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? ›

Candied Walnuts Recipe FAQs

These last for up to 1 week at room temperature, 2 weeks in the refrigerator, and 2 months in the freezer. Why are my candied walnuts soft? If they are soft you likely did not bake them long enough.

What makes walnuts taste better? ›

Toasted Walnuts

Toasting does two things for a nut: it makes it crunchier and it brings out its nutty flavor.

What can I 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

What goes 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.

How long to soak walnuts to make them soft? ›

Experts agree that to reap the benefits, one should soak the walnuts for about 6-7 hours or overnight. And on an average, a healthy individual can have 3-4 soaked pieces of walnuts.

How do you make walnuts softer to eat? ›

Soak your nuts and seeds anywhere from 20 minutes to 2 or 3 hours, or even overnight in the refrigerator. In general, harder nuts will take longer to soften. If your recipe calls for soaked nuts or seeds and you are low on time, try to squeeze in 20 minutes minimum, or just do a really good job rinsing them.

Is there a downside to eating walnuts? ›

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.

Why do my walnuts taste funny? ›

Nuts with higher fat content, like walnuts and pecans can also go rancid after a few months if stored at too warm a temperature. If you notice that your nuts have taken on a noticeably bitter, sour flavor, they may have entered this unfortunate phase.

Why do you put cheese on walnuts? ›

Walnut cheese normally is quite new so that the soft and almost juicy texture of the cheese contrasts nicely with the walnut crumbles that are put into this sort of cheese. Walnut cheese is a relatively new up and coming phenomenon.

What happens if you eat walnuts every day for 30 days? ›

Eating walnuts on a daily basis poses little to no harm unless you have a food sensitivity, intolerance or allergy. With that said, replacing less nutrient-dense foods with nutrient-dense options, like walnuts, may help you achieve your health goals. Who knows, you may experience a boost in your mood, too.

What happens if you eat a handful of walnuts everyday? ›

Eating walnuts regularly also reduces levels of triglycerides, a type of fat linked to a higher risk of heart disease, heart attacks, and stroke. Walnuts and walnut oil are high in antioxidants that can lower blood sugar levels, which can reduce your risk of diabetes.

How many walnuts should a woman eat a day? ›

An ounce (30 grams) of walnuts a day has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease. The recommended serving size is a small handful or 1½ ounces (45 grams) a day. Walnuts make an excellent nutrient-dense snack, and you can easily carry them wherever you go.

What spice goes well with walnut? ›

Walnuts pair well with these flavours: cinnamon, cayenne pepper, chilli flakes, coffee, dried figs, fennel seeds, glazed ginger, orange zest, vanilla and white pepper. And finish it off with a sprinkle of sea salt.

Should you eat walnuts in morning or night? ›

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.

Should walnuts be soft? ›

As a general guideline: Firm and Solid: Fresh walnuts in the shell should feel firm and solid. When you press on the shell with your fingers, there should be minimal give or softness.

Why are my candied pecans soggy? ›

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.

How do you harden soft nuts? ›

Just toasting them in a dry pan or oven should be enough to revive them, but they'll also go in any recipe that requires nuts. We got through most of ours by toasting them with spices, to eat as nibbles or to add crunch to soups, stews and salads.

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