I love spiced nuts. Most of the recipes I make tend to be on the sweeter side. This recipe is just the opposite. It’s more savory than sweet, and perfect to serve at a cocktail party, or with hors d’oeuvres before dinner. We had some friends over for dinner the other night and I served these with drinks before dinner. When they came out of the oven, I ate so many of them that I ran the risk of having to make another batch. The good news is that my husband isn’t as much of a fan of these as I am, so he didn’t sneak too many of them himself. He prefers the sweeter nuts that I make.

If you like a big punch of spicy flavor in your spiced nuts, give these a try. You can use any type of nuts that you like. My favorites are pecans and cashews, so that’s what I used, but any will do. If the spice mix in the ingredients list gives you pause, try to make half a batch to see if you like them.

Spiced Cocktail Nuts
Recipe from Giada DeLaurentis via FoodNetwork

Vegetable cooking spray
1 egg white
1 1/2 cups roasted and salted cashews
1 1/2 cups pecan halves
6 Tablespoons of granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon Madras curry powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 1/4 teaspoons garlic salt
heaping 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet, liberally, with vegetable cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites until frothy. Add the nuts and stir until coated. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, curry powder, cumin, garlic salt, cayenne pepper, cardamom, and cinnamon. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the nuts and toss until coated. Arrange the nuts in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring halfway through the baking time, until the nuts are golden and fragrant. Cool for 1 hour.

Using a metal spatula, remove the nuts from the baking sheet. Break the nuts into bite- sized pieces if necessary, and place in serving bowls.

Yield: 3 cups of nuts


One year ago:  Chocolate Nut Zucchini Bread 
Two years ago:  No Bake Healthy Breakfast Cookies
Three years ago:  Salted Caramel and Chocolate Rice Krispies Squares
Four years ago:  Broiled Flounder with Parmesan “Caesar” Glaze
Five years ago:  Chocolate Sugar Cookies
Six years ago:  Shredded Brussels Sprouts
Seven years ago:  Apple Mosaic Tart with Salted Caramel
Eight years ago:  French Silk Pie
Nine years ago:  Red Lentil Soup with Lemon
Ten years ago:  Spinach and Chicken Tortilla Bake
Eleven years ago:  Cheddar Apple Frittata