7 Holiday Spiced Nuts Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What are the most popular holiday nuts? ›

To get the spices to stick to the nuts, use egg whites, butter, coconut oil, olive oil or blanch the nuts in boiling water. Some recipes call for nuts to be fried in oil prior to seasoning, but this adds unnecessary fat – you can make them just a delicious without all the extra calories.

Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to three weeks. These nuts will get sticky and clump together if they are left in areas that are too warm or humid. Can you freeze spiced nuts? Spiced nuts freeze well and thaw quickly, so keep some on hand for last minute gatherings.

You may think it's a nutty idea, but the best place to keep nuts is in the freezer! Nuts contain a lot of oil and can become rancid if stored in the pantry. Instead, place them in separate airtight containers or sealable plastic bags, then label, date and freeze for up to six months.

Receiving a handful of walnuts, hazelnuts or almonds was a coveted gift, symbolic of prosperity and good luck. Over time, this tradition has continued, with nuts becoming a staple of our Christmas fare.

Pistachio – Pistachios are the Christmas Nut. In my home growing up, the only time we ever saw the pistachio was at Christmas time. It was always exciting to see the special treat, and the many sweet and delightful combinations of treats made with them. They are said to bring good luck to the holiday.

If after they have cooled down, the pecans are still sticky, this means that the sugar mixture never reached a high enough temperature when on the stove. To fix them, place the nuts back into the skillet and cook a bit longer.

It may seem counterintuitive to soak your nuts before you roast them, when the goal is a crunchy cashew. But some experts swear by this trick to give your cashews extra flavor, as well as helping them be more digestible.

Tips: If you're making almond butter without oil (just roasting) and it seems dry and flaky and not turning into butter, there's likely two reasons: 1) the almonds needed to roast just a little bit longer (see temperature note above), 2) the brand of almonds.

In a saucepan on the stovetop, gently warm on medium heat until hot, constantly stirring roughly between 2 and 5 minutes. Place the nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in a preheated oven set to 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. Check and stir at the halfway point.

Can nuts go bad? ›

A: Nuts can't expire; however, they can change in taste or go rancid. Nuts contain much-unsaturated fat, an oil that makes nuts likely to go rancid. Nuts spoil faster when exposed to light, air, or heat. No fuss; cool, dark, and air-sealed are the three trifectas to storing nuts properly.

Spoilage is accelerated even more in the presence of light, oxygen, and heat. Storing nuts (and seeds) in the fridge or freezer limits their exposure to all three of these, and will result in your nuts tasting less bitter and more flavorful for a longer period of time.

Pecans (and almost any food) can be preserved in Mason jars. This method frees up your freezer space, and there is no freezer burn.

The best part about storing nuts in the freezer is that there is no need to thaw them. Nuts are ready to go straight from the freezer to a salad, cookie or muffin.

You can use Tupperware, plastic baggies, freezer bags, or even mason jars. Glass and plastic containers are preferred over plastic bags.

Macadamia nuts are most often used roasted and chopped in cookies. Peanuts: The most popular nut (despite being a legume), the peanut is usually roasted and salted to bring out its buttery flavor. When your cookie recipe calls for peanuts, use co*cktail or dry-roasted peanuts.

Tree nuts include almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios and walnuts.