Sweet and Spicy Candied Walnuts

Healthy eating: not always very exciting.  I am trying to eat more healthy fats, which includes nuts.  I can't eat some nuts (almonds and hazelnuts, sad right?) so I was eating plain, un-roasted walnuts.  Well, that got boring very quickly, but they were filling and good for me.

I decided I needed to make them more exciting and did a quick search for sweet and spicy walnuts.  This recipe does have a lot of sugar, but you don't add any extra oil and I always feel like homemade is better than store bought.  A quarter of a cup of these is filling, crunchy, sweet, salty, and so yummy!!!  The added cayenne pepper adds a little kick at the end, which you could leave out if you want (bought don't, please!).

Sweet and Spicy Candied Walnuts
by:Smitten Kitchen


Ingredients

• 1/3 cup dark-brown sugar
• 2/3 cup white granulated sugar
• 11/2 teaspoon kosher salt 
• Generous pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 pound walnut or pecan halves or whole peeled hazelnuts (or a mix)
• 1 egg white, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. 
2. Mix sugars, salt, cayenne, and cinnamon, making sure there are no lumps; set aside. 
3. Beat egg white and water until frothy but not stiff. Add walnuts, and stir to coat evenly. 
4. Sprinkle nuts with sugar mixture, and toss until evenly coated. 
5. Spread sugared nuts in a single layer on a cookie sheet fitted with parchment paper. 
6. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven, and separate nuts as they cool. 
7. When completely cool, pour the nuts into a bowl, breaking up any that stick together.