Cashew Bacon Bites

Air Fried Bacon Cashews — a smoky-sweet vegan snack.

🍳 Cook: 10 min

Ingredients

3 cups	720 ml	raw cashews (whole recommended; halves/pieces ok, reduce baking time a few minutes)
2 teaspoons	10 ml	salt
3 tablespoons	45 ml	liquid smoke
2 tablespoons	30 ml	blackstrap molasses

In a large bowl, toss together all of the ingredients, making sure to coat the cashews really well (and really evenly!).
Pour the cashews into your air fryer basket, and cook at 350F for 8-10 minutes, shaking every 2 minutes to make sure they cook evenly and to check for doneness*. During the last 2 minutes, you should shake/check every minute to avoid burning. The line between done and burnt can be thin with this recipe.
Let them cool to room temperature – about 10-15 minutes – then transfer to an airtight storage container**.

Equipment: Air Fryer

Notes

The variance in cooking time depends on a lot of things. Whole cashews will need more time, halves and pieces will need less (maybe even less than 8, so keep a close eye!). Humidity in your kitchen will also impact cooking time. Your bacon cashews are ready when the pan is on the dry side, the cashews have darkened a bit, and the house smells amazing. If you taste one while it's cooking, don't worry if it's a little bit chewy – like coconut bacon, these bacon cashews will get crunchier once they're cooled. Trust me: I burnt my first batch, because I was waiting for them to get crunchy. Don't be like me! ** Your bacon cashews will keep for up to 2-3 days in an airtight container at room temperature. And, I'll be honest, I kept mine for a full week and lived to tell the tale. But officially, I am saying 2-3 days.