Sweet Spiced Nuts

Make these addictive Sweet Spiced Nuts with pecans and almonds in a warm cinnamon ginger cayenne coating. Crunchy, sweet, and lightly spicy, they're perfect for snacking, holiday gifting, or topping salads and desserts.

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword almonds, pecans

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Servings

Calories 472kcal

Author Elizabeth Rodriguez

Ingredients

¾ cup granulated sugar we use organic raw cane sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt we use kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
1 large egg white
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups raw pecan halves (about 8 ounces by weight)
2 cups raw almonds (about 10 ounces by weight)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and cayenne pepper.
Separate the egg white from the yolk (reserve the yolk for another use). Place the egg white in a large bowl and beat until frothy but not stiff peaks. Stir in the vanilla extract.
Add the pecans, almonds, and sugar-spice mixture to the egg white. Use a rubber spatula to toss and stir until the nuts are completely coated, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Choose a bowl that is large enough to stir and toss the nuts easily without spilling.
Spread the nuts in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, separating them as much as possible.
Bake for about 45 minutes until light golden, stirring once halfway through (around the 20–25 minute mark). After stirring, spread them back into a single layer.
Let the nuts cool completely on the baking sheet before breaking apart, serving, or storing.

Notes

If you want more heat, increase the cayenne pepper to taste.
Use a rubber spatula when combining the nuts and sugar mixture, it helps scrape the bowl thoroughly for even coating.
If your oven has hot spots, rotate the pan halfway through baking if needed.
Storage: Once completely cooled, store the nuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. For longer storage, refrigerate up to 1 month or freeze up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving for the best crunch.
Don’t throw away that delicious sugar left on the parchment! Use a slotted spoon or spatula to lift the cooled nuts onto a plate, then scrape up the leftover spiced sugar and store it in an airtight container. It’s fantastic sprinkled on buttered toast, ice cream, oatmeal, or yogurt.

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