Vegan candied nuts have a multitude of delicious uses. Gluten free and dairy free with no refined sugar.
WARNING – Vegan Flax Candied Nuts are dangerously addictive! Once you start popping them into your mouth you may not be able to stop! The coating on these nuts, which produces a sweet glaze when baked, is made from a simple mixture of coconut sugar and cinnamon that binds to the nuts with the help of a flax egg replacer, which is nothing more than ground flax seeds (sometimes called ground flax meal) mixed with water. If you adhere to a plant-based diet you’re probably very familiar with flax egg replacers as they are an excellent vegan substitute for eggs.
This recipe for Vegan Flax Candied Nuts happened by accident. I’ve been making candied nuts for as long as I can remember; anyone who has spent time at my house knows that there are always some in my cabinet. They’re great in/on so many things – salads, desserts, yogurt, cereal, ice cream. The basic recipe I always followed uses egg whites to coat a mixture of nuts and then combines them with sugar and spices before baking. One day, not too long ago, I went to make candied nuts and realized I was out of eggs so I substituted a flax egg replacer and was pleasantly surprised when the nuts turned out even better than the candied nuts I’d made for years using egg whites. So, even though I’m not vegan, this is the recipe for candied nuts that I now use exclusively.
Nuts and seeds go together naturally so I love the idea that the coating on Vegan Flax Candied Nuts is made from ground up flax seeds instead of an animal product. How perfect is that! This is proof that the simplest recipes are often the best! I like a combination of almonds, walnuts, and pecans for this recipe but you can substitute other types of nuts depending on what you like. If you’re a purist you might want to use only one type of nut. Pecans and walnuts are my favorite nuts to use when I want only one kind.
Keep Vegan Flax Candied Nuts in mind for the upcoming holiday season. Packaged up in a mason jar or cellophane bag and tied with festive ribbon, they make a great gift for teachers, hosts/hostesses, co-workers – all those miscellaneous, but important people you need to thank once a year. This recipe scales up easily so you can make a big batch – enough for everyone on your list. And don’t forget to set some aside for yourself. You might want to double or even triple the recipe – they’re that good!
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 3 tablespoons water
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 lb. nuts roughly chopped (I like a combination of almonds, pecans, and walnuts)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
- Combine the ground flaxseed and water in a small bowl (stir with a fork). Set aside for 10 minutes.
- Combine the coconut sugar, cinnamon, and salt in another small bowl.
- Place the nuts in a medium size bowl and add the vanilla and the flax mixture. Stir to completely coat the nuts. Pour in the coconut sugar mixture and toss to coat all the nuts with the mixture.
- Spread the nuts out on a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet and bake on the bottom rack of the oven for 25 minutes. Let cool completely before breaking apart into small pieces
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Two of our best friends just started with a plant based diet and I was in desperate need of a food related gift for them. This recipe is perfect for that! (And it’s also a great way to use up those flaxseeds sitting in my pantry). I am exciting to try it. I will let you know how it turns out. 🙂
Thanks Natanja! Yes, please let me know how you like them.
I have such a sweet tooth right now thanks to my pregnancy hormones. This is the perfect treat; thank you, Mona!