“Spicey Spiced Nuts”

Spicey Spiced Nuts…Yum, Yum!!! These nuts perfect for gift giving and eaten anytime you get a hankering for a nutty snack.

Spicey Spiced Nuts

Nuts have become everyone’s go to snack. Nuts are healthy for you, taste great and come in a lot of varieties both sweet and savory. Each nut has its own flavor. Whether you bake them in cookies or cakes, add them to dishes such as Thai food and just have a handful for a midafternoon pick me up, you’ll find a favorite.

Spicey Spiced Nuts

This recipe for “Spicey Spiced Nuts” came about thanks to my sister. She had made a big batch of nuts to take to a Christmas party at work. Everyone ranted and raved about this recipe. So, about five years ago, I needed a recipe that made a big batch of something to give as Christmas gifts to friends at work.

My sister says, “What about the spiced nut recipe?” She went on a mission to find this recipe for me. Well, as luck would have it, she couldn’t find the nut recipe. She later emailed me a recipe I have now created as my version of “Spicey Spiced Nuts.”

Spicey Spiced Nuts

Usually when October rolls around, friends start hinting about these nuts. A mission to find the largest bags of almond, pecans and cashews are under way. This easy recipe creates a fine spicey, sugar-coating those tastes better and better with each handful.

It’s the crunchy, salty, sweet heat combination that gets you every time. Trust me, this will become a go-to recipe at the holidays to give as gifts or place in a colorful dish to grab when walking by. Did I mention a great snack for movie night? Try them…you’ll be addicted!!!

Spicey Spiced Nuts

1 egg white

1 T. water

1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 pounds cashews, pecans, walnuts, or whole unblanched almonds (use any combination you like)

3/4 cup superfine sugar

2 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tsp. paprika

Adjust two oven racks to the middle positions and heat oven to 275 degrees. Whisk the egg white, water and salt together in a medium bowl. Add the nuts to egg white mixture and toss to coat. Drain nuts in a colander for 5 minutes.

Mix together sugar, cumin, cayenne and paprika in a large bowl. Add nuts and toss with spice mixture until well coated. Spread nuts evenly onto two parchment-lined baking sheets.

Bake the nuts until dry and crisp for about 50 minutes, rotating baking sheets halfway through baking. Remove nuts from oven and let cool on baking racks for 30 minutes. Break nuts apart, serve immediately or store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Note: If superfine sugar is hard to find, process regular granulated sugar in a food processor for 1 minute.

Other variations:

Curry Spiced: Omit cayenne pepper and reduce cumin to 1 tsp. and add 2 tsp. Curry powder.

Cinnamon Spiced: Omit cumin, cayenne, and paprika and add 2 tsp. cinnamon. 2 tsp. ginger and 1 tsp. coriander