A crunchy sweet coating plus a touch of heat, make these Spicy Sugared Cashews an irresistible snack. Plus, it’s now an award-winning recipe!

Spicy Sugared Cashews in a white serving bowl

Spicy Sugared Cashews

I attended Eat Write Retreat, a food bloggers’ conference, last month in North Hollywood. Hosted in a retro hotel, the weather was delightful and it was a blast to hang out with some talented bloggers for 2+ days. One of the events was a food swap and my contribution was two flavors of Spicy Sugared Cashews: one batch with cinnamon and one with rosemary. Both had a touch of heat from some cayenne pepper. These actually won 3rd place out of all the participants–and my prize package includes a year’s supply of pasteurized eggs AND a cheese knife. Not too shabby!!

Spicy Sugared Cashews on a parchment lined baking sheet

Healthier Snack Food

Nuts are superfoods! Full of protein, good fats, antioxidants, and minerals, they are a terrific, healthy munchie. I coated these cashews in whisked egg whites then tossed them in a sugar mixture flavored with cayenne pepper, salt, and either cinnamon or chopped fresh rosemary. I saved my swap treats for my airport snacks, except for the doggy treats for Izzy, but I quickly got rave reviews from those who couldn’t wait to dive in. Make these for your next gathering or pin this recipe for holiday gift-giving for your nutty friends!

Top view of a bowl of Spicy Sugared Cashews

How to Make Candied Nuts

Candied nuts are a fabulous food gift, game day, or cocktail snack. They’re simple to make once you master your initial attempt!

  • First, whip your egg whites and water until foamy. Do not over whip to a white meringue-like texture.
  • Next, toss your nuts in the egg white mixture to coat.
  • Then, toss in your seasoned sugar mixture.
  • Spread your nuts evenly across a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  • Bake, stirring every 15 minutes to help them roast evenly.
  • Cool and dig in!!

Overhead view of Spicy Sugared Cashews in a decorative serving bowl

More Nutty Recipes You’ll Love:

Spicy Sugared Cashews photo and text collage
Spicy Sugared Cashews - Sweet, crunchy with a touch of heat!

Spicy Sugared Cashews

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Yield 3 cups

Sugared cashews with two spicy options, cinnamon or rosemary!

Ingredients

  • 1 egg white, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons water
  • 3 cups cashews, roasted (if you use lightly salted nuts, decrease the salt in the recipe)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Spice options

  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon OR
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 300º. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. In your stand mixer (may be done with a hand mixer or whisk), beat egg white and water till foamy (you do not want the whites to get white like when making meringues).
  3. Add the cashews and mix till they're well coated.
  4. Add sugar, brown sugar, cayenne, and salt. Stir. Add in your extra ingredient, either the cinnamon or rosemary and mix well.
  5. Spread evenly over your prepared pan and bake for 30-40 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes till browned. May cook more or less, just watch carefully to prevent burning.
  6. Remove from oven and let cool completely, even overnight. Store in a covered container.

Notes

Adapted from Averie Cooks and Ina Garten.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1/4 cup

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 246Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 401mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 1gSugar: 14gProtein: 6g

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