Easy Chocolate Walnuts For Snacking
Making chocolate walnuts at home is a great way to satisfy a sweet tooth while also getting in some healthy fats! These chocolate walnuts are easy and quick to make. So, they are perfect when you need a last minute sweet treat!
Ingredients for Homemade Chocolate Walnuts
These homemade chocolate walnuts are made with simple ingredients you likely already have in your pantry! These chocolate walnuts only call for 5 ingredients: cocoa powder, maple syrup, vanilla extract, sea salt and nuts!
Cocoa Powder
Cocoa powder is the main ingredient that provides the delicious chocolate flavor to this easy snack. While you might find there are endless kinds of cocoa powder available, I like to use plain baking cocoa powder. It’s the easiest to find in a grocery store almost anywhere. However, use whatever kind you have in your pantry or the kind you like for baking.
Maple syrup
Maple syrup provides two things in this recipe! The first is to balance the bitterness of the cocoa powder. The second is that it allows for the cocoa powder to stick to the nuts!
If you don’t keep maple syrup on hand, you can use another liquid sweetener like honey or date syrup. However, these other sweeteners might have a different viscosity that may alter the final result.
Vanilla Extract
Although technically not essential to complete this recipe, vanilla extract really rounds out and deepens the overall flavor. If you don’t have vanilla extract you could use vanilla bean paste instead. Even with it being such a small amount compared to the rest of the ingredients, it really takes the flavor of your snack from good to great.
Sea Salt
Although the amount of salt that is added here is quite small, it packs a big punch to the overall flavor. Adding salt to this recipe will enhance the chocolate flavor and bring out the sweetness in the maple syrup. While you can technically make this recipe without the salt, it just doesn’t have the same flavor as when it’s included.
Nuts
Of course this recipe would’t be complete without the nuts! I like to use walnuts because of their shape. The grooves that are present allow the ingredients to stick to almost all of the surfaces of each individual nut.
If you don’t have or like walnuts, you can substitute almost any other nut you prefer. After walnuts, I suggest using cashews or pecans. Pecans are usually equally as soft as walnuts and have a texture that allows the ingredients to stick to the nut. While cashews have a smoother texture, they tend to have a creamier texture. This creamy texture lends itself well to the chocolate coating!
Looking for more recipe inspiration for snacks? Try this Easy Stovetop Popcorn or this Homemade Blueberry Yogurt!
Substitutions
Although this recipe has just a few ingredients, there are a few substitutions that can be made.
The first substitution is the cocoa powder. If you don’t have cocoa powder, you could use carob powder. There will be a slight flavor change. However, if that’s all you have or your dietary restrictions call you to have carob powder, that will work just fine!
The second substitution is the maple syrup. I would only recommend using another liquid sweetener. That might be honey, agave syrup, date syrup or coconut syrup. I’ve never made this recipe with any other sweetener besides maple syrup. So, if you use one of these alternates, the final product may change a bit.
The last substitution is vanilla extract. Since vanilla provides just the right flavor enhancement, the only substitution I recommend is for vanilla bean paste. Using vanilla bean paste in place of vanilla extract will ensure your final snack will have the same amazing flavor.
Storing Homemade Chocolate Walnuts
The best way to store homemade chocolate walnuts is in an airtight glass storage container. My container of choice is typically a quart canning jar because I have an abundance of them and they are really easy to fill and see what’s inside.
If you don’t have any canning jars, any air tight food storage container will work great. If possible I highly recommend using a clear glass container so you can easily identify your delicious snack nuts!
Shelf Life of Homemade Chocolate Walnuts
Since there are no added preservatives, the shelf life of these homemade chocolate walnuts are relatively short. I recommend enjoying this snack within a week or two. After about two weeks, you’ll likely be able to still eat them. However the fresh taste and texture will surely decrease the longer you wait to consume them.
Ingredients and Tools
¼ cup + ½ TBSP Cocoa Powder
¼ cup + ½ TBSP Maple Syrup
½ tsp Sea Salt – I like to use Redmond Real Salt for the extra minerals
½ tsp Vanilla Extract
2 cups Walnuts (or other nuts like cashews, almonds, peanuts, macadamia nuts, etc.)
An oven or toaster oven
A metal baking tray
Parchment paper or silicone mat
A heat safe bowl
A heat safe spoon
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350℉
Measure out your walnuts and spread them in a single layer on your metal baking sheet
When your oven is preheated, bake for 5-10 minutes until the nuts are hot but not toasting. You might hear a slight sizzle when they’re warm!
When the nuts are warm, remove from the oven and transfer to your heat safe bowl.
Pour the maple syrup and vanilla extract and stir to evenly coat the nuts. When you pour over the maple syrup, the syrup may sizzle pretty loudly.
After the nuts and maple syrup have been thoroughly mixed so the maple syrup has cooled slightly and is evenly distributed on the nuts, sprinkle over the salt and cocoa powder. Mix with a wooden or metal spoon until all nuts are evenly coated.
