Maple and Brown Sugar Chickpeas- The Candied Nuts I Love!

This time of year there is a lot of baking and sharing of sweets. Cookies, cakes, and everything sugar is what makes this time of year extra special. Now, I love a good cookie recipe as much as the next person.  But my favorite traditional baked good that we have always loved to make for the holidays and have shared with family is candied nuts. Unfortunately, we know more people than not; that have allergies to nuts. So to keep this tradition going we decided to just swap the nuts for chickpeas. Chickpeas deliver the same crunch and chewiness as your typical sugary pecan or almond. After these are baked they are generally best eaten with the same day, as most baked goods are best fresh. Luckily, these little sweet bites wont last that long once you start to pop them in your mouth.

Candied Nuts- Maple and Brown Sugar Chickpeas

Ingredients:

• 1 -15 ounce can chickpeas
• 1 tbsp. vegan butter
• 1 tbsp. coconut oil
• 1 tbsp. maple syrup 
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp. brown sugar 

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

• 10 Best Vegan-Friendly Cities Around The World
• BOM BOM Launch New Alcoholic Beverage, Vegan Hemp Milk Cream Liqueur!
• Do You Need Meat When Pregnant?
• Five Vegan Dinner Ideas To Make This Week

Directions to make candied nuts:

• Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees. 
• Rinse chickpeas under cool water and drain. Lay chickpeas on a paper towel and pat dry to ensure they are no longer wet. The more moisture removed the crispier your chickpeas will be.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake plain chickpeas for 40 minutes, rotating and shaking the baking sheet halfway through.
• In a small bowl, melt butter and coconut oil together. Whisk in maple syrup and 2 tbsp. brown sugar until well combined. 
• Remove chickpeas from the oven and toss in the brown sugar mixture until coated. 
• Place chickpeas back on to prepared baking sheet and bake another 15 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately toss in remaining 1/4 cup of brown sugar.
• Let cool for about 10 minutes and enjoy these Candied Nuts!