Whether you’re setting out a quick nibble before the big meal or building a festive grazing board, these spiced nut and seed recipes make holiday hosting a little bit easier. A batch of Spiced Candied Pecans delivers sweet and spicy notes, while our Pizza Pistachios are savory and satisfying. Crunchy, flavorful and easy to make, these spiced nuts and seeds are worth adding to your menu this season.
Snickerdoodle Almonds
Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Addelyn Evans, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco
Tossing almonds in frothy egg whites helps the sweet and savory seasoning adhere to these festive snickerdoodle almonds. They make an excellent appetizer for holiday entertaining.
Pizza Pistachios
Jennifer Causey
Nutritional yeast mimics the flavor of cheese, lending a pizza-like flavor to these playful spiced pistachios.
Sesame-Honey Roasted Cashews
Photographer: Ali Redmond.
These sesame-honey roasted cashews are a sweet-and-savory snack with a toasty crunch and a hint of umami from the sesame seeds. While they’re perfect for snacking straight from the jar, they also make a delicious topping for salads, adding protein and flavor.
Spiced Candied Pecans
At home or at Campo, the restaurant he oversees at Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm in Albuquerque, chef Jonathan Perno likes to welcome guests with spiced New Mexican pecans. You won’t see this in most spiced-nut recipes, but Perno blanches them to reduce some of the bitter tannins in the skin that can sometimes overwhelm the pecans’ delicate flavor.
Spiced Roasted Walnuts
Photographer: Heami Lee, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christine Keeley
Walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, while spices like cinnamon and ginger can further support the anti-inflammatory benefits. These walnuts are not only a flavorful, crunchy snack on their own, but also a great topping for salads.
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Carson Downing
Pumpkin seeds are packed with fiber, protein and magnesium, so they make a great healthy snack. It’s also easy to customize them with different seasonings so you can enjoy endless flavors—or keep things on the simple side with just a sprinkle of salt.
Everything-Seasoned Almonds
Jennifer Causey
Grinding up the everything bagel seasoning in a spice grinder will help it adhere to the almonds in this easy snack.
Candied Hazelnuts
Greg Dupree
Use these nuts in both sweet and savory dishes. Top a tart for a cinnamony sweet and crunchy finish, or crack them and sprinkle over chicken salad. They’re good on their own, and you can change the flavor to suit many tastes.
Rosemary-Garlic Pecans
Jennifer Causey
These savory spiced nuts are perfect for snacking, adding to a cheese board or serving as a mini appetizer.
Gut-Friendly Snack Mix
Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Styling: Christina Brockman
This curried cashew snack mix features toasted edamame—a prebiotic food that sets the stage for a healthy gut. A combination of spices and red curry paste brings flavor and heat to this grab-and-go snack. To keep the spice level on the mild side, you can swap out the red curry paste for yellow.
Roasted Spaghetti Squash Seeds
Alexandra Shytsman
Cut down on food waste with this tasty, nutritious snack. The seasoning in this recipe is a mix of spicy, salty and sweet, but feel free to try your own flavor combinations.
Chile-Lime Peanuts
These spicy nuts were inspired by ones sold by street vendors across Mexico. If you can only find salted peanuts, omit the added salt. Add the maximum amount of cayenne pepper if you want an extra hit of spice.
Salt & Vinegar Pumpkin Seeds
Salt-and-vinegar seasoning isn’t just for chips. These roasted pumpkin seeds tossed with salt and vinegar are a briny, crunchy treat. Soaking the seeds in vinegar ensures that the deep vinegary flavor remains after baking.
