Sweet & Spicy Roasted Party Nuts

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Cookie + Kate

Total Time

35 minutes

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

25 minutes

Rating

(99)

Ingredients

5 ½ cups

2 cups whole almonds
2 cups pecan or walnut halves
1.5 cup pepitas (green pumpkin seeds)
Optional but so good: 2 tablespoons finely snipped or chopped fresh rosemary (from 4 big sprigs)
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt*
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (reduce or omit if sensitive to spice)

American Kid-Friendly Beginner Vegetarian ...

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Preparation

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Step 1

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat so the maple syrup doesn’t get stuck to the pan (this is important). Pour the almonds, pecans and pepitas onto the pan and set it aside.

Step 2

In a small bowl, combine the optional rosemary (or any other added seasonings), maple syrup, melted butter, salt, vanilla, and cayenne (if you using). Gently whisk until blended.

Step 3

Pour the mixture over the nuts on the prepared baking sheet. Stir well, until all of the nuts are lightly coated. Spread the mixture in a single layer across the pan (the maple syrup will pool on the bottom of the pan, but that’s okay).

Step 4

Bake, stirring after the first 10 minutes and then every 5 minutes thereafter, until almost no maple syrup remains on the parchment paper and the nuts are deeply golden, 23 to 26 minutes. (The maple syrup coating will be a little sticky right out of the oven, but will harden as the pecans cool.)

Step 5

Remove the pan from the oven and stir the nuts one more time, spreading them into an even layer across the pan. Let them cool down for about 10 minutes, then, while the nuts are still warm, carefully separate any large clumps (this may or may not be necessary).

Step 6

Let the nut mixture cool completely on the pan. These will keep for up to 2 months in a sealed bag at room temperature.

Chef’s notes

Recipe adapted from my recipes for Naturally Sweetened Candied Pecans and Rosemary Roasted Nuts.

*Salt note:

I like how the large flakes of kosher salt make some bites a little saltier than others, but kosher salt’s weight varies considerably by brand. I used Diamond Crystal salt brand. If you’re using Morton kosher salt, use 1 teaspoon. If you’re using fine sea salt or regular table salt, use ¾ teaspoon.

Make it dairy free/vegan:

Substitute extra-virgin olive oil for the butter.

Change it up:

Feel free to play around with the nuts in this recipe; you’ll need 5 ½ cups total. Whole cashews work, but don’t really crisp up. Hazelnuts would be nice. I tried using honey instead of maple syrup, but maple produces better flavor and a more candied (not sticky) texture.

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Sweet & Spicy Roasted Party Nuts

Ingredients

Preparation

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

Chef’s notes

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