Sweet & Spicy Roasted Party Nuts
These party nuts are a little sweet and a little spicy. They're completely irresistible! Use this recipe and make it your own—I add fresh rosemary, too!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on September 5, 2024
These roasted mixed nuts are completely irresistible. They’re a little sweet, a little spicy, and nice and toasty.
These nuts will be a hit at your holiday parties, or a redeeming snack in between. I love to add fresh rosemary, so they taste like the holidays in the best way.
This recipe is so versatile, too. You can easily change up the nuts and seasonings to suit your preferences. These photos show my favorite iteration, made with pecans, almonds and pepitas (pumpkin seeds).
Ready to raid your pantry for the ingredients?
Roasted Party Nuts Ingredients
You’ll need a few simple ingredients to make the best party nuts.
Raw Mixed Nuts
Be sure to buy raw (not pre-roasted), unsalted nuts for this recipe. I’m partial to almonds, pecans and pepitas. The almonds get nice and crunchy, the pecans crisp up beautifully, and the pepitas clump together to form crackly green clusters.
You can use other nuts, too. Walnuts would be great in place of the pecans, hazelnuts would be fun, and peanuts are always delicious.
Real Maple Syrup
Just two tablespoons of maple syrup makes these nuts lightly sweet. As the mixture roasts in the oven, the maple syrup condenses and turns into a light candy coating. I love that these nuts are naturally sweetened and not at all sticky.
Baking the nuts at a relatively low temperature (325 degrees) and stirring frequently are the two keys to achieving perfectly roasted nuts with an even layer of candy coating.
Butter
A little melted butter offers extra richness and depth to these mixed nuts. They really taste like a treat.
If you’re looking for a dairy-free or vegan alternative, olive oil works well.
Kosher Salt
I like to use kosher salt in this recipe because I love the little bursts of saltiness it provides. You can use regular salt if you don’t have kosher salt on hand; your nuts will be more uniformly salty (not a bad thing, really).
Did you know that different salts vary in saltiness, by volume? See my recipe notes to find the right amount for your salt.
Vanilla Extract
Vanilla extract adds another subtle layer of flavor. Nuts, maple syrup and vanilla are a trifecta of flavor.
Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne adds some subtle heat and balances the sweetness of the maple syrup. I love it.
With my fresh jar of cayenne, even 1/4 teaspoon has a good amount of kick. Feel free to scale back on the spice or omit it completely.
Watch How to Make Sweet & Spicy Party Nuts
Flavor Variations on Roasted Party Nuts
Make this recipe your own! Simply stir any of the following into the maple syrup mixture:
For rosemary mixed nuts (shown here), stir in 2 tablespoons finely snipped or chopped fresh rosemary. Preparing the rosemary is a little tedious and takes a few minutes, but it is 100 percent worth the effort.
For pumpkin spice or cinnamon mixed nuts, add between 1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice blend or cinnamon, to taste.
For bourbon-spiked mixed nuts, add 1 to 3 teaspoons bourbon in place of the vanilla extract, to taste.
For sweeter party nuts (these are lightly sweet as written), double the maple syrup.
For extra-spicy or not-at-all-spicy nuts, adjust the cayenne pepper. You can even double the cayenne, or adjust to taste—sample the nuts tossed in the maple mixture and stir in more, if you’d like. Or for not-spicy nuts, simply omit the cayenne altogether.
Please let me know how these nuts turn out for you in the comments! I hope they make an appearance at your parties this season.
Looking for more holiday-worthy party snacks? I’ve got you covered.
- More nuts: Naturally Sweetened Candied Pecans or Basil Pesto Party Almonds
- Popcorn: Perfect Stovetop Popcorn, Sesame Caramel Corn or Cinnamon Maple Caramel Popcorn
- Chocolate treats: Chocolate Peppermint Cups or Chocolate Bark
- Baked goods: Cranberry Orange Muffins or The Best Granola
Sweet and Spicy Roasted Party Nuts
These party nuts are a little sweet and a little spicy. They’re completely irresistible! Be sure to buy unsalted, raw nuts for this recipe. Feel free to make it your own—I love to add fresh rosemary! Recipe yields 5 ½ cups mixed nuts.
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole almonds
- 2 cups pecan or walnut halves
- 1 ½ cup pepitas (green pumpkin seeds)
- Optional but so good: 2 tablespoons finely snipped or chopped fresh rosemary (from 4 big sprigs)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (reduce or omit if sensitive to spice)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat so the maple syrup doesn’t get stuck to the pan (this is important). Pour the almonds, pecans and pepitas onto the pan and set it aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the optional rosemary (or any other added seasonings), maple syrup, melted butter, salt, vanilla, and cayenne (if you using). Gently whisk until blended.
