This year was the first year we hosted Christmas at our house. We’ve done Thanksgiving a few times before and that really carries the heavier food burden, but I still wanted to make a few tasty treats to have around the house while family visited. Spiced nuts are a not-terrible-for-you treat. I made two versions—sweet and spicy pecans and my maple herb roasted almonds.
The key for both of these recipes, for me, is minimal effort. Between the baking and the cooking, I didn’t want to dirty several more dishes or have the oven on for a second longer than necessary to make these nuts. The good news is that these come together quickly and if you’re looking for a last minute snack to serve at a cocktail party, you probably have everything you need in your pantry.
Maple Herb Roasted Almonds
by
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Keywords: roast snack almonds edible gift winter fall
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Ingredients (1 cup)
- 1 cup raw almonds
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon rosemary, minced
- 1 teaspoon sage, minced
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350.
Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Spread all of it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Put in the oven for 10 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Remove from the oven and let the almonds cool to room temperature.
Package the almonds in a cute jar with a bow and you have a quick and easy hostess gift! Less than 30 minutes of effort Just try not to eat them all before you give them away!
While the almond recipe is my own, I turned to Pinterest to help me find a sweet and spicy version for the pecans. If you make these, I promise they won’t last for very long. They are addicting!
Sweet and Spicy Pecans
by
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes
Keywords: sauté appetizer snack pecans
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Ingredients (2 cups)
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups pecan halves
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons chopped rosemary
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon Tabasco
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
In a large skillet, melt the butter.
Add the pecans and stir until they are well-coated and become fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Add the rest of the ingredients and stir the pecans well to coat. Cook about another 2 minutes.
Transfer pecans to a lined baking sheet and spread into a single layer to cool.
Cool completely before stirring.
Try not to eat the entire jar before serving it to guests.
I have a very hard time choosing a favorite between the two of these. I love the sweet and herby flavor on the almonds and I love the sweet and spicy flavor on the pecans. Maybe you should make both and tell me what you think instead of making me choose.
Fine, I’ll choose. The pecans were my favorite. I love the smoky, spicy and sweet combination. Just don’t tell the almonds.
Enjoy!
Almond recipe is original to The Splattered Apron. Pecan recipe is from Webicurean.
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
wow, those almonds sound really good. i’ve made roasted nuts before but never a sweet version. the maple sounds divine!!
sarah k @ the pajama chef recently posted..Mexican Cornbread Pot Pie
I love the hint of maple on the almonds, soooo good.
Yum!!!! I may have to give these a go. I love nuts (why does that always sound so wrong?).
Amanda Perry @ Sistas of Strength recently posted..Gluten Free Oatmeal Cups
I don’t know, but you also made me laugh
Glad you enjoyed the pecans! It’s amazing how fast they go–sometimes I need to double the recipe just so it makes it to the table lol Can’t wait to try the almonds–almonds are my favorite!
Anne @ Webicurean recently posted..Easy Italian Wedding Soup #SundaySupper
The pecans were hugely popular and I was kicking myself for giving them away the next day! I need to make another batch ASAP. Hope you enjoyed the almonds!