Description
These Texan BBQ Candied Nuts combine a smoky, spicy, and sweet candied coating that perfectly complements the crunchy pecans, almonds, and cashews. Baked to a deep golden finish with a blend of smoky paprika, chipotle, cumin, and a touch of cayenne for heat, these nuts make a fantastic snack, bar accompaniment, or giftable treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Nuts
- 1 1/2 cups pecans
- 1 1/2 cups almonds, raw and unsalted (or toasted)
- 1 cup cashews, raw and unsalted (toasted okay too)
Candied Coating
- 1 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (halve for table salt, increase by 50% for flakes)
- 25g / 1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp chipotle (slightly spicy, substitute with 3/4 tsp extra smoked paprika if preferred)
- 1/2 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, for extra spice)
- Sea salt flakes (for finishing and extra salt to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) or 160°C (320°F) if using a fan-forced oven. Line a large baking tray with foil and then cover it with baking paper or parchment to prevent sticking.
- Prepare Nuts: Place the pecans, almonds, and cashews into a large mixing bowl, ready to be coated.
- Make Candied Coating: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter. Once mostly melted, add the white sugar, water, cooking salt, smoked paprika, chipotle, coriander powder, cumin powder, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and optional cayenne pepper. Stir well to combine and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow it to simmer gently for 2 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent burning or catching.
- Toss Nuts: Pour the hot candied coating over the nuts. Using a rubber spatula, toss the nuts thoroughly for about 30 seconds ensuring each nut is well coated with the thick, glossy mixture. There should be no runny caramel pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
- Bake: Spread the coated nuts evenly on the prepared baking tray. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, tossing the nuts thoroughly halfway through baking. The nuts should turn deep golden and the candied coating should mostly solidify with minimal liquid remaining on the tray.
- Cool and Break Up: Let the nuts cool undisturbed on the tray for 10 minutes to set slightly. While still warm, break the clumps apart for better separation. Then allow the nuts to fully cool on the tray for about 30 minutes; during this time the candied coating hardens and develops a shiny smooth surface. Optionally, sprinkle sea salt flakes over the nuts for an extra burst of flavor.
- Serve or Store: Serve the nuts in bowls as a perfect snack or bar accompaniment. They also make excellent gifts when jarred or add a delicious crunch to salads when chopped and sprinkled over. Enjoy your smoky, spicy Texan BBQ candied nuts!
Notes
- Halve the salt amount if using table salt instead of cooking salt or kosher salt; if using flaky salt, increase salt by 50%.
- To reduce spice, omit the cayenne pepper and chipotle or substitute chipotle with extra smoked paprika.
- Butter can be substituted with a dairy-free alternative for a dairy-free version but will alter flavor slightly.
- If the nut surface is not shiny and smooth after cooling, ensure thorough tossing when coating and proper oven temperature and timing.
- Store in an airtight container to maintain freshness and crunchiness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Texan / American
Keywords: texan bbq candied nuts, spiced nuts, smoked paprika nuts, chipotle nuts, candied nuts, BBQ snack, holiday snacks, picnic snacks