- Pour the mixture over the nuts on the prepared baking sheet. Stir well, until all of the nuts are lightly coated. Spread the mixture in a single layer across the pan (the maple syrup will pool on the bottom of the pan, but that’s okay).
- Bake, stirring after the first 10 minutes and then every 5 minutes thereafter, until almost no maple syrup remains on the parchment paper and the nuts are deeply golden, 23 to 26 minutes. (The maple syrup coating will be a little sticky right out of the oven, but will harden as the pecans cool.)
- Remove the pan from the oven and stir the nuts one more time, spreading them into an even layer across the pan. Let them cool down for about 10 minutes, then, while the nuts are still warm, carefully separate any large clumps (this may or may not be necessary).
- Let the nut mixture cool completely on the pan. These will keep for up to 2 months in a sealed bag at room temperature.
Notes
Recipe adapted from my recipes for Naturally Sweetened Candied Pecans and Rosemary Roasted Nuts.
*Salt note: I like how the large flakes of kosher salt make some bites a little saltier than others, but kosher salt’s weight varies considerably by brand. I used Diamond Crystal salt brand. If you’re using Morton kosher salt, use 1 teaspoon. If you’re using fine sea salt or regular table salt, use ¾ teaspoon.
Make it dairy free/vegan: Substitute extra-virgin olive oil for the butter.
Change it up: Feel free to play around with the nuts in this recipe; you’ll need 5 ½ cups total. Whole cashews work, but don’t really crisp up. Hazelnuts would be nice. I tried using honey instead of maple syrup, but maple produces better flavor and a more candied (not sticky) texture.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I’ve made these nuts a dozen times. Everyone loves them. These nuts are my Christmas presents to family members that don’t need anything, but love a tasty pretty healthy treat!!! And they make the house smell incredible. Thanks for this awesome recipe!
Delicious! These came out perfectly. The best combo of sweet, salty & a little spicy. I might add a touch more cayenne next time but I’ll definitely be making these again!
My newest party dish and a huge hit so far!
Can I use roasted nuts for this recipe and add the seasonings
Hi Tanvi, During the roasting processes is how the flavors really come together. You won’t get the same results if not following the directions. Not sure about roasting twice.
Amazing recipe!! Think I will be making these well after Christmas!
Made your recipe using the walnuts and almonds, turned out great! Not crazy about walnuts but in this recipe they were very tasty
Thank you for sharing! I appreciate your review, Marg.
Made these today with apple pie spice instead of rosemary and used siracha popcorn salt instead of regular salt and cayenne. Used the table salt quantity adjustment. They came out great! The condo smells wonderful and the family has been munching on them all afternoon. I’m already being asked for a 2nd batch. Thanks so much for a great recipe! It has brought joy to a quarentined Christmas eve! :)
Normally I love your recipes! But these were not good!!
I can not figure out where the sweetness is, had to add extra salt & cayenne to get any taste except oily. Disappointing!!
I’m sorry you didn’t love this one. Did you add the maple syrup?
I found these nuts dangerously delicious.thank you.
Thank you for this great recipe! I made it vegan using oil; used pecans, cashews, pistachios, sunflower seeds, and cranberries, and added black pepper. Everyone loves it!
That’s great, Heather!
I noticed when you triple the recipe the amounts of maple syrup, butter, salt etc stay the same. Is this on purpose?
Hi Amanda! No, it should all triple. I wish the plug-in was perfect. Unfortunately, it’s the best option I have found yet to work with my site. Sorry it caused confusion!
I’ve been making this recipe, bored and also wanting to control the salt consumption, and finally added the rosemary! Wow, what a game changer! It was delicious!!! I don’t think it should be optional, but mandatory!! Also, my tweeks to accommodate my family’s tastes is a cup each of pecans, walnuts, almonds, pepitas and macadamia. Your granola recipe is also a staple in my kitchen. Five Stars!
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Katie! Thank you for your review.
have you ever cooked with the oysternut/telfairia pedata? native to East Africa, it is rare and so the recipes are hard to come by. i have my harvest but don’t know what to do with it yet. please post a recipe if you have cooked with these. blessed be.
Hi, I can’t say that I have. Sounds interesting! I can’t make any promises, but I will make note of your request.
