mere November 29, 2012

Any ideas for how almonds would be?

Cristina S. November 29, 2012

Hm. I might not use sage for almonds. I might try brown sugar, cinnamon, or even cayenne. I think I've seen honey and rosemary. Let me know how it turns out!

CharlotteR April 4, 2012

I made these this weekend and they were very well received. Next time I will double the sage and reduce the white sugar to around 1/2 cup. Thanks for the good and easy recipe - the sage and walnuts are a tasty combination.

hardlikearmour January 5, 2012

These look gorgeous!

Cristina S. January 5, 2012

Thanks! I am trying very hard not to eat them all! :)

Sage-Candied Walnuts Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

Why are my candied walnuts soft? ›

Storing Candied Nuts

Let the candied nuts cool for at least 20 minutes or until completely cool. You don't want to package warm nuts or the moisture will cause condensation which will soften the candy coating.

What makes walnuts taste better? ›

The toasting process adds a better taste, golden brown color, nutty aroma, and a delicious crunch. Nuts toast quickly in the oven or on the stovetop, and they add a healthy, gluten free, protein-packed, omega-3 rich element to many recipes. Give banana bread, chocolate chip cookies, and pumpkin pancakes extra texture.

What is the best way to eat walnuts? ›

Use walnuts in all kinds of sweet and savoury dishes to add a delicious, nutty flavour to cakes, breads, pestos, sauces, salads, chutneys and more.

What to do with too many walnuts? ›

10 Simple Ways to Use Walnuts
  1. Plus-Up Cereal or Oatmeal. ...
  2. Make a DIY Trail Mix. ...
  3. Pair with Fruit, Cheese, and Crackers. ...
  4. Swap-in on Salads. ...
  5. Add to Sandwiches and Wraps. ...
  6. Make-Ahead Walnut Pesto. ...
  7. Just Eat a Handful Plain. ...
  8. Top Your Pizza, Pasta, or Roasted Veggies.
Sep 15, 2022

How do you make walnuts softer to eat? ›

Walnuts are known for their astringent, mouth-puckering taste. By soaking and dehydrating them, this will be greatly reduced. This is because when soaking walnuts, the tannins are rinsed away, leaving behind a softer, more buttery nut.

How do you take the bitterness out of walnuts? ›

Place walnuts in boiling water for five minutes to remove bitter taste. Remove from water and drain, then run cold water over the walnuts.

Is there a downside to eating walnuts? ›

Excess calories are an obesity risk. Allergy. Among the tree nuts, walnuts and cashews most frequently cause allergic reactions in America. Allergies to walnuts can appear as skin rashes, digestive problems, or respiratory symptoms like cough and wheezing.

Why do I feel good after eating walnuts? ›

Walnuts are a great source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid that is important for reducing inflammation. In fact, it is the only nut significantly high in these omega-3 fatty acids. Their anti-inflammatory compounds may reduce the risk of heart disease.

Why should we soak walnuts before eating? ›

Walnuts should be soaked because doing so makes them easier for the body to digest than eating them raw. The phytic acid found in nuts, which is reduced by soaking walnuts, contributes to increased absorption as well. Raw walnut digestion may be more difficult for those with weak gut.

Why do you have to eat walnuts before bed? ›

While you could eat walnuts any time of the day, bedtime is a great time to eat walnuts because they have numerous compounds that are tied to healthy sleep patterns. They're a good source of tryptophan, an amino acid that your body uses to produce serotonin and melatonin – both involved in regulating sleep.

Can we drink water after eating walnuts? ›

You can drink water after that but keep a gap of 10 minutes at least. This is because if you drink a glass of water immediately after, it won't let the stomach acids act upon the nuts and therefore extract the nutrients it provides. So it is advisable that you keep a gap of 10 minutes before drinking water.

When should I eat walnuts morning or night? ›

Best time to eat walnuts, how to add them to your diet

Adding them to your smoothies, salads, shakes, chutneys, breakfast cereal, desserts, dalia is also a good idea. "The best time to eat walnuts in summers is in the morning. You can soak 6 to 8 halves of walnuts at night and consume them on an empty stomach.

What happens if you eat 20 walnuts a day? ›

Excessive consumption of walnuts may cause diarrhea, bloating, stomach pain or kidney stones. Due to the phytic acid they contain, too many walnuts may also inhibit the absorption of dietary iron, calcium and zinc. Recommendation: One ounce (10-14) English walnut halves per day.

What pairs well with walnuts? ›

Top 5 Pairings

Although people enjoy a mix of sweet and savory flavors with walnuts, a sweet combination is most liked by all: (1) Dark Chocolate, (2) Sesame Cayenne, (3) Vanilla, (4) Sea Salt Caramel, (5) Coffee.

What happens if I eat walnuts everyday? ›

A 2022 study published in Nutrients revealed that eating about two servings of walnuts a day for 16 weeks improved self-reported levels of stress and depression, aided in a longer period of sleep, and improved overall mental health.

Why are my candied nuts wet? ›

If your candied pecans are soft, it is likely because the sugar syrup coating has not completely hardened. The syrup may still be wet, or it may have started to crystalize. If the syrup is still wet, you can try putting the nuts in the oven for a few minutes to help the syrup harden.

Why are my candied almonds not crunchy? ›

After baking allow the almonds to cool so that the candy coating can harden and get nice and crunchy.

How do you harden soft nuts? ›

You Can Dry Nuts/Seeds in the Oven

Set your oven to the lowest temperature possible. Dry nuts for 30 minutes to 1 hour on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Remove a nut/seed, cool it and taste.

Why are my candied pecans soft on the stove? ›

Why are my candied pecans soft and sticky? If your pecans are soft, it's most likely because they weren't baked long enough and are still retaining moisture. The sugar needs to bake long enough to caramelize and form a brittle coating on the nuts.

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