Every December, these spicy nuts get made by my mother-in-law. A little sweet, crunchy, nutty goodness with just the right amount of heat. They are everyone's favourite snack. So much so that if she doesn't hide some in secret stashes for later, they don't make it to Christmas. I won’t name any names but you know who you are! A few years ago, she gifted me a recipe box with a multitude of favourite family recipes filled in by family members. In this magical box was the recipe to her famous spicy nuts. Here's to sharing my family traditions with you all; I hope you get as much enjoyment and happiness from this as our family does.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when making these amazing roasted mixed spicy nuts:
Fresh nuts are best. My favourite nut combination for this recipe is cashews, pecans, peanuts and almonds. However, it's incredibly customizable. Have different favourites? No problem. Pick your favourite 3-4 nuts and keep the total amount to 4.5 cups. Other great nuts to try are walnuts, pistachios, chestnuts, hazelnuts etc. Feel free to go nuts!
These roasted nuts are so simple to make, with a perfect sweet and spicy coating. Just whisk an egg white with some sugar, salt, coarsely ground pepper, cayenne pepper, cumin and cinnamon. The cayenne pepper is what brings the heat to this recipe. If you are a spicy food lover, feel free to up the amount of cayenne pepper in the recipe until the desired spiciness has been reached.
Next, stir in the nuts, making sure every single one is coated with the egg white mixture. Spread out the nuts on a lined baking sheet. Try to make sure all the nuts are spread evenly, in one layer. This will ensure even toasting during the cooking process. Make sure to stir halfway through roasting so that both sides of the nuts get nicely browned and toasted.
Keep an eye on the nuts near the end of the cooking time. They can go from golden brown and delicious to burnt VERY quickly. Once they are done, remove them from the oven and give them another stir. They will still be a bit sticky at this point. Let them cool completely on the baking sheet before storing them. This step is crucial for the nuts to harden. If you store your nuts while they are still warm they won't crisp up and will remain sticky. When completely cool, store in a sealed container. Good luck only making one batch of these nuts! Seriously, these are best made in multiple batches so that you can snack all December long.
They are the PERFECT holiday snack. You can package them up and give these delicious nuts as a gift, leave them out as a snack for your guests or use them to impress your cookie exchange friends. Here's to family, amazing food, great company and holiday traditions!
Ingredients:
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1 large egg white
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1/3 cup granulated white sugar
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1 tsp cayenne pepper (or more)
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1 tsp cumin, ground
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1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground
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1/2 tsp pepper, coarsley ground
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1/2 tsp sea salt
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1 1/2 cups whole cashews, roasted and salted
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1 1/2 cups pecan halves
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3/4 cup whole almonds
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3/4 cup peanuts, roasted and salted
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with a mat or parchment paper.2. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg white, sugar, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt, pepper and cinnamon.
3. Add the nuts and stir until they are completely coated with the spiced egg white.
4. Spread mixture on the prepared baking sheet in one even layer.
5. Bake in oven for 13-15 minutes or until they turn a golden-brown colour. Stir once at the half-way mark.
6. Remove from oven and stir well. Let cool completely on the baking sheet before storing in a sealed container. Cooling is crucial for the nuts to crisp up properly. Enjoy!