Spiced Nuts – Recipe

Boy howdy, if the weather hadn’t just turned cool i would still be feeling mega autumnal: Pinterest is blowing up with pumpkins, spice, hearty meals and tons of baked treats for warming bellies on cold nights. We’ve been getting some really great seasonal ideas posted to our blog hop as well. Y’all are gearing up for a snowy Winter, i can tell!

I guess i’d better “keep up with the Joneses” and start posting some seasonal goodies myself. Since i live in Oregon and am surrounded by hazelnut trees, what better recipe to adapt from my old blog than “Deborah’s Spiced Pecans“? Spiced nuts satisfy both savory and sweet tooths (teeth?) and they’re not difficult to make. Pecans and filberts are totally different nuts, but what the hey it’s worth the try.

Spiced Nuts

• Preheat to 300
• Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silpat, or grease with butter or coconut oil
• Mix 1/2 cup sugar with spices in small bowl
• Spices: 1 1/2 t each salt and chili powder, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, pinch cayenne, i also added a few dashes cloves
• Beat 1 egg white lightly in larger bowl.
• Toss in nuts (2 cups raw nuts) to coat. Sprinkle with spice mix & coat evenly.
• Transfer each nut separately to sheet with space between.
• Save leftover mix in plastic baggy for next project.
• Bake 30-35 min for pecans/ 25 minutes for filberts or almonds (don’t let blacken on the bottom!)
• Cool 5 min and transfer to wax paper, breaking apart as necessary.

Laying out each nut is tedious: but trust me, it’s necessary to prevent a major burnt mess. Let nuts cool completely: their texture will change as they cool from gummy feeling to crispy. They even make a lovely pinging sound as they cool and harden up. Store covered in a dry place (or fridge) and try not to eat them all in one setting. These nuts make great party snacks, stocking stuffers, or ice cream toppers.

Do any nuts grow locally in your neck of the woods? What do you like to do with them?