Crunchy and wonderfully salty-sweet, these honey-roasted nuts are made with just a touch of honey.
I flavor these nuts with smoked paprika and sea salt. The combination of honey and these seasonings results in a wonderful flavor combination - salty, smoky, and sweet (but not too sweet).
I love nuts. Who doesn't? They have this winning combination of flavor and a wonderfully crunchy texture. Crunchy, fragrant, and flavorful, these honey-roasted nuts make a wonderful snack (and these spicy nuts are excellent too).
They also make a great homemade hostess gift this holiday season. Well. that's assuming you'll resist the temptation to polish them off by yourself!
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Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this tasty treat. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
- Unsalted butter: Personally, I'm partial to creamy European butter, but any butter will be great in this recipe.
- Honey: I like to use the real thing, and I only use one tablespoon, which is more than enough. But you can try a sugar-free alternative if you wish.
- Smoked paprika: Not regular paprika. The idea is to add a subtle smoky flavor to the nuts. It may sound suspicious, but it works!
- Mixed nuts: Make sure the nuts you use are raw and unsalted. See the discussion below on what nut varieties you can use in this recipe.
- Sea salt: Kosher salt works too, but I don't recommend using ultra-fine table salt in this recipe.
Instructions
Making these honey-roasted nuts is easy! Scroll down to the recipe card below for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
- Melt the butter in a large bowl. Mix in the honey and smoked paprika.
- Add the nuts and use a rubber spatula to mix them into the butter mixture until well coated.
- Spread the nuts on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle them with salt.
- Bake the nuts in the preheated oven until fragrant and browned, for about 25-30 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven. Leave the nuts on the baking sheet and let them cool and crisp up, undisturbed, for about 20 minutes.
- When cool, gently separate them with your hands (they tend to stick together), then store them at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week.
Expert tip
It's important to roast the nuts in a slow oven - 300 degrees F is good. Don't be tempted to crank up the oven's temperature - the nuts won't roast as evenly, and they might even burn.
Frequently asked questions
This is entirely up to you. I like to use hazelnuts, almonds, pecans, and shelled pistachios. But you can use anything you like. Cashews or walnut halves would also be excellent. Pretty much all nuts are wonderful, so use what you like!
Yes. You can use sugar-free honey or maple syrup. I like to use real honey because I use so very little of it and the flavor it imparts is amazing.
No, unfortunately, you can't. You will need to use raw unsalted nuts in this recipe.
Variations
One way to vary this recipe is to use different types of nuts. As long as they are raw and unsalted, I do encourage you to use whatever nuts you like and enjoy.
Another way is to use different seasonings. You could try, for example, a pinch of cayenne pepper or chili powder. But use just a pinch - you don't want these seasonings to overwhelm the flavor of the nuts.
Serving suggestions
- Needless to say, these nuts are perfect as a snack. They're also great as an after-dinner treat - they go so well with espresso. Sometimes I make myself a small bowl of them and add a few dark chocolate chips. Hmm good!
- You can also crush them and use them as a topping - try them on top of this chocolate mousse, for example. Or sprinkle them on top of this carrot cake.
- Another tasty way to use these nuts is to add them to yogurt for breakfast. That's how my daughter likes them best. ❤️
Storing leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. They do lose some of their crunchiness after the first day, although they are still delicious. You can reheat them in a 300F oven for 10 minutes to restore that crunch.
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Recipe card
Honey-Roasted Nuts
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (not regular paprika)
- 16 oz mixed nuts raw and unsalted (I used 4 oz each of hazelnuts, almonds, pecans, and shelled pistachios)
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your oven to 300 degrees G. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Melt the butter in a large bowl. Mix in the honey and smoked paprika.
- Add the nuts and use a rubber spatula to mix them into the butter mixture until well coated.
- Spread on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt.
- Bake the nuts in the preheated oven until fragrant and browned, for about 25-30 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven. Leave the nuts on the baking sheet and let them cool and crisp up, undisturbed, for about 20 minutes.
- When cool, gently separate them with your hands (they tend to stick together), then store them at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week.
WATCH THE VIDEO:
NOTES
- If using sugar-free honey, an ounce of this recipe has about 174 calories and 5 grams of carbs.
- It's important to roast the nuts in a slow oven - 300 degrees F is good. Don't be tempted to crank up the oven's temperature - the nuts won't roast as evenly, and they might even burn.
ADD YOUR OWN NOTES
NUTRITION PER SERVING
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 