Looking for a snack with just the right crunch? Sugary and sweet, these Cinnamon Nuts are too good to pass up! They’re crunchy, spiced just right, and coated with flavor—great for snacking on their own or as a topping for salads, oatmeal, or yogurt.
Cinnamon Nuts are a simple snack with a touch of cinnamon, a bit of crunch, and a whole lot of flavor! This sweetly roasted mix is not only tasty but also nutritious. Whether you enjoy them straight from the bowl or sprinkle them over your favorite dish, they’re versatile enough to complement any meal, any time of day.
Made with a variety of nuts like walnuts, pine nuts, cashews, and pistachios, combined with egg white, sugar, cinnamon, and other bold spices, these skillet-roasted treats are also easy to make. Prepare for an upgrade to your break time routine!
Looking for other delicious snack recipes to pair with it? Try them with this maple Glazed Cranberry Brie, these Bacon Wrapped Pickles, or my Maple-Bourbon Chicken Wings!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to Prepare: With minimal effort, you can create a batch of these skillet-roasted spiced nuts in just 35 minutes. Both straightforward and forgiving, this 4-step recipe is accessible for cooks at all levels!
- Cinnamon the Super Spice: Meet the powerhouse spice that makes this mix so satisfying. Mixed with sugar and other spices, cinnamon adds a warm, comforting depth to each bite, bringing the perfect balance of sweetness and spice.
- Incredibly Filling: With a wide variety of nuts in this recipe, and despite the high-calorie content, this snack is great for helping you feel full longer, including a great crunchy texture coupled with fun and exciting spices and nutty flavors.
Cinnamon Nuts Ingredients
- Nut Mix: Walnuts bring a sweet, buttery flavor, while pine nuts contribute richness and a satisfying textural contrast. Cashews add a buttery crunch, and pistachios provide a unique flavor and distinct green color.
- Egg White: This helps bind the spices and sugar to the nuts, creating a crisp, golden exterior as it hardens during the baking process.
- Sugar: Sweetens the nuts while melting to form a caramelized glaze. The sugar provides a perfect contrast to the spices, adding sweetness that complements the warm flavors.
- Spices: Cinnamon is the star spice creating a festive Christmas nut mix by bringing coziness and a slightly spicy kick. Cardamom adds a hint of citrusy warmth, allspice brings complexity, and ginger adds a subtle touch of heat to balance the flavors.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- A Touch of Vanilla: Add a splash of vanilla extract to the cinnamon glaze for an extra layer of aromatic sweetness that enriches the flavor.
- More Nut Variety: Feel free to mix it up! Swap in your favorite varieties, like hazelnuts, almonds, or even macadamia nuts, for your own unique and exciting combination.
- A Bit of Heat: For a sweet and spicy snack, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or chili powder to the cinnamon glaze, creating a bold flavor profile.
How to Make Cinnamon Nuts
Now that you've picked your favorite nut mix, it's time to dive into 4 simple steps that will have you snacking on these crunchy nuggets all week long. Preheat your oven to 325°F, gather your ingredients, grab your 12” cast iron skillet, froth the egg whites, and let's get started.
Step 1: Prep the Nuts. Combine the nut mix with the frothy egg whites, in a medium mixing bowl, and mix well to ensure everything is evenly coated.
Step 2: Make the Glaze Stir together the sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, salt, allspice, and ground ginger until the spices are fully combined.
Step 3: Toss to Coat. Toss the nuts with the spice mixture until all are evenly coated.
Step 4: Spread and Roast. Spread the mixture in a single layer in your cast iron pan and bake for 25 minutes. Let them cool before serving.
⭐️ Hint: Give the nuts a quick stir halfway through the baking time to ensure even roasting and prevent any burning.
Serving Suggestions
Whether you’re snacking right from the jar or adding them to your favorite dish, these cinnamon roasted nuts are as versatile as they are crunchy and delicious. Just like the nut variety in the mix, there are endless ways to enjoy this sweet mix:
- Get fancy by serving these cinnamon glazed nuts on a charcuterie board with your favorite cheeses, cured meats, jams, honeys, and fresh fruits.
- Use them as a crunchy topping for dishes like sweet potato hash, roasted asparagus, or sausage stuffing.
- Chop them up and sprinkle over desserts like pumpkin spice cake, apple skillet cake, or bananas foster for an added sweet crunch.
Expert Tips for the Best Cinnamon Nuts
- Don’t Overcrowd: For even roasting, spread the mix in a single layer on the pan. If needed, roast in batches to avoid overcrowding, ensuring uniform cooking.
- Coat Evenly: Toss them well before baking and stir them occasionally during roasting to make sure they stay evenly coated with the spice glaze.
- Storing: After cooling completely, store the cinnamon roasted nuts in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to two weeks to maintain freshness.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can! While a cast iron pan provides even heat distribution, any oven-safe baking dish or sheet pan will work just as well. Just be sure to stir them periodically while baking to ensure even roasting.
The nuts are done when they’re golden brown and fragrant, and the coating feels slightly crispy when stirred. Keep a close eye on them during the final minutes of roasting to avoid burning.
Absolutely! You can swap or mix different nuts based on your preference. Almonds, pecans, walnuts, cashews, hazelnuts—any of your favorites will work.
More Delicious Cinnamon Skillet Recipes
If you tried this cinnamon nuts recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Get the Recipe
Sweet Spiced Cinnamon Nuts
Equipment
- 12" Cast Iron Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1 cup pinenuts
- 1 cup roasted cashews unsalted
- 1 cup roasted pistachios unsalted
- 1 egg white frothed
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cardamom
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Add nuts and frothy egg white into a medium mixing bowl and combine.
- In a small bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients until mixed well. This will make a really nice spiced mixture.
- Combine the two bowl mixtures and make sure the nut mixture is coated well with the spice mixture.
- Add to a 12″ Cast iron skillet and spread in an even layer.
- Bake for 25 minutes. Pull skillet out and let rest until the nuts are cooled.
Notes
- Don't Overcrowd: To ensure even roasting, spread the nuts in a single layer on the pan. Roast in batches if needed for uniform cooking.
- Coat Evenly: Stir the nuts well before baking and make sure to toss them halfway through roasting to ensure they remain evenly coated with the spice glaze.
- Storing: Store your cinnamon roasted nuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, ensuring freshness and flavor.
Nutrition
Dutch Oven Daddy is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
D says
Super tasty!!!
Travis says
I am excited to try this one especially during winter time. Reminds me of getting nuts like these from the malls with my dad.
Ned Adams says
Thank you so much for your support! I really appreciate it. Excited to see what you have cooking next. If you remember, snap a pic and tag me in it. Happy Cast Iron Cooking!
Alan Panter says
Thank you for the quick share. Love your site and have learned alot from it and it has sparked a new interest with my wife also. Hope to keep playing with all these recipes and having fun with them