As usual, I had bigger holiday plans than what I actually had time for.
I had a long list of goodies that I wanted to make for Christmas, but time ran short. One of the things I wanted to make the most was Spiced Nuts. I’ve tried making Spiced Nuts before (with a different recipe than what I am sharing today) and I wasn’t really happy with the results. But this year, I was determined to do it right. I had several pound of almonds ready to go, and but even though they are so simple to make, I just couldn’t squeeze them into my holiday prep.
Luckily, Spiced Nuts are perfect for the next big holiday: New Years…or more specifically, New Years Eve.
We are planning a fun New Years Eve party for our family, complete with a dinner of appetizers and snacks only. One of the snacks we’ll be enjoying are these Spiced Nuts, which are one of the many kicked-up recipes in the cookbook, “Emeril’s Potluck” by Emeril LaGasse.
I love this cookbook because the recipes are perfect for all sorts of memory making celebrations and parties. It’s a great one to have in your cookbook collection and I’m happy to be able to give all of you the opportunity to win a copy of Emeril’s Potluck: Comfort Food with a Kicked-Up Attitude. This has been made possible because the theme of #SundaySupper this week is New Year’s Potluck with Emeril. Several other bloggers will also be giving away a copy, plus some will be giving away one of Emeril’s other coobooks, Emeril’s Kicked-Up Sandwiches: Stacked with Flavor – so that means you have multiple chances to win! Just check the end of this post for details.
Here’s the recipe for making Emeril’s Spiced Nuts. One of the things I like best about it is that it’s all done on the stove-top, which I find gives me great control than recipes that require baking in the oven. They are full of spicy-sweet flavor and extremely addictive! Perfect for setting out during your parties or celebrations, but also great packaged up for a tasty homemade food gift.
Ingredients
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 cups unsalted mixed nuts, such as walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, and almonds
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Mix spices and reserve.
- Heat the nuts in a dry skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until they begin to toast, about 4 minutes. Add the butter and cook, stirring, until the nuts begin to darken, about 1 minute. Add the spices, the sugar, 1 tablespoon water, and the salt and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens and the nuts are glazed, about 5 minutes.
- Remove the nuts from the heat and transfer to a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, separating them with a fork. Let the nuts stand until cooled and the sugar has hardened, about 10 minutes. Store in an airtight container.
- Makes 4 cups
Notes
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, Emeril's Potluck, William Morrow Publishers, New York, 2004

Who’s ready to enter the giveaway? To be entered, use the Rafflecopter below. You must leave a comment on this post (plus please leave your twitter handle) AND you must participate in the #SundaySupper twitter chat by following the #SundaySupper hashtag or you can follow us through TweetChat.
Want more kicked-up Emeril recipes? Well, look no further! Check out this awesome list of Emeril recipes, all ready to add deliciousness to your New Year!
25 Bloggers will be giving away 25 copies of Emeril’s Cookbooks!* You don’t want to miss this special Celebration!
Sunday Supper NYE Potluck Drinks:
- Champagne Punch by girlichef**
- Champagne Punch by Daily Dish Recipes**
- Champagne Punch by Midlife Roadtrip**
- Champagne Punch by Family Foodie**
- Chi Chi Cocktails by The Messy Baker Blog
Sunday Supper NYE Potluck Starters:
- Spiced Nuts by The Cookie A Day Challenge**
- Spiced Nuts by Small Wallet Big Appetite**
- Prosciutto Breadsticks & Spiced Nuts by Galactosemia in PDX**
- Spiced Nuts by Home Cooking Memories**
- Spiced Nuts by Mama.Mommy.Mom
- Sopressata and Genoa Salami Calzones by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen**
- Paul’s Make the Whole Crew Happy Sausage Meatballs with Red Gravy by Cupcakes & Kale Chips**
- Three Cheese Veggie Sandwich by Supper for a Steal**
- Three Cheese Veggie Sandwich by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings**
- Paul’s Make the Whole Crew Happy Sausage Meatballs with Red Gravy by The Meltaways**
- Emeril’s Columbia Street Grinder Kicked Up a Notch New Orleans Style by The Catholic Foodie**
- Columbia Street Grinder by The Weekend Gourmet**
- Three-Cheese Veggie Sandwich by Diabetic Foodie**
- Eggplant Muffuletta by Mom’s Test Kitchen**
- Three Cheese Veggie Sandwich by In the Kitchen with Audrey**
- Columbia Street Grinder by She likes ruffles, he likes truffles **
- Three Cheese Veggie Sandwich by From Fast Food to Fresh Food**
- Columbia Street Grinder by Momma’s Meals **
- Paul’s Make the Whole Crew Happy Sausage Meatballs with Red Gravy by Craving’s of a Lunatic**
- A Vegetarian Take on Emeril’s Kicked Up Sandwiches Tonkatsu Sandwich by Ninja Baking
- New Orleans Style Garlic BBQ Shrimp by Comfy Cuisine
- New Orleans-Style Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce by Magnolia Days**
- New Orleans-Style Bread Pudding with 2 Sauces by Juanita’s Cocina**
- Angel Cake Sandwiches by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Coffee Cake with Crumble Topping and Brown Sugar Glaze by Damn Delicious
* The bloggers with astericks ** after their listing are giving away a copy of one of either the Emeril’s Potluck: Comfort Food with a Kicked-Up Attitude or Emeril’s Kicked-Up Sandwiches: Stacked with Flavor during the Chat. Details on individual blogs, on Sunday.
Please join on us on Twitter using hashtag #SundaySupper all day today, December 30, 2012 . In the evening we will meet at 7pm EST for our #SundaySupper chat where we always have a good time! We are so excited to have you join us for Emeril’s Potluck Celebration. All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag or you can follow us through TweetChat.














































