Sweet and Spicy Pecans for Christmas

On the tenth day of Christmas, there were nuts. No, I’m not talking about Great Aunt Bethany with the jello mold that may or may not contain cat food (if you don’t get that reference you need to watch more 80’s Christmas movies). I’m referring to Sweet and Spicy Pecans: the nuts of the pecan variety, lightly coated in a shiny glaze and spiced to perfection with paprika, cumin, cayenne, sugar, and ginger.

This is a recipe that my mother saved from the August 1991 issue of Metropolitan Home magazine. They are spicy and slightly sweet, very different from sugary glazed pecans (which are delicious, as well). These are so easy to whip up and last for over a week, so they’re a great do-ahead option. Just be sure to watch them as they roast; nuts are notoriously quick to burn.

If you don’t have all of these spices in your cabinet, you can definitely substitute the ones that you do have. Metropolitan Home specifies Pasila chili powder, but I’ve had great results with substituting regular chili powder or even mixing paprika and cayenne, as the recipe suggests.

Don’t have ginger? Try allspice. Out of ground cloves? Substitute half cinnamon and half nutmeg. The beauty of this recipe is that you really can’t go wrong here. For the best results, toss your spices after three years or so. You want these flavors to be as vibrant as possible.

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Sweet and Spicy Pecans

These sweet and spicy pecans are perfect for munching with cocktails.

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword glazed pecans, spiced pecans, Sweet and Spicy Pecans

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 12

Calories 174 kcal

Author Amanda

Ingredients

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 teaspoons chile powder (preferably Pasila) OR 1/4 tsp paprika plus 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 ground coriander seed
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne omit if using substitution above
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 egg white
• 3 cups pecans halves

Instructions

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 275F. Lightly butter a jelly roll pan.
2. In a small bowl, combine spices and sugar.
3. Beat egg white until light and frothy, add pecans and stir until covered.
4. Stir in spices, coating nuts evenly.
5. Spread pecans on the pan in a single layer and bake 15-20 min., then turn and separate them.
6. Return to oven and roast about 20 min. more or until they are golden inside.
7. Cool, then store in an airtight jar or freezer.

Recipe Notes

Source: Metropolitan Home Magazine August 1991

Nutrition Facts

Sweet and Spicy Pecans

Amount Per Serving

Calories 174 Calories from Fat 162

% Daily Value*

Fat 18g28%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Sodium 53mg2%

Potassium 106mg3%

Carbohydrates 4g1%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin A 31IU1%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 17mg2%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

If you’re so inclined, you can toss these into little cellophane bags. Tied up with a ribbon, they make an easy-yet-impressive hostess gift. Keep a bowl of them by the tree for snacking while gift wrapping. You can thank me later. The best thing about these spiced nuts is how long they last. In an airtight container, you could keep refilling your bowl the whole holiday season!