Sweet and Spicy co*cktail Nuts (2024)

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This recipe (with two variations) for sweet and spicy nuts is very easy to make and can be a last-minute addition to your holiday table. Just in case you think you need one more thing on your list.

We serve them every New Year's Eve with flavored olives and baked ricotta with olive oil crackers.

We're sharing two options with the same base ingredient: one has cinnamon and the other chili powder.

So you can make a large batch, divide it in half before adding the final spices, and flavor each slightly differently.

What nuts can you use?

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

• Walnuts and almonds: this is one of my favorite combinations for co*cktail nuts, and we use them for the first flavor option.
• Sweet and spiced pecans are the eternal favorite, creamy and crunchy, with that unique flavor we all love. We use them on their own for the second option.

This is a recipe to have handy 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.

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.

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 and beat until it begins to form peaks.

Add all spices 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).

Baking

• 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). Overlap them as little as possible to avoid clumping during baking.
• 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.

This sweet spicy nuts recipe is a great 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 is a savior recipe for celebrations!