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    Home » Recipes » Appetizers & Dips

    Published: Dec 23, 2019 · Modified: Sep 10, 2020 by Paula Montenegro · Income from ads and affiliates

    Sweet Spicy Nuts (2 recipes)

    Jump to Recipe
    Sweet spiced nuts long pin with text
    Sweet spiced nuts long pin with text
    Sweet spiced nuts long pin with text

    I come bearing my two favorite cocktail nuts recipes. Both are sweet and spiced, share part of the ingredients, are incredibly easy to make and can be more or less hot according to your taste! Any nut can be used, they are ready to eat in less than an hour and last several days.

    Table of Contents Open
    What nuts can you use?
    Ingredient list
    How to make sweet spiced nuts
    Related recipes you might like:
    Sweet Spiced Cocktail Nuts (2 recipes)
    Cocktail nuts in white bowl on white marble.


    These recipes are super easy to make, of course, so they can a last-minute addition to your holiday table or a buffet. Just in case you think you need one more thing on your list.

    We serve them every year together with these flavored olives and baked ricotta with olive oil crackers.

    We're sharing two recipes that start the same way but have different spices. So you can make a large batch, divide it in half and flavor each slightly differently.

    What nuts can you use?

    Any type you like! It's a great recipe for using those last handfuls left in the packets.

    • Walnuts and almonds: this is one of my favorite combinations when it comes to cocktail nuts and we use them for one of our recipes.
    • Sweet and spiced pecans: the eternal favorite, creaminess and crunchy with that unique flavor we all love. We use them alone for the second recipe.
    Bunch of cocktail pecans on white napkin.

    These two recipes are very similar.

    And great when you have leftover egg whites!

    The first one is the old reliable favorite I made constantly. Not only for Christmas and New Year's but for everyday snacking also.

    The second one, a variation, came to be when I ran out of two of the ingredients and had to improvise. It turned out amazing!

    So I started alternating between both, depending on the hotness I wanted in my nuts. Because one has cayenne pepper, and that always comes with a lot of heat attached.

    Ingredient list

    These sweet and spicy nuts are made with simple ingredients. Give or take.

    • Nuts: my favorites are pecans, walnuts, and almonds. I used pecans for the process shots for this post, but some images have walnuts and almonds. They all work wonderfully.
    • Sweet part: I use regular granulated sugar. But you can use any type you like. Brown sugar works well and adds a caramel undertone. If you use coconut sugar or muscovado, consider that they don't sweeten as much as white does.
    • Spiced part: the recipe with cayenne pepper is spicier than the other. This spice can be very hot, so consider that; you may want to start small the first time you make them. And then the paprika can be sweet paprika, hot, or smoked paprika. We use a mix of smoked and hot paprika.
    Cocktail nuts ingredients in bowls on white surface including ground spices, egg white, sugar, and salt.

    How to make sweet spiced nuts

    Grab a bowl, a fork or whisk, and a spatula.

    Lightly beat egg yolk with sugar until foamy (image 1). You can use an electric beater if you want and beat until beginning to form peaks.

    Add all spiced and mix (image 2). It will be a reddish-brown, quite ugly color if you ask me.

    Add pecans (or whatever nuts you're using) and mix well (images 3, 4).

    Mixing egg white mixture for cocktail nuts in a glass bowl with fork; process collage.
    Mixing sweet spicy nuts in glass bowl with red spatula; process collage.

    Line a baking sheet with aluminum paper if you want. I always do this to avoid having to clean the baking sheet.

    Spread the nut mixture with the spatula (image 5). Try not to overlap them so they bake better and don't clump.

    Bake as directed and stir them after 5 minutes in the oven (image 6). This is important for them to bake as evenly as possible. Do this carefully and try not to tear the paper.

    When done, remove the pan from the oven and move the nuts around carefully with a spatula so they cool down without sticking to the aluminum paper.

    Baked cocktail nuts in aluminum foil; process collage.
    Close up of reddish sweet spicy pecans.

    Sweet and spiced nuts are a great idea as an appetizer for a party, a gathering, or a buffet table. Even a picnic if you ask me.

    They keep well and are ready so fast that it really is a savior recipe when it comes to celebrations!

    Cocktail nuts in a white bowl on a white marble surface.

    Related recipes you might like:

    • Partial close up view of roasted olives and garlic in a white bowl with bread pieces beside it on a white cloth.
      Easy Roasted Olives
    • Grey round dish with baked ricotta topped with tomatoes, white linen underneath, olives in background.
      Easy Baked Ricotta
    • Silver fork pinching mini sausage among several in white bowl, grey linen and wooden board underneath.
      Little Smokies Recipe
    • Slices of mushroom strudel on a white plate with beige surface.
      Mushroom Cheese Strudel

    Let me know in the comments below if you made this recipe and loved it and if you had issues so we can troubleshoot together. I love to hear what you think, always. Thanks for being here. It's much appreciated.
    You might also consider subscribing to our FREE email series to Boost your Home Baking Skills! And our regular newsletter.
    And let's connect via Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.

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    Cocktail nuts in a white bowl on a white marble surface.

    Sweet Spiced Cocktail Nuts (2 recipes)

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    Two easy sweet and spicy cocktail nuts recipes! Easy, any nut can be used, are ready to eat in less than an hour, and last several days. The recipes are for 1 egg white, so you can double, triple, or multiply it at will. 

    • Total Time: 55 minutes
    • Yield: 2 cups

    Ingredients

    Units

    For both:

    • 1 egg white
    • ¼ cup sugar
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
    • 2 cups nuts of choice

    Recipe 1:

    • Dash to ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
    • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

    Recipe 2:

    • ½ teaspoon ground chili powder
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 350ºF /180ºC.
    2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum paper. Reserve.
    3. In a bowl lightly beat egg white with sugar and salt until thick and foamy, about 1 minute with a fork or whisk. 
    4. Add paprika and extra ingredients depending on what recipe you're making (recipe 1 or 2, above).
    5. Add nuts and mix until well coated. 
    6. Spread on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes. 
    7. Remove, stir the nuts with a spatula being careful not to tear the paper, and return to the oven 10-15 more minutes, stirring once more before they're done. 
    8. Remove from oven and immediately stir again so they don't stick while cooling down.
    9. Let cool completely and store in airtight containers. 
    • Author: Paula Montenegro
    • Prep Time: 20 minutes
    • Cooling time: 20 minutes
    • Cook Time: 15 minutes
    • Category: Appetizers
    • Method: Baking
    • Cuisine: International

    Keywords: cocktail nuts

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @vintagekitchenblog on Instagram and hashtag it #vintagekitchenblog

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    About Paula Montenegro

    I'm Paula, a baker for more than 30 years and your designated recipe developer, sharing the best ones here with simple ingredients + easy-to-follow instructions.

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    1. Tami Price says

      December 24, 2019 at 1:48 pm

      This was perfect for gifts for my co-workers! Made Christmas jars with this recipe and passed them out as gifts! They were a huge hit! Thanks so much for sharing!

      Reply
    2. David says

      December 24, 2019 at 9:24 am

      Mmm, thinking this would be perfect to nibble on with a glass of bubbly on New Year's!

      Reply
    3. angiesrecipes says

      December 24, 2019 at 12:36 am

      That's how I made my sweet cinnamony nuts too. Merry Christmas, Paula.

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Paula!

    A baker for more than 30 years and your designated recipe finder, sharing the best ones on this blog, with simple ingredients + easy-to-follow instructions.

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