Made for Sharing
Growing up, my parents’ home was always full of visitors – neighbours popping in during the week, relatives dropping by at the weekend, or friends coming over on Friday nights. We kids looked forward to those Friday evenings most of all. Mum would fill the table with delicious dishes and tempting finger foods, while we hovered nearby, waiting for the perfect opportunity to sneak in and snatch a little something for ourselves.
One of her most irresistible treats, and quite literally finger-licking good, was pan roasted nuts. Mum usually saved them for evenings when friends came over for a long, leisurely card game. Warm, crunchy and wonderfully moreish, they were almost impossible to walk past without stealing a handful.
Growing up, I’m proud to say, I inherited my parents’ love of entertaining. I’ve always tried to make my own home as warm and welcoming as theirs. The only problem was time. My busy career in IT rarely left me with time to spend in the kitchen preparing treats for guests.
Pan Roasted Nuts Are the Answer
These nuts are quick and incredibly easy to make. They’re crunchy yet delicate, with an irresistible combination of sweet, hot and savoury flavours. They’ve long become one of my favourite treats to serve when entertaining, and they’re equally delicious simply nibbled alongside a glass of wine at the end of the day.
Best of all, they take hardly any time to prepare.
There is just one problem with them: these pan roasted nuts are seriously addictive.
Ingredients:
500g assorted nuts *
50g unsalted butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp caster sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
2 tbsp sea salt
1 tbsp honey
* A Note on the Nuts
I used a combination of walnuts, pecans, cashews and almonds, which gives a lovely variety of flavours and textures. I tend to steer clear of peanuts for this recipe, as they are much smaller than the other nuts and can easily burn before the larger ones are properly roasted.
Besides, I have to admit, I’m not their biggest fan!
Method:
In a wide frying pan, melt 10g of the butter and the olive oil. Add the nuts and roast over a medium heat for a couple of minutes, tossing or stirring regularly so they toast evenly without burning.
Meanwhile, melt the remaining butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Add the honey, caster sugar, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, allspice and sea salt, then stir until everything is well combined.
Pour the spiced butter mixture over the roasted nuts. Gently swirl the pan to distribute the mixture evenly, ensuring the nuts are well coated with the spice mix.
The mixture will become quite sticky as it cooks, so keep the pan moving, swirling and tossing the nuts continuously until every nut is beautifully coated in the buttery spice mixture.
Remove from the heat and spread the nuts in a single layer on a foil-lined tray to cool completely. As they cool, the spiced glaze will set, giving the nuts their deliciously crisp, crunchy coating.
Once completely cool, transfer the nuts to an airtight jar or container and store until ready to serve.
Few Tips to Consider
Try not to wander too far while the nuts are roasting. They can go from perfectly golden and toasted to burnt surprisingly quickly, so keep a close eye on them and toss regularly.
Be adventurous with your spice combinations and experiment with your favourite flavours. Most spices work beautifully here, so feel free to make the recipe your own – just aim to keep that delicious balance of sweet, spicy and savoury.
For the best results, use unsalted, unroasted nuts. This gives you complete control over the seasoning and allows the nuts to roast properly in the pan without becoming overly salty or toasted.
Enjoy!
Pan Roasted Nuts
Ingredients
- 500 g assorted nuts
- 50 g unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp allspice
- 2 tbsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp honey
Instructions
- In a wide frying pan, melt 10g of the butter and the olive oil. Add the nuts and roast over a medium heat for a couple of minutes, tossing or stirring regularly so they toast evenly without burning.
- Meanwhile, melt the remaining butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Add the honey, caster sugar, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, allspice and sea salt, then stir until everything is well combined.
- Pour the spiced butter mixture over the roasted nuts. Gently swirl the pan to distribute the mixture evenly, ensuring the nuts are well coated with the spice mix.
- The mixture will become quite sticky as it cooks, so keep the pan moving, swirling and tossing the nuts continuously until every nut is beautifully coated in the buttery spice mixture.
- Remove from the heat and spread the nuts in a single layer on a foil-lined tray to cool completely. As they cool, the spiced glaze will set, giving the nuts their deliciously crisp, crunchy coating.
- Once completely cool, transfer the nuts to an airtight jar or container and store until ready to serve.