Vanilla Walnuts

Each year around Christmastime I make these vanilla walnuts to have on hand to give as gifts, eat plain or to use in a salad or on top of ice cream.  They are super easy to make.  My friend Janis gave me the recipe years ago and I always call her when I am making them.

2 pounds of walnuts, shelled  in halves, not pieces

1 cup of sugar

2/3 cup of coconut oil

2 tablespoons of vanilla

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon of pepper

1/2 teaspoon of coriander

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon of allspice

Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Blanch the walnuts for one minute in the water after it starts to boil.   Drain the walnuts and spread them evenly on the cookie sheets.  Mix the coconut oil and sugar in a bowl  and spread it evenly on the blanched walnuts. Mix the walnuts on the cookie sheets so they are covered with the vanilla and sugar mixture. Let them stand for 10 minutes so the oil can saturate into the walnuts.

Put walnuts into the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes, rotating the cookie sheets and stirring the walnuts every 10 minutes until they are light brown in color.  Mix all of the spices together into a small bowl.  Take walnuts out of oven and sprinkle spice mixture evenly over the walnuts.  Enjoy!