Salted caramel roasted cashews

A deliciously easy snack!

This simple stovetop method is so much faster and easier than the oven roasting method I have used for years and this recipe can successfully be used with a variety of nuts, not just cashews. For a vegan version, use melted coconut oil in place of the butter. If you prefer to make these nuts in the oven, roast at 350F for 15-20 minutes, stirring often. If you like this recipe, you might also enjoy my sweet and spicy roasted pecans which are also quick and easy to make on the stovetop.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (150 g) raw cashews
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon (14 g) melted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel or kosher salt

Method

• Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
• Place the cashews in a skillet just large enough to hold them in a single layer. Dry roast over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, tossing occasionally, just until the nuts are beginning to brown a little and are smelling deliciously fragrant. Transfer nuts to a bowl and wipe out skillet if there are any little crumbs in it.
• Melt butter in the same skillet placed over medium heat. Whisk in maple syrup and vanilla; add cashews and stir to coat evenly. Spread out in a single layer in the skillet.
• Cook 5-7 minutes over medium to medium high heat, stirring constantly (I find a small silicone spatula great for this task) and maintaining the single layer of nuts as much as possible. Sprinkle fleur de sel over nuts after 3 minutes of cooking time.
• Nuts are ready when no moisture remains in the bottom of the pan and the cashews look dry (not sticky).
• Transfer roasted cashews to the prepared baking tray, spreading them out in a single layer. Let cool then store in an airtight container for up to a month.

Makes 1 cup (150 g) of roasted nuts; recipe can be doubled if you have a skillet large enough to spread the nuts out in a single layer.