Mixed nuts are great to have around.
They’re the perfect mix of salty and sweet, and they’re also filling! Even a handful of a good nut mix is a nutritious and delicious snack anytime of the day.
What’s more, you can use them for so much more than just a quick snack.
They’re also great for trail mix, appetizers for a night drinking with your buddies, or a delicious alternative for potato chips or popcorn for your next movie night.
If you’ve got a movie night, camping trip, or dinner party coming up, this is the perfect time to try this recipe!
You’re going to get a crunchy, spicy, salty, and sweet appetizer that will work great with other appetizers, such as this creamy cheese ball and caprese salad skewers.
How do you make spices stick to nuts?
While most nuts are oily on their own, they might not contain enough oil to allow spices and other seasonings to properly stick to them even if they’re roasted beforehand.
You can help the seasonings stick better on the surfaces of nuts by adding a little bit of fat, sugar, or both to the spice mix before adding them to the nuts.
As the nuts are heated during the roasting process, the seasonings stick better on the surface of the nuts because of the fat coming from the nuts, as well as the additional fat and sugar.
What’s more, capsaicin is soluble in fat, so hot spices such as cayenne and chili powder will have more intense flavors after roasting!
How to store roasted nuts?
Roasted nuts are oily, making them more prone to becoming rancid in warm weather.
If you are storing roasted nuts, they can keep safely in room temperature for around a month.
However, if you’re planning to store them longer, you need to put them in an airtight container such as a mason jar.
You can store it inside your fridge for up to six months, or inside your freezer for up to year.
How long do roasted nuts last?
Different nuts have different shelf lives. Since it’s difficult to keep track of all these different expiration dates, you should just keep tracks starting from the roasting date.
Roasted nuts will keep up to a month in room temperature, but for optimum taste and freshness, a week is your best bet.
Are roasted nuts healthy?
Yes, roasted nuts are healthy!
They’re a great source of protein, fiber, and monounsaturated fat.
They also contain a lot of vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamin E and magnesium.
However, you should still eat nuts in moderation since they also contain saturated fats.
What type of nuts are in mixed nuts?
The types of nuts in a nut mix will depend on the manufacturer, but the most common types are almonds, pistachios, walnuts, cashews, pecans, Brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, peanuts, and hazelnuts.
These nuts are cheap, easily sourced, and stand up well to being roasted and salted/spiced.
Tips and Tricks to Keep in Mind:
1. Look for fresh nuts in their shell
Buying whole, unshelled nuts is not only cheaper, but you can also ensure freshness and quality.
Unshelled nuts have a much longer shelf life compared to shelled nuts, since shelling nuts will start drying out the natural oils inside the nuts.
Yes, it’s a little bit more work for you, but if you have a strong nutcracker, shelling nuts are going to be a breeze!
Trust us, fresh nuts are worth the extra effort.
2. Buy wholesale when possible
Check out your local Whole Foods or other wholesale retailer for wholesale, loose nuts.
They’re a lot cheaper than pre-packaged nuts, and it’s easier for you to check the freshness and quality of the nuts.
3. Go for unsalted mixes
Pre-packaged mixes are available in both unsalted and salted versions.
Make sure to go for unsalted versions when possible, as salted versions usually have a lot of sodium to help increase shelf life.
If you’re using a salted mix, you’ll need to omit the salt from this recipe as you might over-salt the final dish.
Watch This Recipe Like a Hawk!
The difficult thing about working with mixed nuts is that even a little too much time in the oven can quickly brown the nuts too much and turn them bitter.
During the final minutes of cooking, make sure that you keep an eye on the nuts to prevent them from roasting too much.
Remove Nuts Immediately from Tray After Cooking
After roasting, you want to immediately remove the nuts from the parchment paper before they start to cool down.
If you don’t, the nuts could harden into the parchment paper and it will be quite difficult to remove them!
Pour them into a large bowl to finish cooling to prevent them from sticking to the parchment paper.
What if I don’t have Maple Syrup?
The maple syrup in this recipe works as both a seasoning and a “glue” to help the spices stick to the nuts. You need to use a substitute that’s both sweet and sticky.
Honey is a great choice, but if you don’t have honey, you can use pancake syrup or light corn syrup.
Try Other Seasoning Mixes
One of the best things about nuts is that they work with so many different types of seasonings!
You can try other seasonings, ranging from savory to sweet!
If you’re looking for a homemade seasoning that you can try with this recipe, why not whip up a family favorite with some ranch seasoning or taco seasoning?
With this delicious and easy recipe, the sky’s the limit!
You can tweak with the seasonings AND the mixed nuts, if you want.
Add more of a certain nut, add more of a certain seasoning, and just make the perfect homemade nut mix for you.
How To Make Homemade Easy And Quick Nut Mix
Who doesn’t love a handful of warm, spiced nut mix? They’re salty, sweet, and spicy, and the different textures of the nuts make for an interesting mouthfeel every time! They’re perfect for an appetizer at your next party, a quick snack on the road, or even as a homemade gift for the holidays! Just pop them in a festive can, tie a ribbon on the can, and you’re good to go!
Ingredients
- 4 cups unsalted mixed nuts
- 1 T. sea salt
- 2 t. ground black pepper
- 1 t. garlic powder
- 2 t. cinnamon
- ½ t. cayenne pepper
- 2 T. brown sugar, tightly packed
- 2 T. real maple syrup
- 2 T. unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350⁰F.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, place all ingredients expect nuts and mix well until combined thoroughly.
- Place mixed nuts into bowl and toss with seasoning mix until all the nuts are evenly coated.
- Spread nuts on the prepared baking sheet. Make sure that the nuts are on a single flat layer and that they are not overlapping. Use a rubber spatula to properly space out the nuts.
- Place into preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes.
- Remove from oven, stir nuts to ensure even toasting, and place back into oven for another 8-10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle with additional sea salt or other seasonings as desired.
- Serve immediately or place into airtight container once cooled.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 921Total Fat: 76gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 60gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 2221mgCarbohydrates: 49gFiber: 13gSugar: 18gProtein: 24g