Pretty sure Snoop Dogg would approve of dez nutz.
Santa might even too.
Party nuts are one of my favorite things to snack on during the holiday season. *takes a sip of wine, eats a handful of nuts*
You know how it goes.
The more I write this, the more punny it’s getting.
Truth be told, I’m always making a fun version of candied maple pecans for our salads and that’s how these nuts came to be.
I had a ton of extra nuts in my pantry and decided to try and roast them in the oven for a crunchy version drizzled with maple syrup and dusted with spicy cayenne pepper.
How to make sweet and spicy nuts
- Use a few different nut varieties: cashews, pecans, walnuts and almonds. Everyone has their favorite so you can feel free to mix and match.
- Add maple syrup, a tiny little bit of butter or coconut oil, chia seeds, cayenne, chili powder, cinnamon and salt. Toss together and spread out on a pan.
- Roast nuts until perfectly golden and crunchy. Enjoy!
Trust me, you’re gonna love Santa’s sweet and spicy nuts. They’re a great gift during the holiday season and will last two weeks or longer if you place them into an airtight jar or container.
Enjoy! xo.
If you make these nuts, be sure to leave a comment and rate the below to let me know how you liked them!
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
St. Nick's Drop It Like It's Hot Party Nuts
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups raw cashews
- 1 ½ cups raw walnut halves
- 1 ½ cups raw pecan halves
- 1 ½ cups raw almonds
- 1 tablespoon melted butter (or melted coconut oil or vegan butter)
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper*
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet or two small baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Add nuts to a large bowl. Drizzle melted butter and maple syrup over the top. Toss to combine and coat the nuts.
- Sprinkle on the salt, chili powder, cayenne pepper, cinnamon and chia seeds. Toss again to coat the nuts with the spices and chia seeds.
- Bake nuts for 15-20 minutes total, stirring the nuts with a spatula every 5 minutes. Nuts are done once they are slightly golden brown and have a very nutty aroma.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on pan before dividing into airtight containers.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
A serving is 301 calories. How much is a serving?
About 1/3 cup!
I have made this recipe a dozen times and it’s a hit every time. I love to make it as a host gift if I am guest, and always have it on my own party menus. It comes together quickly so is low effort, but HIGH impact! I also get a chuckle every time I punch “drop it like its hot nuts” into my google to find the recipe – so there’s that.
Love this recipe for sharing, too!! The title makes it that much better 😉
I usually love every recipe from this site but I wasn’t in love with these. I felt like there was something more that could’ve been added. They weren’t spicy enough, weren’t sweet enough and only had a tiny hint of flavor for me. I wouldn’t gift these but they’re ok for snacking if I want something other than just plain nuts.
Sorry to hear that! I’ve found the ratios to perfectly coat and flavor all of the nuts, but you could always feel free to bump up the spices and maple syrup for a little extra.
These are addicting!! I made them for our Christmas party next Saturday and they might not last that long. Haha The perfect combo of sweet and spicy. I used coconut oil instead of butter and left out the chili powder (I had already started them when I realized I didn’t have any) and they’re still absolutely delicious!
Love it! Such a great holiday snack (and the coconut oil is a great swap).
This is my favorite all time snack to make!! Especially hot out of the oven 🤤. Freaking delicious! I omit the chia seeds. I eat them as they are, mix them in a salad, add pretzels or put them in a cute bell jar as a gift.
Yum!
Glad you loved them, Kerri!
These have got it goin on 🙂 Awesome for holiday party and beyond!
Hahah THANK YOU, so happy you enjoyed them!
So good! We did leave the chia seeds in, and they were fantastic! I love having a snack with walnuts and pecans because we don’t eat them much otherwise! Gifting these to neighbors for the holidays!
Could I put them in the freezer once they’re made?
Sure!
This recipe is amazing. I made these as gifts for my in-laws for Christmas one year and everyone RAVED about them and requested I make them from now on so I do! Thanks for an easy and delicious present to share!
Oh that’s amazing! Yay! So happy that everyone loves them so much 🙂
I just made these for some Christmas goodies to gift to family and friends, and if I’m being honest they may not make it out the door before I eat them all! So freaking tasty! I even burnt a few due to a screaming toddler, and the burnt ones are still delicious. 5 stars, two thumbs up, a full cheering squad!!
Amazing!! So glad they’re a hit 🙂
Loved making these last holiday season! Great for gifting or as a snacking option! Will definitely be making again this year!
Absolutely! Perfect for the season 🙂
the BEST sweet spicy and salty mix!!! I add dairy free chocolate and goji berries too!!! Family loves it! It’s a year round fav in our house!
Love that idea! Glad these are a hit!
These were easy and delicious! I baked for 22 minutes, stirring every 5 per the recipe. I did exclude the chia seeds and added a TBS more butter! Will definitely make again.
Perfect! One of my favs this holiday season 🙂
Very tasty and super easy to make. These were a big hit for a party I held and made enough that I was able to bring a supply to three separate Christmas events!
Love that! Perfect for parties.
Sweet, salty, and spicy crunchy nuts for the holidays, or any day, really?! I’ve found the perfect snack! If I made this with pistachios or cashews, I’d probably be addicted!
Right?? So good!
Okay I spit out my coffee with the line ” your going to love Santas nuts ” ROFL I make these every year but not with Chai seeds. Will be making it that why this year. Thank you for sharing the recipe Merry Christmas to you and yours. All the best for 2019 🙂
Keeping it fun here 😉 The chia seeds add a yummy extra crunch + omega-3s! Merry Christmas and early happy new year to you too 🙂
Totally making these for a nibble for guests on Christmas. I have to use a non-dairy oil–do you think coconut oil is the best alternative?
Yes melted coconut oil or vegan butter will work!