Love this recipe! Absolute delishishness !
I’m happy you loved it, Eloise!
Hi, where do you buy your nuts from.
And does it matter whether they are organic or not.
There is so much positive and negative info on the internet about organic is not really organic and to buy nuts that don’t have category 1 pesticide. I’m SO confused.
Please clarify, according to your personal knowledge
Thanks so much.
Hi, I usually get mine from Whole Foods and buy organic when I can.
I love your cookbook, and follow your blog. Thank you for all of the amazing recipes! The roasted nut recipe is so good, and the rosemary is a great added level of flavor. I am making a batch now to give to my new neighbors. I have made it too many times to count and everyone loves it.
Thank you!!!!
You’re welcome, Debbie!
Perfection! I used walnuts and pecans and followed the recipe to a T. This will definitely be part of our teacher gift this year!
That’s great, Erika! Thank you for your review.
Been after the perfect candied nuts recipe for ages and was starting to lose faith. This is the one though! Delicious and always well received. A firm favourite.
Hi ,Can I use honey instead of maple syrup
I did
1 cup whole almonds
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 cup walnut halves
1/2 cup pepitas
1/2 cup pistachios
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1.5 tablespoons salted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon himalayan pink rock salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Flavors are amazing. Thanks for the ideas these are great.
I’m rating this recipe 5 stars because, with a few tweaks, it is stellar!! I found that I had to add three times the amount of butter, maple syrup and spices, to even be able to taste anything but the raw nuts! Even then, it was lacking something. I added about a cup of dried cranberries, and that was perfect; just the right blend of sweet, salty and spicy. The red and green from the cranberries and pepitas made it a festive treat to give to neighbors and friends in little cello bags.
Thanks for this wonderful recipe. I have tried several of your recipes and I have never been disappointed which prompted me to buy your cookbook (we never know when the internet may go out in this world of climate change). Many thanks from a long practicing vegetarian/vegan.
You’re welcome, Sherry! I’m glad you loved it.
I tried these nuts today. I didn’t include any sweetening because in my family we do not eat added sugar at all. Then, I put them away in some mason jars for Christmas, but I left a small bowl on the table. They are gone already! So delicious. I don’t think those mason jars are going to last. Thank you. Kate!
Hi there. I tried to make these but at the end a lot of my rosemary, cayenne etc clumped together and didn’t adhere to the nuts. Any suggestions?? They are ridiculously awesome!!
Thank you!!!
How long does this recipe keep? We’re going on a weekend ski trip with family and I’d like to make this ahead of time.
Hi Kim! Please see step 6. It can keep well for up to 2 months.
These are delicious! I swapped half the maple syrup for smoked maple syrup and it was such a good decision!
I didn’t have maple syrup, or syrup of any kind, so I used honey. Used 1/2 tsp dry Thyme instead of rosemary. Great recipe. Delicious and so easy to do.
Thank you for sharing, Liz! I’m happy you enjoyed it.
These were awful! They burnt after 15 minute at 325 with me stirring them every five minutes. Black and the maple syrup was still gooey. A waste of good $.
Hi Nancie, I’m sorry it didn’t turn out for you. Do you have a convection oven? This recipe was designed for a standard conventional oven.
Hi followed your recipe changed maple syrup for golden syrup because I didn’t have maple.. absolutely delicious-thank you,
Great to hear, Anne! Thank you for your review.
These are delicious–I like to take spiced nuts if I’m invited to someone’s house since they’re easy to make and people really like them.
One trick I use is to warm the butter and the maple syrup in a medium sized bowl in the microwave. Then stir in the salt and spices and vanilla. Dump the nuts into the bowl and stir them up so that they’re all evenly coated. Spread the nuts out into a single layer in two lined pans so they have plenty of room and then toast in the oven. I stir them every 10 minutes for about 40 minutes total. Raw cashews work well (but are better with a little extra salt in the mix).
The nuts were a little greasy right out of the oven so I put them on some paper towels after they cooled a bit to soak up the extra. This might not be necessary if you make these farther in advance but I haven’t tested it.
Thank you for the wonderful recipe. First time new guests coming tonight for drinks, so wanted something easy, delicious and impressive…this was it. These nuts are amazingly delicious…not sure if they will last till tonight’s company, lol. Thank you again
Thank you! Love them!
Your recipes NEVER disappoint! I questioned the rosemary for about a second before I realized your recommendations are always spot on!!
And when I mixed the nuts with the rosemary and vanilla, the scent was unreal.
