Sweet Spicy Christmas Nuts
User Reviews
3.8
Sweet Spicy Christmas Nuts
Description
Sweet Spicy Christmas Nuts are made by tossing six cups of mixed raw, unsalted nuts in a mixture of whipped egg whites and water to create a sticky coating. Separately, a spice blend with sugar, cayenne, cumin, cinnamon, ground ginger, and salt is prepared and then thoroughly mixed onto the nuts, ensuring all pieces are evenly coated.
The nuts are spread out in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and baked at 350°F. After 10 minutes, they are stirred or flipped for even roasting, then baked further. This process caramelizes the sugar and toasts the nuts, developing a crunchy texture with spicy-sweet flavor notes and a hint of warmth from the cayenne.
These nuts are a festive treat with complex flavors and a satisfying crunch, making them suitable for serving at holiday parties or including in gift baskets.
Ingredients
- ¾ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¾ teaspoon cumin ground
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 egg white
- 1 tablespoon water
- 6 cups nuts such as walnuts, pecans, almonds cashews, macadamias, pistachios, raw, unsalted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a half-sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, cayenne, cumin, cinnamon, ginger and salt until well blended.
- In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites and water together until very frothy and foamy.
- Add the nuts and toss with a large rubber spatula to coat thoroughly with egg wash. The egg should coat the nuts without adding egg white at the bottom of the bowl. If there's additional egg white mixture pooling in the bowl after coating the nuts, add another ½ to 1 cup of nuts and toss again until well coated.
- Add spice blend and toss with a spatula to coat the nuts entirely. All the spice mixture should adhere to the nuts without having leftover spice in the bottom of the bowl. Continue to toss until all of the spice mix coats the nuts.
- Spread nuts in a single layer on the sheet pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then stir or flip the nuts and re-spread them into a single layer. Bake an additional 10 minutes until the nuts are toasted, fragrant and crisp. Cool on the sheet pan. Nuts will get crisper as they cool.
- Store in an airtight container. Serve with cocktails or wrap in cellophane bags to gift.
- Fill festive cellophane bags or decorative jars or tins with the nuts to gift the nuts. Seal them well to stay fresh.
Making Nuts in a Large Batch
- I spend a few hours on a Saturday making about 30 cups of nuts for my holiday gifts. To do this, I mix the nuts in a large Tupperware container and portion out the nuts in 6-cup increments.
- Make each batch of nuts individually. Do not mix a large batch of sugar-spice mixture or egg white and water mixture... You're asking for trouble.
Notes
- Store spiced nuts in an airtight container to keep them fresh for up to one month.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 24Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 205 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 205kcal | 10% |
| Carbohydrates | 12g | 4% |
| Protein | 2g | 4% |
| Fat | 17g | 26% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 101mg | 4% |
| Potassium | 105mg | 2% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 9g | 18% |
| Vitamin A | 40IU | 1% |
| Vitamin C | 0.3mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 21mg | 2% |
| Iron | 0.7mg | 4% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
3.8
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