I ate my first spiced nuts a few years back. They tasted mildly salty and a little spicy and I thought they were pretty bland for spiced nuts and did not care much for them. A couple of years later, I sampled a local grocery store’s Spiced Walnuts and I was hooked. The nuts were sweet and spicy (hot) in just the right combination. They were perfect to snack on and were wonderful additions to salads. Soon after, I went on a recipe hunt on the web for something similar, and that was when I came across the
Microwave Spiced Nuts recipe. It was pretty much the only spiced nuts recipe (that I could find then) that contains sugar in its ingredients; I knew I wanted a definite sweetness in my spiced nuts. In addition, it seemed fairly easy to make and I’m a real sucker for quick and simple recipes. :) However, the one thing that really piqued my interest into trying the recipe is its preparation method of using the microwave. It really does work! The nuts were toasted like they came out from the oven and nobody would know otherwise (if you didn’t tell them). :) Below is my version of spiced nuts, adapted from the Microwave Spiced Nuts recipe:
¼ cup unsalted butter
½ cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder
½ teaspoon chili powder
A pinch of sea salt
2 tablespoons water
3½ cups whole walnuts (other choices include pecan halves and whole almonds)
Melt the butter in a glass casserole dish in the microwave. Stir in the sugar, cayenne, chili powder, salt, and water, and microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir in the walnuts (make sure they are well-coated) and microwave for 7 to 8 additional minutes on high, stirring every minute (for the last 2 to 3 minutes, I would stir every 30 seconds). You will know it’s done when the sugar-spice coating turns dry (like the picture above). Taste the walnuts (not immediately unless you want a burned tongue) to check if it’s “toasted” enough to your liking. If not, continue to microwave and stir every 30 seconds; I would say no more than 2 additional minutes. To cool, spread the walnuts out on a piece of parchment or wax paper. Store walnuts in an airtight container and enjoy them for days to come – if they last that long. :)
