What is your favorite walnut recipe? Send us your favorites and they may be included in our online recipe database. Check out the California Walnut Staff favorites too.
The Staff’s Favorite Walnut Recipes
Pam Arsondi – Sugared Walnuts
1 cup white sugar
¼ cup water
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 ½ cups walnuts
- Put all ingredients in pan on stove and bring to boil.
- Stir for 10-15 minutes, until mixture is string-like when lifting the spoon out.
- Drizzle over walnuts on wax paper and let cool.
Dennis Balint – Walnuts with popcorn salt & a favorite beverage
Carol Berg-Sloan – Wild Rice with Walnuts and Cranberries
- Make wild rice according to package. At the end, when the time comes to let the rice sit, stir in walnuts and dried cranberries.
Heather Donoho – Walnut Brittle
Carl Eidsath – Spiced Rum Sugared Walnuts
Dana Hull – California Walnut & Apricot Rugelach 
Abhi Kulkarni – Candied walnut, cranberry, and feta salad
- In a bowl add mixed salad greens, dried cranberries, feta cheese crumbles and candied walnuts. Top with your choice of dressing.
Anne McConico – Candied Orange Walnuts
½ cup orange juice
1 ½ cup sugar
Zest of 2-3 oranges
3 cups (12 ounces) walnut halves or pieces and halves
- Put orange juice and sugar in medium saucepan and bring to 234°F (stirring constantly).
- Once candy thermometer hits 234°F, remove from heat, add walnuts and zest and stir until walnuts start to “sugar” or turn white.
- Place on pan covered in parchment paper and break apart.
Michelle McNeil – Walnut Pesto Pinwheels
- Heat oven to 350°F.
- Unroll 1 can of refrigerated crescent dinner rolls; separate dough into 4 rectangles. Firmly press perforations to seal.
- Spread walnut pesto over each rectangle to within 1/4 inch of edges.
- Starting with 1 short side, roll up each rectangle; press edge to seal. With serrated knife, cut each roll into 6 slices. On ungreased cookie sheet, place slices cut side down.
Bake 13 to 17 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Top with shredded parmesan cheese. Serve warm.
Chef’s tip– if you have extra pesto toss with your favorite pasta and store-bought chicken for an easy dinner … or mix 2 tablespoons of pesto with an 8oz. package of cream cheese, spread on tortillas and top with chopped walnuts and chopped sun-dried tomatoes or pimento, roll, slice and enjoy.
Jennifer Olmstead – California Walnut Energy Bars 
Nate Samelson – Spice Coated Maple Walnut Nuggets
Jennifer Williams – Walnut-Crusted Salmon
Call for Recipes
Now you know our favorite walnut recipes, what are yours? Submit your recipe to info@walnuts.org with “Grower recipe” in the subject and your recipe could be featured in the next newsletter.
