Name: Easy Spicy Nuts
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 2 cups pecans (or your favorite nuts, or a combination); 1/4 cup Sugar; 1 tsp ground cayenne pepper (can use any chili powder you have to adjust heat level); 1 1/2 tsp coarse kosher or sea salt; 1 Tbsp water; 1 Tbsp honey; 1 tsp Olive Oil

Jump to Recipe

This spicy nuts recipe is quick, crunchy, and perfectly balanced with sweet, salty, and heat. They’re quick to make, addictive as a snack, and can even be packaged up for easy holiday gifting.

Spicy nuts in a glass serving dish. — Spicy Nuts

If you have a spice lover in your house or on your gift list, they will thank you for these.

Why Spicy Nuts are the Perfect Snack

They are easy to make.
Nuts have a lot of fiber, so they are filling, and they satisfy your hunger.
These spicy nuts are made with ingredients that most folks have in the pantry.
They only take twenty minutes.

Spicy nuts in jars decorated for gifting.

What You Need

Nuts: Use your favorite nuts or some that you have on hand.
Sugar: Granulated sugar will stick best.
Spice: Choose cayenne, chili powder or chipotle powder.
Salt: The salt enhances the other flavors.
Water: Just a bit of water will help the honey and oil stick to the nuts after it has evaporated.
Honey: Use local, raw honey.
Olive Oil: The oil helps the honey stick to the nut’s surfaces.

How to Make Them

Nuts on a rimmed baking sheet. — Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

Toast nuts in the oven for about 10 minutes, until golden and fragrant.

Spices and sugar in a large bowl. — Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

Place the sugar, salt, and cayenne pepper in a large bowl.

Spice mix combined in the bowl. — Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

Mix well.

Toasted nuts in a large skillet with wet ingredients. — Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

Place the water, honey, and olive oil in a large skillet. Bring it to a low boil. Stir and turn the nuts until all of the liquid in the skillet is absorbed.

Nuts coated in the spice mixture. — Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

Pour the coated muts into the bowl with the spice mixture. Quickly stir the nuts to coat all of the nuts in all of the spice mixture.

Nuts arranged on the rimmed baking sheet to dry. — Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

Turn the nuts onto a rimmed baking sheet. Spread them apart so they are in a single layer. Dry them for at least a few hours or overnight on the counter.

Spicy nuts in a glass bowl. — Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

Flavor Variations

Use chipotle powder or cayenne powder instead of a generic chili powder.
Use different herbal spices like rosemary, basil or oregano for a more floral flavor.
Use vanilla or cinnamon to add a stronger sweet vibe.
Smoked paprika is bold, earthy and smoky and makes a great addition.

How to Store Spicy Nuts to Preserve Flavor?

Once the nuts have thoroughly dried, load them into airtight containers. Mason jars, freezer bags, and vacuum packing are all good choices. Store the nuts in the freezer for up to six months. This will prolong their freshness.

Nuts can also be stored at room temperature for a few weeks or in the refrigerator for a few months.

What Types of Nuts Work?

Any nuts will work. Use almonds, cashews, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, peanuts or make a custom mix with different varieties of nuts.

How to use These Spicy Nuts

Serve them in a bowl at your next party or package them in jars for holiday gifts. They’re versatile, addictive, and always appreciated.

See how easy they actually are? Put some of these spicy nuts on the table during a party and watch them disappear.

More Finger Foods for Parties

More Recipes for Gifts

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I hope you enjoyed the recipe today.

Enjoy. And have fun cooking!

Spicy nuts in a decorative jar with a label and bow on top for gifting.

Easy Spicy Nuts

This spicy nuts recipe is an easy 20-minute snack. They’re crunchy, sweet-spicy, and great for parties or holiday gifting.

See Step by Step Photos Above!Most of our recipes have step by step photos and videos! Also helpful tips so that you can make it perfectly the first time and every time! Scroll up to see them!

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Gift, Snack

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 10

Drying time: 1

Total Time: 20

Servings: 20 servings

Calories: 83kcal

Author: Beth Neels

Cost: $10

Ingredients

▢ 2 cups pecans or your favorite nuts, or a combination
▢ 1/4 cup Sugar
▢ 1 tsp ground cayenne pepper can use any chili powder you have to adjust heat level
▢ 1 1/2 tsp coarse kosher or sea salt
▢ 1 Tbsp water
▢ 1 Tbsp honey
▢ 1 tsp Olive Oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place nuts in a single layer on cookie sheet, Toast for approximately 10 minutes, until golden and fragrant. Watch carefully so that they don’t burn. Check often.
While nuts toast, mix sugar, salt and cayenne in medium bowl.
In a large skillet, heat water, oil and honey over low heat. Combine. When mixture begins to bubble, add nuts and stir, coating all nuts in the liquid, until all of the liquid is absorbed.
Turn nuts into sugar and spice mixture and coat all sides.
Lay on cookie sheet, in a single layer and allow to air dry until they are not too sticky. Store in air tight jars. Freeze, if storing for more than a week.

non stick baking sheet

mixing bowls

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Video

Notes

Be careful not to burn the nuts. Watch them very closely.

Place warm nuts with topping in a large, covered bowl. Shake to thoroughly coat with the spices.

Nutrition

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