Roasted Party Nuts

This is a recipe that my sister gave to me several months ago now. She makes these quite often. Not only are they delicious, but as far as nut snacks go, they are quite healthy as well.
A little bit sweet from the maple syrup, not too salty, and a tad bit buttery. They are an incredibly moreish snack that makes a great nibble!
Roasted Party Nuts

Perfect to serve with drinks during the holiday season, or to take in a baggie when you are going on a hike. They also make great holiday gifts, packed in a nice jar along with perhaps a block of someone's favorite cheese and some crackers.
Because, yes, these are also great on a cheese or chacuterie board.
Roasted Party Nuts

What I love most about them is that they are not too salty. Most of the nut combos you buy out there are loaded with salt. We all need to be careful about how much salt we are eating.
Once you get used to cutting back, a little bit of salt goes a very long way.
My mother always picked up a can or two of mixed nuts during the holidays. My father loved them. Someone always picked out all the cashews. One great thing about making your own nut mix is that you can have as many cashews in them as you want!

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE ROASTED PARTY NUTS

Another thing I love about these nuts is that other than the nuts, you only need a very few ingredients, most of what you probably already have in house!

2 cups (340g) whole unblanched almonds
1 cup (120g) shelled pecan halves
1 cup (120g) shelled walnut halves
1 1/2 cups (167g) cashew nuts
2 TBS pure maple syrup
2 TBS butter, melted
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 TBS finely chopped fresh rosemary (optional, but very nice)

Feel free to use whatever nuts you like in this tasty snack. I happen to love pecans, walnuts, almonds and cashews. You could use macadamia nuts, or pistachios. The important thing to remember is that you have 5 1/2 cups of nuts in total.
You can even use pepitas (pumpkin seeds). These will give the mix a bit of color. Nice and green for the holidays.
Roasted Party Nuts

Don't even think about using pancake syrup in these. Use only pure Maple Syrup. This is what gives these nuts their hint of sweetness.
I love the addition of some fresh rosemary. It adds a nice herby touch, but you can leave it out if you want, or try using another herb. Thyme is also very nice.
Roasted Party Nuts

One thing which I really love about these nuts is that they are naturally sweetened with the Maple Syrup. Just a tiny bit which means that they are only very lightly glazed and not at all sticky in the hands.
What a wonderful combination it makes with the cayenne pepper. The cayenne is what gives the nuts a subtle bit of a spark! By all means leave it out if you are not fond of a bit of spice.
You could also use some different spices if you wanted to. Chili powder would be nice as would ground Cumin and coriander.
Roasted Party Nuts

Use only real butter, not margarine. The butter adds a depth of richness to the mix, but because there is only a small amount, they are not greasy in the least.
If you are watching dairy, or keeping dairy free, by all means use olive oil in its place.

HOW TO MAKE ROASTED PARTY NUTS
It couldn't be easier. (I know I say that all the time, but really, I am lazy, so its true. I don't do complicated if I can possibly help it!)Preheat the oven to 325*F/160*c/ gas mark 3. Line a large baking sheet with some baking parchment or a silicone sheet.Put all of the nuts into a large bowl.Whisk together the maple syrup, melted butter, salt, vanilla, cayenne pepper and rosemary until well combined. Pour this mixture over the nuts in the bowl. Toss together to coat completely.Pour the nuts onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread out into a single layer.

Roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the nuts are golden brown and lightly glazed.

Remove from the oven and give a final stir. Allow to cool completely.Store in an airtight zip lock baggie for up to 2 months. You can freeze them for longer storage. Just give them a quick refresh in a low oven for optimum flavor.

I love that these are so easy to make and healthier than most nut mixes. I love that there is not a lot of salt or sugars in them, and the only sweetener used is natural. That makes me feel really good about them.
Mostly I love that I got the recipe from my sister. 💓
I recently found a recipe for roasted nuts you can cook in the air fryer. I want to give them a go as well! You know how much I love my air fryer!

Some other tasty snacks or nibbles that you might enjoy are:

BUTTER ROASTED SALTED NUTS - Incredibly moreishly delicious and so much better for you than the already salted nuts you pick up in the shops, with no transfats, or chemicals and you control the salt. Nice and buttery, but not greasy.

NO BAKE LEMON COCONUT BALLS - Two of my favorite things are lemon and coconut! To have them both combined in one delicious snack is just great. For them to be as quick and easy to make as these are just the icing on the cake! No bake, no fuss, no muss.

Yield: 5 1/2 cupsAuthor: Marie Rayner