These nuts look amazing and I love that they can be made ahead and ready for company any time. Thank you so much for being such a big part of #SundaySupper in 2012. I am looking forward to many more celebrations in 2013 with you. Happy New Year!
Family Foodie recently posted..Champagne Punch by Emeril #SundaySupper
Spiced nuts are a great snack and party food!
Cindys Recipes recently posted..Three-Cheese Veggie Sandwich #SundaySupper
I also ran out of time and didn’t get a chance to make some of the recipes I wanted to for the holidays. Oh well, there is next year. Until then, I think these nuts would be fabulous for a New Year’s Eve treat.
Renee recently posted..New Orleans-Style Bread Pudding With Whiskey Sauce for #SundaySupper
Mmm! I love the sweet and spicy/savory flavor combo for these nuts: sounds delish!
Gorgeous photos Brandi! And a great snack!
Jen @JuanitasCocina recently posted..New Orleans-Style Bread Pudding (with Whiskey Sauce and Eggnog Sauce) ~ #SundaySupper New Year’s Potluck with Emeril!
I’ve made spiced nuts many times – love them! I’ve never done them on the stovetop, though. Sounds like a great idea.
Shelby | Diabetic Foodie recently posted..Three-Cheese Veggie Sandwich for #SundaySupper
Love how simple, yet how divine these are
Sarah recently posted..Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster
My plans are always bigger than my actual “scope”, too… but that is what the future is for! I am definitely going to be trying these nuts – they are just making my mouth water.
Heather @girlichef recently posted..Champagne Punch {#SundaySupper}
Great pics! I seriously can’t wait to give these a try.
Lane @ Supper for a Steal recently posted..Emeril’s Three Cheese Veggie Sandwich for #SundaySupper + #Giveaway!
These are so delicious!!!
Bea recently posted..Emeril’s Potluck Spiced Nuts & Prosciutto Breadsticks #SundaySupper
These look wonderful, Brandie! I may make a small batch to use in my NY’s salad…yum!
I loved these so much, I plan on making a second batch with almonds and cashews
Laura Hunter | Small Wallet Big Appetite recently posted..Spiced Nuts for a New Year’s Potluck with Emeril #SundaySupper
I love your pictures!!! This was a delicious choice. I am making more to bring to a friend’s home tomorrow. Happy 2013!
Stephanie{TheCookieADayChallenge} recently posted..Spiced Nuts for #SundaySupper
These look yummy and perfect for snacking! I’m making champagne cupcakes and appetziers!
Hezzi-D recently posted..Gluten Free Hot Cocoa Crispy Treats
It’s so awesome that you have several pounds of almonds in your pantry, just ready to go! You put them to good use in these delicious looking spiced nuts. Happy New Year, Brandi!
Nancy @ gottagetbaked recently posted..A Breakfast Casserole and An Ode to Holiday Gorging
I know all about running short on time. I didn’t get done nearly as much as I wanted. These spiced nuts look fantastic! Happy New Year!
Jennie @themessybakerblog recently posted..Tropical Chi Chi Cocktail~ New Year’s Potluck #SundaySupper
I LOVE spiced nuts. We make them every year. You have fantastic photos of yours – delicious!
Great snack food for any occasion! I can’t wait to try these
I guess it helps to read the contest prompt
Our traditional NYE snacks are Chex Mix and sausage party pizzas (on those cute mini rye breads).
@tiza126
You’re all good, Theresa…I actually changed it so any comment counts, but forgot to edit the text in the post.
Twitter handle = @CarolYemola
This recipe looks fantastic. What a great snack this would make.
We don’t really do much traditional anymore, but on New Year’s Day, we have Haitian pumpkin soup. My kids are both from Haiti and January 1st is Haitian Independence Day. Mind you, I’ve changed the recipe so that my family will eat it, but the REAL stuff in Haiti is truly awesome. As far as the spiced nuts go, I’m a little leery of brown sugar and cumin together, but I might try it since this sounds right up my husband’s alley.
I forgot. I’m @Zazlandia on Twitter.

Zaz recently posted..Quote of the Week – Mar 16, 2012
I love nuts with “stuff” on them! This look great and since it is our tradition to eat only appetizers for new year’s eve, I will make these and add them to the table. Thanks!
Kalamity Kelli recently posted..Taco Meatball Wreath Appetizers or a Meal
Great looking recipe Brandie. Loved that it’s mostly pecans too! Thanks for sharing. Happy New Year to you and yours!
I make latkes with creme fraiche and caviar
@donnaoneil
I participated in the #SundaySupper chat and really enjoyed it! @frogger097
The spiced nuts look super easy! Happy New Year to all and good luck to me.