This Keto Spicy Maple Candied Nuts recipe is sure to become your newest low carb (and healthy!) addiction! Bake them in the oven or in a skillet, either way, these keto candied spiced nuts are not only easy but healthy, too!
Maple Spiced Nuts
Over the winter holidays, a friend of mine gave me the most wonderful gift - Maple Spiced Nuts! Hounding her for the recipe, I knew that I could take this delightful recipe and transform it into low carb candied spiced nuts.
Just like my oven Keto Candied Nuts as well as my Keto 5-Minute Caramelized Candied Pecans that are made in using a skillet instead of baking, these keto spicy maple candied nuts have just the right amount of sweetness and heat!
Make these candied nuts in the oven or make them skillet candied nuts, either way, you will have a perfectly healthy, keto-friendly, snack ready for your kid's lunchbox or to keep in your purse on those crazy days when you do not have time to eat!
Why this recipe works
I have been making a version of these skillet candied nuts since Christmas and can assure you that this recipe is soon to become your favourite!
- Easy - Whether you decide to make thsee candied nuts in the oven or skillet, this keto snack recipe takes only minutes to come together
- Healthy - Studies upon studies have shown how incorporating nuts into your daily diet can help lower your risk for all kinds of different diseases
- Taste - The combination of spicy and sweet are such a mouthful of flavour! You can always make these keto spicy maple candied nuts either spicier or sweeter with just a few tweaks to the ingredients
Low Carb Spiced Nuts Ingredients
You only need a handful of ingredients for making these maple spiced nuts!
- Nuts - I use walnuts or pecans depending on which ones I have on hand or are on sale. I like how either of these two nuts have a ton of ridges so that the spicy maple flavour can get into all the nuts nooks and crannies!
- Maple Syrup - There is a plethora of sugar-free maple syrup on the market today. The thicker the syrup, the less time the nuts will need in the oven or in the skillet. Taste your maple syrup ahead of time as all sugar-free maple syrups vary in terms of their sweetness levels. I have used ChocZero and Lakanto and find them to be sweet enough; however, Birch Bender syrup seems less sweet to me so I tend to add an additional 2 tablespoons of erythritol sweetener, such as Lakanto Golden.
- Spices - I like to use a combination of onion, garlic, cayenne, cinnamon, and chili powder to spice my candied nuts. However, I have also made these with just maple syrup, cayenne and cumin powder so feel free to adjust the spices to suit your taste.
Instructions for Candied Nuts in the Oven
In a bowl, combine the sugar-free maple syrup, spices, and salt. Add the nuts and stir to coat well. Spread the nuts evenly on the baking sheet.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until the nuts begin to brown and are nicely toasted.
Remove the keto spicy maple candied nuts from the oven and allow them to cool completely before storing them in an airtight container at room temperature.
Instructions for Skillet Candied Nuts
Don't want to turn on your oven during the summer months? No problem! Make these low carb candied spiced nuts in a skillet instead!
Add all the ingredients to a large saute pan and stir them together. Heat on medium
Cook the mixture on medium heat until the sugar-free maple syrup comes to a low simmer, stirring occasionally
Reduce heat to medium-low. Continue simmering the mixture for about 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the liquid in the sugar-free maple syrup has evaporated and it begins to crystalize.
Immediately pour the candied nuts out onto a flat surface covered with parchment paper. Use your spatula to break apart the clumps and spread the pecans out in an even layer.
Then let them cool completely until they reach room temperature.
Keto Candied Nuts Variation
Once you get this recipe down, making different variety of candied nuts is really simple! Here are few ideas:
- Cinnamon - Add additional cinnamon and remove the spice for a sweeter twist.
- Super Spicy - Kick up the heat by adding some additional chili powder
- Trail Mix - Use a variety of different nuts, unsweetened coconut flakes or seeds to make at trail mix version. Once the candied mix has cooled, toss in some sugar-free chocolate chips for the perfect keto snack!
How do I store these keto spicy maple candied nuts?
Store these nuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
What do I do if my candied nuts begin to get sticky?
You can simply place the nuts in a 350-degree F. oven and bake them for about 5-7 minutes to dry out and become crunchy once again.
Can I omit the spices?
Yes. You can remove all the spices (except for the salt) if you do not wish to make this a spicy recipe. You can also decrease the amount of spice listed in the recipe.
Which method produces the crunchiest candied nuts?
If you are looking for a really nice crunch, I would suggest using the oven method as opposed to the skillet. I found that the skillet produced a slightly more "tacky" nut as opposed to crunchy.
What kind of nuts can I use?
You can use any type of raw and unsalted nut for this recipe. I like using pecans and walnuts as they are not only some of the healthiest nuts but also have grooves to capture all the candied goodness!
What are the best nuts for a keto diet?
Although macadamia nuts are the highest in terms of fats, pecans have the lowest carbs. Other excellent choices are walnuts, hazelnuts and Brazil nuts.
How spicy are these keto spiced candied nuts?
You can easily decide how spicy you want to make these keto nuts. Add 1 teaspoon of cayenne powder for mild nuts, 2 teaspoon for medium and 3 teaspoon for hot! If you add to much spice by accident, simply toss the nuts in some additional sweetener which should mellow out the spiciness.
Is this a fat fast recipe?
Yes! According to the nutritional value that I found online, 1 oz of nuts comes in at 90% fat.
How to use Keto Spicy Maple Candied Nuts
Asides from snacking, try tossing some of these maple spiced nuts on the following salads for an extra crunch!
More quick and easy Keto Snacks
Looking for more keto snacks? Check out the following:
Keto Spicy Maple Nuts
This Keto Spicy Maple Candied Nuts recipe is sure to become your newest low carb (and healthy!) addiction! Bake them in the oven or in a skillet, either way, these keto candied spiced nuts are not only easy but healthy, too!
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 8 oz (2 cups) pecans or walnuts, halved, shelled
- ¼ cup sugar-free maple syrup (optional)
- 1-2 tablespoon brown sugar-substitute
- 1-3 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1-3 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp salt
Optional Spices:
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set it to the side.
- In a bowl, combine the maple syrup, spices, and salt. Add the nuts and stir to coat well. Spread the nuts evenly on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until the nuts just begin to brown and are nicely toasted. Allow the nuts to cool.
- Store the nuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- if nuts become sticky, simply place them in a 350 degrees F. oven on a piece of parchment paper for 5-7 minutes.
- for mild spice, add 1 tsp, for medium, add 2 teaspoon and for spicy, add 3 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
- add sweetener if desired
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: Baking or Skillet
- Cuisine: Keto, Low Carb, Sugar-free
- Diet: Gluten Free
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 oz
- Calories: 186
- Sugar: 0.7
- Fat: 18.5
- Carbohydrates: 3.9
- Fiber: 1.9
- Protein: 4.3
Lynn
I wanted to get back to you. I finally made this recipe and these spicy maple nuts are amazing. I printed this recipe for my files - it's a keeper.
Lynn
These sound so good. My mouth was watering as I was reading the recipe. I can't wait to try this.
Cat
Thanks!
Shelley
My new favorite recipe!