I have made a version of these nuts this past few holiday seasons and they are always a hit.  This time I went with straight almonds but I have used pecans or mixed nuts in the past.  These nuts are sweet, salty, savory, and spicy all in one crunchy bite.  What more could you ask for??

Spicy Rosemary Almonds

3 cups raw almonds

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped finely

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter, softened or melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place raw almonds on a cookie sheet big enough for them to spread out and not be too crowded.  Toast almonds for 6-8 minutes or until they are fragrant.  Don’t walk away because it might happen sooner than you think depending on your oven.  While nuts are roasting, place other 5 ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Mix together until well combined.  When nuts are fragrant, place nuts in mixing bowl and stir until all nuts are coated with mixture.  (Keep oven on and cookie sheet handy.) Feel free to try a couple of almonds to make sure you are happy with the flavors.  Place nuts back on cookie sheet and back in the oven for another 6-8 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.  Enjoy!

(Don’t forget to soften/melt your butter – I forgot and it took a lot of stirring to combine everything!)

I would say these are more on the spicy and salty side with a hint of sweetness and rosemary.  If you prefer sweeter, add more sugar and a little less salt.  There is no wrong way to make these. As with all my recipes, this is just a guideline and please adjust it to your liking.   These are great to set out as a snack or put into jars and given as a gift.  Or eaten by handful while writing a blog post which is how I’m enjoying them.

 

Be Healthy, Be Happy!