Perfect Christmas Roasted Nuts — Simpler Than Spiced; Still Impressive

Roasted nuts (without the elaborate spice mix of spiced nuts) are the easiest homemade Christmas treat. Just nuts; oil; salt; oven. 15 minutes. The result: shockingly good appetizer or gift.

The recipe

Ingredients (makes 4 cups)

• 4 cups mixed nuts (pecans; almonds; walnuts; cashews)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil OR melted butter
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (chopped; OR 1 tsp dried)
• Optional: 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Toss nuts with oil + salt + pepper + rosemary
3. Spread on baking sheet in single layer
4. Roast 10-15 minutes, stirring once
5. Pull when golden + fragrant
6. Cool completely

Storage

• Room temp; 2-3 weeks
• Refrigerated; 1 month

Variations

• Cinnamon-maple (sweet)
• Spicy (add cayenne)
• Curry (add curry powder)
• Lemon-thyme (add lemon zest)
• For perfect Christmas spiced nuts — the spice-blend version

Cross-references

For perfect Christmas spiced nuts — more elaborate.

For perfect peppermint bark and perfect Christmas fudge — more homemade gifts.

For Christmas gifts for neighbors — gifting.

Perfect Christmas roasted nuts are the simplest homemade treat. 15 minutes. $5. Universal appeal. The easy version of spiced nuts.