Candied nuts are great for snacking, topping salads, or even giving as gifts for during the holidays. These sweet, spicy, and salty pistachios will have you always clamoring for more.
I was very fortunate to recently have found myself with a buttload of pistachios. A giant Ziploc bag was delivered to my door for an event I (virtually) attended, but of course I only really needed a couple of cups. So I needed something to do with all of these nuts.
My first thought was to candy them. Though pistachios are a delicious snack on their own, some sweet and spicy candied nuts would be even better. I procrastinated for a bit on turning this plan into action until I saw a Tweet from Smitten Kitchen promoting her recipe for sugar-and-spice candied nuts. It was then that I sprung into action.
What’s interesting about this recipe compared to others is that everything is done in the oven as opposed to the stovetop. This is made possible by using a whisked egg white as the glue to get the sugar and spices to stick to the nuts.
I’m of course using pistachios, but you should be able to use this same method to candy any type of nut you desire, like pecans, almond, or walnuts. In terms of using raw or roasted nuts for candying, I recommend roasted nuts for a better flavor.
For 1 pound of nuts I use a total of 1 cup of sugar (an equal mix of white and brown, but you can change the ratio if you want). When it comes to flavoring your candied nuts, your spice cabinet is your oyster.
I opted for powdered harissa seasoning blend as one-stop-shop for warmth and heat. If you don’t have this on hand, feel free to use your own blend of spices, like cinnamon, smoked paprika, and cayenne.
When the sweet and spicy candied nuts come out of the oven, they will still be fairly sticky. But after they’re allowed to cool down, the sugar coating will dry and harden.
Then you just have to break them apart a bit and they’re ready to eat. I just made these yesterday and have already eaten about a third of them. If you’re able to stop shoveling them in your mouth, these sweet and spicy candied nuts would also make a great holiday or host gift.
Harissa Candied Pistachios
Candied nuts are great for snacking, topping salads, or even giving as gifts for during the holidays. These sweet, spicy, and salty pistachios will have you always clamoring for more.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon harissa powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 large egg white, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon water, at room temperature
- 1 pound roasted pistachios
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300˚F.
- Mix the sugars, harissa, and salt, breaking up any lumps; set aside.
- Beat the egg white and water until frothy but not stiff. Add the pistachios and stir to coat evenly; sprinkle with the sugar mixture and toss until evenly coated.
- Spread the nuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice with a rubber spatula.
- Remove from the oven and separate nuts as they cool. When completely cool, break up any that might still be stuck together. They are now ready to enjoy. You can store the candied pistachios in an airtight container at room temperature for at least 1 to 2 weeks (if they even last that long).
Notes
This recipe is an adaptation of Smitten Kitchen's adaptation of Elizabeth Karmel's recipe.
Leaving us with a fantastic taste in our mouth. I have made for several years Chinese Fried Walnut and I am thinking these will be much better. i love, love Pistachios. Thank you for this!
These pistachios look so yummy! My mouth is watering just looking at them. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
These pistachios are my new addiction! They’re so full of flavor!
I can’t make them too often or I won’t eat anything else! lol