Here’s my gift to you – even if you are ‘cooked out’ this one is very easy to prepare. Just a few ingredients and a short time in the oven.

Giving nuts at the winter holidays has been a tradition for centuries and is associated with bringing good luck. In German folklore, a wooden nutcracker serves a dual purpose in the form of a soldier to keep loved ones safe and also to crack nuts.

These almonds make a great culinary gift – bagged with a cute ribbon. They also make a nice addition to a charcuterie board or in a bowl on the bar. They remind me a bit of peanut brittle although they are not that sweet. 

The cayenne pepper offsets the sweetness of the honey. You can leave it out entirely if you prefer just sweet. I doubled this recipe and divided it between two 15” x 10” cookie sheets. These fit side by side in the oven on one rack. If you want to make more, I’d recommend baking them in batches (rather than on multiple racks) to ensure that they cook properly.

With Christmas just a few days away, I’ve been doing a lot of cooking and there’s still some more to do. But there’s always some time to make some dressed up nuts to share with family and friends.

This beautiful Christmas dish was handmade by the talented Max Rhoads. It’s the perfect vessel for these holiday nuts.

Honey Almonds

 

Honey Almonds
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Recipe type: Appetizer
Author:
Serves: 2 cu[s
Ingredients
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
  • 2 cups raw unsalted almonds
  • Flaky sea salt (such as Maldon) for sprinkling
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cover a large cookie sheet (at least 15” x 10”) with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl mix honey, olive oil, Kosher salt and cayenne pepper using a rubber spatula.
  3. Add almonds and mix to coat.
  4. Spread almonds in an even layer on the prepared cookie sheet. Sprinkle almonds with a light dusting of flaky salt (such as Maldon).
  5. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, tossing every 5 minutes, until honey is caramelized and almonds are fragrant. There should be very little honey mixture still on the cookie parchment paper. Watch the almonds carefully so that they do not burn.
  6. Transfer cookie sheet to a rack to cool completely. The almonds may be a little sticky out of the oven – they will become crunchy as they cool down.
  7. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
Notes
* I can fit two 15” x 10” cookie sheets side by side on one rack in my oven. I doubled the recipe and divided it between two cookie sheets.
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