These Coconut Cashews, inspired by Trader Joe’s, are made with coconut milk, coconut oil, sugar, and coconut flakes to create some incredibly delicious candied nuts!  

These Coconut Cashews, inspired by Trader Joe's, are made with coconut milk, coconut oil, sugar, and coconut flakes to create some incredibly delicious candied nuts!

On my recent trip to Salt Lake City for my blog conference, I stopped at Trader Joe’s and grabbed a bag of Coconut Cashews. They pretty much changed my life and became my new favorite snack food. Well, I don’t live super close to Trader Joe’s, so I might make it there like twice a year, and that was not going to be okay with this new snack obsession, so I took a look at the ingredients list and came up with a close enough version that I can enjoy at home!

These Coconut Cashews, inspired by Trader Joe's, are made with coconut milk, coconut oil, sugar, and coconut flakes to create some incredibly delicious candied nuts!

With coconut milk, coconut oil, and coconut flakes, there is no shortage of coconut flavor going on in these nuts! The main difference for me was that the Trader Joe’s version was crunchier, but I think whole cashews might not absorb the liquid as much as the cashew halves that I used. Nonetheless, you should be making these and topping salads with them, or plain old snacking on them straight as they are! They are as good as candy, but with a slight saltiness from the cashews! Salty-sweet combos are my favorite!

These Coconut Cashews, inspired by Trader Joe's, are made with coconut milk, coconut oil, sugar, and coconut flakes to create some incredibly delicious candied nuts!

What are some of your favorite candied nuts?

These Coconut Cashews, inspired by Trader Joe's, are made with coconut milk, coconut oil, sugar, and coconut flakes to create some incredibly delicious candied nuts!

Coconut Cashews

These Coconut Cashews, inspired by Trader Joe’s, are made with coconut milk, coconut oil, sugar, and coconut flakes to create some incredibly delicious candied nuts!

Ingredients

  • 3 cups cashew halves (I used Planter's Cashew Halves & Pieces)
  • 1 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
  • 1/4 cup lite coconut milk (from the can)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes

Instructions

  1. Place cashews in a large bowl. Melt coconut oil and pour over cashews.
  2. Open up the can of coconut milk and whisk it smooth. Measure out ¼ cup and add it to the nuts. (Save the leftover coconut milk for smoothies or to cook rice with.)
  3. Add the sugar to the nuts and fold the coconut-cashew mixture until everything is mixed well.
  4. Spread nuts onto a silicone lined baking sheet.
  5. Quickly pulse the coconut flakes in a food processor or blender until fine. Save for a later step.
  6. Bake cashews at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes. Stir.
  7. Bake 10 minutes more. Stir.
  8. Bake 5 minutes more. Add the fine coconut flakes and stir to coat the cashews.
  9. Bake 10 more minutes (for a total of 35 minutes cook time) or until all the sugary mixture has stuck to the nuts and there is no liquid left.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12
Amount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
These Coconut Cashews, inspired by Trader Joe's, are made with coconut milk, coconut oil, sugar, and coconut flakes to create some incredibly delicious candied nuts!