Smokey Spiced Nuts
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I am one of those people that really needs a quick snack after work. I also like an easy snack to munch on during football games. Since it’s football season I’ve been looking for something that’s easy, filling, and tastes great. In the past I’ve gone for chips or crackers but then I end up eating too much and I’m not hungry for dinner and it’s a pain.
I’ve tried going for the fruit bowl and while I love fruit and will happily eat an apple or an orange it leaves me still feeling hungry. I’m also a a sweet and salty person so on occasion I’ll have two small snacks just so I can satisfy both of my cravings. What I really need is a snack that is both sweet and salty!
Looking through the cupboards the other day I came up a bag of mixed raw nuts. Now we aren’t really raw nut fans but in this case I knew I could turn them in to something delicious. Raw nuts are the perfect vessel for making a batch of spiced nuts.
Smokey Spiced Nuts are an awesome snack because they are full of protein, very filling, and you only need a handful to satisfy your hunger. Plus you can add whatever type of nut you enjoy. I hate peanuts so I wouldn’t add peanuts to my mix. I’m more of an almond and pecan kind of girl. There were also cashews in my bag of mixed nuts which are slowly growing on me as well.
I tried looking for a recipe for spiced nuts but I couldn’t find one that I really liked so I simply grabbed some spices out of the cupboard and went to town. I put the nuts on a baking sheet and tossed them in oil to start and then covered them with the spice mixture.
The nuts baked until they were brown and smelled amazing. A little brown sugar was used for the sweetness in the nuts while chili powder gives it a kick. I love the sweet and smokey flavor of these mixed nuts.
Once they cooled I put them in an airtight container and let them sit on the kitchen table. It was the perfect place to put them because whenever my husband or I got hungry we simply grabbed a handful and went on our way. The sweet, smokey, and spicy combination mixed with the crunchy nuts is the perfect snack any time of day!
Smokey Spiced Nuts
Ingredients
- 2 c. raw mixed nuts
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon chile powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 Tablespoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.
- Place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Put the nuts on top and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat.
- In a small bowl combine the brown sugar, chile powder, dry mustard, paprika, sea salt, and pepper. Mix well.
- Sprinkle over top of the nuts and toss to coat.
- Bake the nuts for 20-25 minutes or until they are golden brown. Make sure to stir them once or twice during the cooking time.
- Remove from oven and cool completely. Store in an air tight container for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
These sound so good, Heather. It would be hard for me to stop with just a few!
Spiced or sugared nuts are one of my favorite entertaining options too – easy to make, high in protein, and keeps well. Look forward to trying your recipe!
We love snacking on nuts but rarely with any kind of seasoning, just roasted. Love these flavors, tohugh, so might have to try!
Nuts are my favorite thing to snack on, I love this combination of ingredients.
I love nuts any way – raw, roasted, spiced – and these have my mouth watering. Snack time!
Nuts are one of my go-to snacks, too and your smokey spiced version sounds perfect!