I'm Becca - mom to three cute kiddos, professional photographer, chocolate addict, in love with all thing wildflowers, and (most importantly) a sinner saved by grace through faith!
The other day I was hungry and craving something sweet. I started going through my pantry and found some coconut cashews that I got as a free gift in my most recent Thrive Market order. They sounded good, so I decided to give them a try. 3 minutes later the bag was empty and my life was changed.
Okay okay that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but those cashews were freaking AH-MA-ZING.
Which is why I decided to try my hand at making my own roasted cashews. And that’s how this recipe was created. Y’all. I’m not kidding when I say they were better than the cashews that got me in this conundrum in the first place. I ate the entire recipe in a week. #noregrets And after having my friend, Emily (from MartinezMade.co) try the cashews and rave about them, I knew I had to share this recipe with y’all.
The super (not so) secret ingredient?
Mexican vanilla
If you haven’t tried this nectar from the Lord, you are missing out! It has a totally different taste from regular vanilla, and I LOVE it. My sister recently went to Mexico on a mission trip and brought me back some, so I’ve been using it in errthang. And good news for you if you don’t live near Mexico – Amazon sells it! I’ve used both the Danncy and La Vencedora brands, and both are equally delicious (< affiliate links).
If you don’t have any Mexican vanilla and want to try these cashews, regular vanilla extract (NOT that imitation stuff) works too! You just won’t get the strong, yummy, warm taste of the Mexican vanilla. But let’s be real. You can order it through Amazon Prime, so no excuses y’all! ;)
In order to get the sugar to harden on the outside of the cashews, the key is dry roasting them in the oven until they start secreting oils, and tossing in the sugar and vanilla while the cashews are still warm. Once they are completely cool, the sugar will have hardened on the outside, forming a crunchy, sugary layer that is quite addictive.
These Mexican Vanilla Sugar Cashews are super easy to make (which is quite dangerous) and will be a hit wherever you bring them.
But if you end up eating them all on your own, no judgement over here. ;)
Spread the cashews out on a sheet pan and toast in the oven for 15 minutes, or until cashews are fragrant and slightly browned, tossing every 5 minutes.
Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle the sugar and vanilla over the cashews. Stir to evenly coat.
Let them cool completely on the sheet before storing in an airtight container in a dry, cool place.
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