You are a constant in my cooking and baking world.
Thank you!
These were easy to make and delicious! Not sticky or oily at all, but full of flavor. The pepitas were my favorite – perfect for snacking!
These are neither sweet nor spicy. Very disappointed.
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy it, Debbie.
I love this recipe, this is my 3rd year making them for Christmas gifts. I always visit my family in November to kick off the holiday season and these nuts are the perfect snack to set the holiday tone! I love watching their eyes light up when they realize what is in the goodie bag
The only modification I make is doubling the butter/maple/cayenne/salt to make them even more rich and flavourful.
I’m glad you loved it and made it so many times already! I appreciate your review.
How long would I leave the nuts in the oven if I used already roasted nuts?
Hi Sandy, I can’t say for sure how they would turn out and if they would work without trying it. Sorry!
OMG!!!! These are so addictive! Making Xmas presents and these will be perfect – thank you so much Kate from DownUnder!
I’m glad you love these nuts, Heather! I appreciate your review.
For 1st time I made this Christmas 2021 to take as a house gift in a nice jar to our family get together..WOW… everyone loved them and asked to make this a Christmas tradition gift. Now making lots for 2022 Christmas. So delicious, just the right seasoning and so healthy. Thanks for this new family tradition gift.
I love to hear that, Linda! I appreciate you taking the time to review.
What a great day to be inside making these nuts when it is -35C outside. Friends I had shared these with last year were talking about it already and wondering if I was making more this year. I altered it a bit this time by cutting the pepita amount in half and adding one cup of raw cashews. And since I raise bees it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t add 2 teaspoons of honey for a little extra sweetness. They turned out great like always. Thanks for sharing this recipe. Now to package them up for Christmas giveaways. Happy Holidays.
Nope. I used all walnuts and left out the rosemary (which seemed weird). There was not nearly enough of anything – not really sweet or spicy. Just meh. You couldn’t taste the cayenne or the maple and they needed more salt. Took them to a party and nobody like them. I would suggest anyone taste what you have before baking, so you can adjust the recipe.
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy this recipe. How old were your spices? If they are older, they don’t tend to be as potent.
Wow, I made them with walnuts, pecans, peanuts and the pumpkin seeds, used all the spices, including fresh chopped rosemary, used a bit of extra cayenne. My husband needs low sodium so I did cut salt down. I have made them several times and the recipe was requested by several people. Perhaps try again with a mix of nuts you like and use all the spices listed, including the rosemary, you may like them better.
Thank you for sharing, Cheryl!
This nut mix is sooo good. I have been experimenting with different
mixes and this is the best one yet!
Thanks Kate!!
Linde
Great to hear, Linde! I’m excited you enjoyed it.
I drizzle them with dark chocolate
Sounds delicious, Dana! I appreciate your review.
I have made these nuts pretty much exactly as stated, a little extra rosemary and cayenne and less salt, Cheryl with stellar results, they get eaten so fast! I usually make these with whole almonds, but I now have a huge bag of sliced almonds. Any way to adapt the recipe so it will still work? I realize they will toast faster than whole almonds and maybe the result won’t be as good with them sliced. Five stars!
That’s great to hear, Cheryl! Thank you for your review.
Hi,
Wondering if adding craisins after the nuts have cooled would be tasty? Thought??
Sure! Let me know what you think of it, Kathy.
Yum!!I have made this several times and always a hit!
Great to hear, Patty!
Delish. This is the best recipe I’ve used to make holiday nuts. So much better than what I’ve used before!
I used regular salt and salted butter and a spicy seasoning blend that contained salt and they still were not salty at all. Even my kids said they needed more salt. And typically, I prefer things less salty than other people, so be aware, you may need a lot more salt than called for. I didn’t realize I was out of cayenne when I started this recipe, so I substituted a Cajun blend, so I can’t really speak to the overall flavor of the recipe as written.
hello, I want to make these as Christmas gifts. Could I toss these in a crockpot ? If so on low ? and for how long ?
I haven’t tried this in a crockpot, sorry! This is best as recommended.
Wow can’t believe how tasty these are. Thank you so much for the recipe xx
You’re welcome, Angela! I appreciate your review.
Pecans toast much faster than almonds, so I recommend separating them so you can remove the pecans earlier. On my first go, the pecans were verging on burnt when the almonds were perfect. I’d also increase the fat and maple syrup quantities a bit. The maple syrup did not ‘pool’ as described and the nuts weren’t as sweet as I expected.