Crunchy, aromatic spiced nuts make a crave worthy snack for anyone, but they are especially great for keto eaters—healthy, filling, and suited to the keto diet. We wanted to create an easy recipe that allowed the flavor of different nuts to shine through. Our spice combination of cinnamon, ginger, coriander, and cumin worked well to complement the natural sweetness of walnuts, pecans, and almonds. We also tested a variety of zero net carb sweeteners for the mix but tasters preferred a more natural, unsweetened mixture. To help spices stick to the nuts, recipes sometimes call for butter or syrup.
Our fats were already just right and syrup increased the carb content of our recipe too much. So we used beaten egg whites, which created a crunchy shell around each nut without making them sticky. For a savory-sweet variation, we added ground fennel and orange zest; for another, we turned to cayenne pepper and cocoa powder for slightly spicy, earthy flavor. You can use any combination of raw pecans, walnuts, or whole unblanched almonds here; we prefer an equal combination of nuts, but any ratio will work. Just be sure to use 3 cups (15 ounces) of nuts. Nutritional values will vary based on the combination of nuts you choose.
Jump to RecipeInstructions :
- Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 275 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk egg whites, cinnamon, ginger, coriander, salt, and cumin together in bowl. Add nuts and toss to coat. Spread nuts evenly over prepared sheets. Bake, stirring occasionally, until nuts are dry and crisp, 45 to 50 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking.
- Let nuts cool completely on sheets, about 30 minutes. Break apart any large clumps of nuts. Serve.
Spiced Nut Mix
Ingredients
- 2 large egg whites
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1 cup pecans
- 1 cup whole almonds
Instructions
- Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 275 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk egg whites, cinnamon, ginger, coriander, salt, and cumin together in bowl. Add nuts and toss to coat. Spread nuts evenly over prepared sheets. Bake, stirring occasionally, until nuts are dry and crisp, 45 to 50 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking.
- Let nuts cool completely on sheets, about 30 minutes. Break apart any large clumps of nuts. Serve.