Sweet & Spicy Nuts

These roasted spiced nuts are so incredibly moreish! Once you make one batch of these sweet and spicy nuts, you’ll want to make another. They’re so yummy I “accidentally” ate a whole jar whilst writing this post! 

Don’t you just love that combo of salty, spicy and slightly sweet! These vegan spiced nuts are a feast for the senses with their crunchy texture and addictive taste that will have you reaching back into the jar in no time! 

Just make sure you’re quick, because they have a habit of disappearing quickly...

These roasted nuts are top of the list of our favorite holiday snacks (tied with these incredibly yummy Vegan Crescent Cookies) They both make the perfect edible gifts. 

Package them in a little jar and give them to all your friends. You might wanna print out our recipe for them too, as they’ll definitely want some more! 

Ingredient tips

Here’s what you need to make these sweet and spicy nuts: 

Mixed nuts - You can use any kind of nuts, but you’ll want the raw, unsalted kind. We’ve used a mixture of pecans, peanuts, cashews, almonds and hazelnuts for the ones in the pictures. You could also try macadamias, walnuts, brazil nuts… 

We buy organic nuts in bulk to save money. Did you know nuts can be stored in the freezer to keep them fresher for longer? 

Pumpkin seeds - These are probably my favourite part of the mix and they're not even a nut! Also known as pepitas, these pumpkin seeds go deliciously crisp when roasted. 

Nigella seeds - These small dark seeds are from the Nigella sativa plant, and are known by many other names such as black onion seed, black cumin and kalonji. They can sometimes be tricky to find, look for them in the supermarket with the spices, in world food stores or order them online. They have a distinctive taste which is slightly oniony, peppery and herby. We LOVE the savory flavour that they bring to this recipe. 

Maple syrup - Brings a touch of sweetness, without needing to use refined sugar like many other spicy nut recipes. The syrup also hardens as it cools to give a nice crunch. We like organic maple syrup.

Vegetable oil - Use a neutral tasting oil like sunflower or canola. 

Cayenne pepper - This adds the spicy heat to nuts. If you’re not a fan, you could use paprika for a milder taste. And if you like things hot, then feel free to add more cayenne pepper to taste after roasting. 

As an alternative to cayenne you could also use chili flakes or chili powder. 

Salt and pepper - We use sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. If you want to season them to taste, you can try the nuts before roasting, or leave the seasoning until after cooking.

Rosemary - We used dried rosemary. You could also use fresh, you’ll want about 1tbsp fresh chopped rosemary to replace 1tsp dried rosemary. We’ve also made them with just mixed herbs too, so you can experiment to your taste. 

Step by step

We love how super easy this recipe is! You’ll find the amounts in the card below, but here’s a visual overview of the steps: 

Step 1 - Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir well. 

Step 2 - Spread out on a large baking tray (we line ours with a reusable liner) and roast at 170C / 340F for 15-18 minutes. Turn over halfway through. 

Step 3 - Let the nuts cool down on the tray. They’ll harden as they cool, so give them a stir occasionally. Then transfer to a jar or other airtight container. 

Variations and substitutions

You could also add some sunflower seeds, or substitute them for some of the nuts. 

We haven’t tried an alternative to the nigella seeds, but sesame seeds or a bit of whole cumin might be a possible substitute. Nigella seeds have this savoury, oniony flavour, so a sprinkling of onion or garlic powder at the end could also be an option to try. 

The seasonings in the written recipe are my absolute fave. But you can take the basic method of making these roasted nuts and experiment with the flavour.

Here’s a few ideas: 

• Shift the balance more to the sweet side by increasing maple and reducing the oil. 
• Season with some smoked paprika (or smoky salt) for a smoky taste. 
• Instead of cayenne, black pepper, nigella seeds and rosemary, use cinnamon or mixed spice for a change. 

We just treated ourselves to two of these sustainable coconut bowls. We love how organic they look filled with ALL the nuts! Nom, nom, nom...

📖 Recipe