The Christmas Nuts

Christmas Nuts, circa 2010

Christmas Nuts, circa 2011

Christmas Nuts, circa 2012

You need these nuts. You really do.

I've been making and loving these nuts at Christmas time for several years, and, because they're so very easy to make, they're a really perfect substitute for cookies and candy and things that take so long to create. They also travel well, stay fresh in a container for a long time, and can also stand to be left out in the open air for quite awhile before getting stale. They're a perfect party favor, an excellent hostess guest, and the most amazing thing to have around the house around the holidays. And lemme tell you -- when these nuts come within a mile of cheese or a salad, pure magic happens. Plus, since they're a little on the savory side, they are a much-welcomed treat during the super-sugary holiday season. 

I quintupled this recipe, since I had purchased five pounds of nuts from Costco, and I had lots of candied nut distribution to do! Five pounds will require both a GIANT bowl, approximately five large cookie sheets worth of nuts, and five large Tupperware containers. For distribution to your friends, think glass jars, a handmade ceramic bowl, or a ribboned box. Seriously, friends, put these nuts in a dirty old bedpan and everyone will still devour these them!

Sweet and Spicy Nuts

Recipe adapted from Deb at Smitten Kitchen, who adapted the recipe from Elizabeth Karmel of the restaurant Hill Country 

1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 pound unsalted nuts (I use almonds and pecans, but practically any nut works)
1 egg white, room temperature
1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix sugars, salt, cayenne, and cinnamon, making sure there are no lumps; set aside. Beat egg white and water until frothy but not stiff. Add nuts, and stir to coat evenly. Sprinkle nuts with sugar mixture, and toss until evenly coated. Spread sugared nuts in a single layer on a cookie sheet fitted with parchment paper. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and separate nuts as they cool.

Notes:
Give these amounts of ingredients a try with a small batch, and you'll get an idea of how you want them to taste. The original recipe called for more sugar, less salt, and less cinnamon than this, and I shifted things a bit to make them a bit more savory and salty. Honestly, I could stand for them to be even less sugary, but I've made these for a lot of folks who love them just the way they are! In terms of spice, you can use paprika instead of the cayenne if you wish, and if you stick with the cayenne, you'll really need quite a lot of it to conquer the sugar!