Easy Christmas Spiced Nuts Recipe

Christmas spiced nuts never last long in my house. I set out a bowl, walk away for a minute, and half of them have already been picked over. The smell is what pulls everyone in. Warm, toasty nuts fill the whole house, and before I know it the family is crowded around the pan, reaching in before it has even cooled.

Sweet, salty, and just a little spicy. Make these once and they turn into a tradition, so easy you will make them every year.

Christmas Memories in Our Kitchen

I learned this recipe at a cooking class at a kitchen remodel shop with my best friend. It was one of those easy little things they made for holiday guests, and it stuck with me for good.

The first Christmas I brought them to the table, my mother in law took one bite and asked who made the hideous nuts. She liked her nuts plain, and she let me know it, more than once that afternoon.

By the end of the party my nephew was walking around calling them Sue’s hideous nuts. The name stuck for years. These days they sit right back on our Thanksgiving and Christmas table, and nobody calls them hideous anymore.

However, now everyone asks if I will make these delicious Christmas nuts at every holiday.

Why You’ll Love These Christmas Spiced Nuts

• This fun appetizer is ready in about 30 minutes with just five simple ingredients.
• The taste is the perfect sweet, salty, and spicy in one handful of nuts- the flavor everyone fights over.
• You can make them a day or two ahead, they hold up beautifully.
• Perfect for holiday parties, cookie trays, or homemade Christmas gifts.
• One big batch feeds a crowd and fills the whole house with that cozy roasted nut smell.
• When family is hungry when they arrive for a holiday, it is a fantastic protein snack to have on the coffee table to keep them out of the kitchen.
• Just be careful, as they are hard for the cook not to eat them all before guests arrive.

What Are Christmas Spiced Nuts?

Christmas spiced nuts are roasted nuts tossed in melted butter, brown sugar, and cayenne. Think of them as the dressed-up version of that plain bowl of nuts your grandmother set out every December.

The whole thing comes down to balance. A little heat from the cayenne, a spoon of brown sugar, and enough salt to keep you reaching back for more.

Use whatever nuts you love. Pecans, walnuts, almonds, and cashews make a classic Christmas nut mix, but this works just as well with a single kind.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• 3 to 4 cups raw mixed nuts
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

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Equipment Needed

• Mixing Bowls
• Sauce Pan
• Spatula
• Beautiful Serving Bowls

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• Nuts: Any raw mixed nuts work here. Pecans, walnuts, almonds, and cashews are my go-to, but I skip peanuts, they tend to take over.
• Heat: A full teaspoon of cayenne makes these properly spicy. Use half if you want a gentler nut.
• Brown sugar: Just a tablespoon, enough to give that sweet and salty pull against the heat.
• Salt: Salt to your own taste. It is what balances the sugar and the cayenne.

How to Make Christmas Spiced Nuts

1. Roast the nuts. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the raw nuts in a single layer on a large baking sheet and roast for 5 to 10 minutes, until lightly toasted.
   Pro tip: Watch them closely. Nuts go from golden to burnt in under a minute.
2. Melt the butter. While the nuts are still warm from the oven, melt the butter in a small bowl.
3. Mix the coating. Stir the melted butter together with the cayenne, brown sugar, and salt.
   Pro tip: Taste it and fix the salt and heat here, before it goes on the nuts.
4. Toss to coat. Pour the butter mixture over the warm nuts and toss until every one is coated.
5. Cool and serve. Spread the nuts back out in a single layer to cool. They crisp up as they sit, so give them a few minutes before you dig in.

This post contains some affiliate links, for your convenience (which means if you make a purchase after clicking a link, I will earn a small commission, which helps keep my blog up and running, but it won’t cost you a penny more)! Click here to read my full disclosure policy.   

How to Roast Raw Nuts

• There are two easy ways to do this. For the oven, spread the nuts on a foil lined cookie sheet and roast at 350 degrees for 5 to 10 minutes, tossing them halfway through so they color evenly.
• For the stovetop, use a lightly oiled cast iron skillet over medium heat and toss the nuts every so often.
• Either way, the moment you smell that toasty aroma, they are done. Do not wander off, because they burn fast.

Variations

• Rosemary and sea salt: Toss in a tablespoon of chopped fresh rosemary with the butter for a savory holiday twist.
• Extra sweet: Bump the brown sugar up to two tablespoons and ease back on the cayenne for a sweeter nut.
• Smoky: Add a little smoked paprika and a pinch of garlic powder along with the cayenne.
• Gift ready: Toss in dried cranberries after cooling for a festive red and brown Christmas nut mix.

Susan’s Tips for Spiced Nuts

• Watch the nuts like a hawk while they roast, they turn from toasted to burnt fast.
• Toss the butter mixture on while the nuts are still warm so it coats every piece.
• Spread them in a single layer to cool so they crisp up instead of clumping.
• Taste and adjust the salt and cayenne before it all goes on, that is your one chance to fix the flavor.

Storing and Make Ahead

Store cooled spiced nuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. They freeze well too, up to 6 months in a sealed bag.

Just make sure they are completely cool before you close the lid, or they will steam and go soft.

You can make these a day or two ahead for a party. Only one warning, hide them, because they have a way of disappearing before the guests even arrive.

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More Appetizer Recipes Everyone Loves

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Frequently Asked Questions

If you make these Christmas spiced nuts, I would love to hear how they turned out. Leave a comment and a star rating below, it helps other busy moms find the recipe too. Merry Christmas from my kitchen to yours, Susan.

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