PrettyFood

Creating memories around the table

  • Home
  • Capers
    • Hours and Location
    • Capers News
    • What’s New
    • Product Spotlight
  • Recipes
    • Visual Recipe Index
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Desserts
    • Main Dishes
    • Salads
    • Side Dishes
    • Snacks
    • Soups
  • Advice
    • The Basics
    • Ask PrettyFood
    • Critiques
    • Essentials
    • Gadgets & Tools
  • Make it Pretty
    • Tablescapes
    • Flowers
    • Garnishes
    • Holidays & Celebrations
    • Takeout Tricks
  • On the Road
    • Chicago
    • Florence
    • Honolulu
    • Los Cabos
    • Louisville
    • Napa Valley
    • Paris
    • Santa Fe
    • Scottsdale
    • Seattle
  • Special Features
    • A Week of Low-Carb Meals
    • More from Mary Beth
  • About
    • About PrettyFood
    • Contact Us
Home / Recipes / Snacks / Squirrel’s Delight Spiced Nuts

Squirrel’s Delight Spiced Nuts

Thursday, October 8, 2020

nutrageous_pecans

You know olive oil is good for you, right?  As are certain kinds of nuts, such as pecans, walnuts, almonds?  These olive oil roasted, sweet and just a little salty, spiced nuts are not just a squirrel’s delight — they have been described by members of my family and friends as downright addictive.  How lovely to hear that about a snack that is as healthy as it is yummy.  Make it with the nuts of your choice.  Keep the nut types separate — or commingle, if you dare.  I think these keep well, but frankly they have not lasted long enough around my place for me to know for sure.

Note that these nuts are spiced.  They are NOT spicy.  Numerous folks who have tasted them at my house have commented with things like “I can’t eat spicy foods, but I really like these.  They have a lot of flavor without being at all hot.”   In other words, don’t be afraid.  You can handle these.  Some of you may decide after your first batch to double the chili powder on subsequent batches of the spiced nuts.  Have fun experimenting! I developed this recipe back in 2015 or so, and I’m getting ready to do some experimenting of my own. It is possible to toast plain nuts in an air fryer, so why not these spicy ones? I’m going to try it and let you know!

Ingredients:

2 cups pecans (or walnuts, or almonds — or any combination of them)

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

3 packets of Splenda (or 2 Tbsp. sugar, if you prefer)

2 tsp. chili powder

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Line a baking pan/cookie sheet with foil.  (You will be glad you did, when it comes time for cleanup!)

Get out  a bowl big enough to hold the ingredients and put the nuts in the bowl first and coat them with the olive oil.  In a separate small bowl, mix together the salt, Splenda/sugar, chili powder, and black pepper.  Then sprinkle that mixture over the nuts and toss well.  I put my food prep gloves on and get in there and just play with those nuts!

Pour the  nuts onto the foil-wrapped baking sheet and place them into the preheated oven for 10 minutes.  Eat the spiced nuts warm (they are a little soft that way), or allow them to come to room temperature and crisp back up.  I suspect you will need to try a few fresh from the oven because they will make your kitchen smell so good!

nutrageous_walnuts

Tips:

Try different types of chili powder.  We’ve used regular and we’ve used ancho.  Next, I’m going to give a chipotle chili seasoning a whirl.  I’ll report back on how that works out.

This recipe doubles well.  We had no problems with making double, and even triple batches.  A suggestion, however.  To keep it all straight when you are doubling or tripling, print the recipe out and, on your paper copy, write the new quantities.  On one double batch, some of the ingredients were doubled, while others were not.  It was . . . interesting.  They got eaten, trust me, but you want them to be made correctly and writing down the doubled or tripled amounts of each ingredient will keep you focused.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
« Sunnyside Seasonal Transition – A Beautiful Celebration
Chili Cheese Soup »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

• Our store and more •

With Capers Emporium, Mary Beth and Michael Guard have given PrettyFood.com a real home — a large retail store where people can purchase elements to set beautiful tables, concoct wonderful meals, play with gadgets, take cooking classes, and much more!. Read more »

• Hours & Location •

Now open seven days a week!

Sundays Noon – 4 p.m.
Mondays 11:00 – 5:00
Tuesdays 11:00 – 5:00
Wednesdays 11:00 – 5:00
Thursdays 11:00 – 5:00
Fridays 11:00 – 5:00
Saturdays 11:00 – 5:00

MAP »

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Email

• Find Recipes •

Newsletter

Receive The News Bite each month.

By Course

Archives


● Farmers Market to Table
● On the Grill
● Dining Outdoors
● Time-Saving Tools
● Mary Beth's Faves

• Visual Recipe Index •

View all of Mary Beth's delicious recipes at once with our Visual Recipe Index.

• Popular •

Crudités

Preparing to Make a Recipe

Cranberry Goat Cheese Pudding Layers

• Tags •

Appetizers Asian Bacon Beef Breakfast Cheese Chicken Christmas Daily Meals December Desserts Dishes Easter Eggs Fall Farmers Market Fish Flowers Fruit Grilling Halloween Italian Low-Carb Meat Mexican Outdoors Parties party food Pasta popular Quick & Easy Seafood Seattle 2010 Snacks Southwest Spring Summer tablescape Thanksgiving Travel Turkey Vegetables Vegetarian Videos Winter
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Visual Recipe Index
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Desserts
    • Main Dishes
    • Salads
    • Side Dishes
    • Snacks
    • Soups
  • Advice
    • The Basics
    • Ask PrettyFood
    • Critiques
    • Essentials
    • Gadgets & Tools
  • Make it Pretty
    • Tablescapes
    • Garnishes
    • Holidays & Celebrations
    • Takeout Tricks
  • On the Road
    • Chicago
    • Florence
    • Honolulu
    • Los Cabos
    • Louisville
    • Napa Valley
    • Paris
    • Santa Fe
    • Scottsdale
    • Seattle
  • Special Features
    • A Week of Low-Carb Meals
    • More From Mary Beth
  • About

f-facebook f-twitter f-pinterest f-rss f-email
Contact Us
Site Map

Copyright © 2025 · PrettyFood | Privacy Policy