To finish cooling, spread the nuts in an even layer on some parchment paper or a silicone mat. Keep these nuts on the parchment until fully cool and the chocolate coating is no longer sticky.
Once fully cooled, transfer to an air tight storage container like a canning jar with a two piece lid or a food storage container.
Chocolate Walnuts FAQ:
What Kind of Cocoa Powder Do I Use For Chocolate Walnuts?
Cocoa powder is the main ingredient that provides the delicious chocolate flavor to this easy snack. While you might find there are endless kinds of cocoa powder available, I like to use plain baking cocoa powder. It’s the easiest to find in a grocery store almost anywhere. However, use whatever kind you have in your pantry or the kind you like for baking.
Why Use Maple Syrup For Chocolate Walnuts?
Maple syrup provides two things in this recipe! The first is to balance the bitterness of the cocoa powder. The second is that it allows for the cocoa powder to stick to the nuts!
Why Add Vanilla Extract To Chocolate Walnuts?
Although technically not essential to complete this recipe, vanilla extract really rounds out and deepens the overall flavor. If you don’t have vanilla extract you could use vanilla bean paste instead. Even with it being such a small amount compared to the rest of the ingredients, it really takes the flavor of your snack from good to great.
Why Add Sea Salt To Chocolate Walnuts?
Although the amount of salt that is added here is quite small, it packs a big punch to the overall flavor. Adding salt to this recipe will enhance the chocolate flavor and bring out the sweetness in the maple syrup. While you can technically make this recipe without the salt, it just doesn’t have the same flavor as when it’s included.
What Kind Of Nuts Can I Use?
Of course this recipe would’t be complete without the nuts! I like to use walnuts because of their shape. The grooves that are present allow the ingredients to stick to almost all of the surfaces of each individual nut.
If you don’t have or like walnuts, you can substitute almost any other nut you prefer. After walnuts, I suggest using cashews or pecans. Pecans are usually equally as soft as walnuts and have a texture that allows the ingredients to stick to the nut. While cashews have a smoother texture, they tend to have a creamier texture.This creamy texture lends itself well to the chocolate coating!
What can I Use Instead Of Cocoa Powder?
If you don’t have cocoa powder, you could use carob powder. There will be a slight flavor change. However, if that’s all you have or your dietary restrictions call you to have carob powder, that will work just fine!
What can I Use Instead Of Maple Syrup?
I would only recommend using another liquid sweetener. That might be honey, agave syrup, date syrup or coconut syrup. I’ve never made this recipe with any other sweetener besides maple syrup. So, if you use one of these alternates, the final product may change a bit.
What can I Use Instead Of Vanilla Extract?
Since vanilla provides just the right flavor enhancement, the only substitution I recommend is for vanilla bean paste. Using vanilla bean paste in place of vanilla extract will ensure your final snack will have the same amazing flavor.
How Do I Store Homemade Chocolate Walnuts?
The best way to store homemade chocolate walnuts is in an airtight glass storage container. My container of choice is typically a quart canning jar because I have an abundance of them and they are really easy to fill and see what’s inside.
If you don’t have any canning jars, any air tight food storage container will work great. If possible I highly recommend using a clear glass container so you can easily identify your delicious snack nuts!
What Is The Shelf Life of Homemade Chocolate Walnuts?
Since there are no added preservatives, the shelf life of these homemade chocolate walnuts are relatively short. I recommend enjoying this snack within a week or two. After about two weeks, you’ll likely be able to still eat them. However the fresh taste and texture will surely decrease the longer you wait to consume them.
Did you try this? Share your creations in the comments or by tagging @MissysHomestead on Instagram.
Easy Chocolate Walnuts For Snacking
Equipment
- An oven or toaster oven
- A metal baking tray
- Parchment paper or silicone mat
- A heat safe bowl
- A heat safe spoon
Ingredients
- ¼ cup + ½ TBSP Cocoa Powder
- ¼ cup + ½ TBSP Maple Syrup
- ½ tsp Sea Salt
- ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 cups Walnuts or other nuts like cashews, almonds, peanuts, macadamia nuts, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350℉
- Measure out your walnuts and spread them in a single layer on your metal baking sheet
- When your oven is preheated, bake for 5-10 minutes until the nuts are hot but not toasting. You might hear a slight sizzle when they’re warm!
- When the nuts are warm, remove from the oven and transfer to your heat safe bowl.
- Pour the maple syrup and vanilla extract and stir to evenly coat the nuts. When you pour over the maple syrup, the syrup may sizzle pretty loudly.
- After the nuts and maple syrup have been thoroughly mixed so the maple syrup has cooled slightly and is evenly distributed on the nuts, sprinkle over the salt and cocoa powder. Mix with a wooden or metal spoon until all nuts are evenly coated.
- To finish cooling, spread the nuts in an even layer on some parchment paper or a silicone mat. Keep these nuts on the parchment until fully cool and the chocolate coating is no longer sticky.
- Once fully cooled, transfer to an air tight storage container like a canning jar with a two piece lid or a food storage container.
