Winter Spiced Smoked Nuts

Last Updated on February 1, 2024 by What’s Smoking

Winter is the season of warmth and indulgence, where we seek comfort in the cozy embrace of crackling fireplaces and the hearty flavors of smoked nuts. What better way to satisfy our taste buds than with a bowl of winter spiced smoked nuts? These delectable treats combine the smoky aroma of roasting nuts with an irresistible blend of spices that evoke memories of festive gatherings and holiday cheer. Whether you’re hosting a party or simply looking for a delicious snack to enjoy on a cold evening, these winter spiced smoked nuts are sure to add a touch of magic to your winter wonderland.

Easy Smoked Mixed Nuts

I bought a 2.5 lb. container of mixed nuts from Costco for this recipe. They are a wonderful combination of cashews, almonds, pecans, macadamia nuts and Brazilian nuts. Although the container was 2.5 lbs. I only used 1 lb. for the recipe. We are going to go with a traditional blend of winter spices for this recipe, think cinnamon, nutmeg and similar spices. We are going to top this recipe off with some homemade caramel that will take care of that sweet tooth.

This is a great recipe you can use for a Christmas or New Years party, maybe in a DIY food gift, packaged in a mason jar, or maybe its sitting by the fire on a cold winter night and looking to enjoy a season appropriate snack.

To get things started we are going to start the smoker. We will want to this up and running at 225° and figure enough charcoal for about an hour long smoke. I used my Kettle on this one, but it should work well on your pellet grill or any other style smoker. The nice part of this recipe, there is no IT we need to hit, so this smoke will go a little more by look and feel on how the mixed nuts are going. We will want to compliment the winter spices and sweetness of this recipe with a combination of apple and cherry wood. While the smoker is getting to temperature, we can start with the seasoning.

Spices For Smoked Mixed Nuts Recipe

Here is what we are going to use for the smoked nuts recipe, all the measurements are in the recipe card:

• allspice
• cinnamon
• nutmeg
• cardamon
• ginger

You will want to measure out each spice, combine them in a small bowl and put them off to the side. Make sure you have them mixed together well. Later on, after the caramel is made, you are going to want to slowly add the spices to the caramel and nuts.

Homemade Caramel

The first time I was going to make caramel, before knowing what the recipe consisted of, I assumed it was going to be a long process with a ton of ingredients. Needless say once I researched it a bit, I realized my assumptions were all wrong. Homemade caramel is an incredibly easy recipe and requires only a few ingredients.

You are going to need the following items:

• light brown sugar
• salted butter
• heavy cream

This is again perfect to do while the smoker is getting up to temperature. Take a stainless pot and over a medium to high heat, add the ingredients. You will want to keep stirring and want to make sure you do not actually burn the mixture while its cooking. This should take about 5-10 minutes. You will see it come to a slight boil, where you start to see some bubbles forming. At this point you can let simmer over a low heat for another 2-3 minutes. It should start to turn a golden brown, again make sure you are stirring it, so as to avoid it from burning.

Preparing Smoked Nuts

Spices are mixed, caramel is made, now we need to start combining all the sweetness and get it on the smoker. I suggest using either a large bowl, or a foil tray. I usually go with the foil tray, as I can then just move it onto the smoker.

Place your mixed nuts in the tray or bowl, then start to slowly add the caramel mixture, while moving and stirring the nuts. We need to ensure we are getting all the nuts covered. Once that is done, we need to start adding the spices. The spices, in a similar manner to the caramel, add some spices, stir the nuts and repeat. It is important we are getting full coverage of the spices on the mixed nuts. Once you are done, we can move the tray to the smoker.

The Best Smoked Nuts Recipe

Smoker should be at 225° now and we can place the nuts on the smoker and close it up. You will keep these on for about an hour. I would suggest stirring them halfway through just to ensure we can get some of the nuts layered on the bottom up to the top for some smokey flavor. This will also help with ensuring that while smoking the nuts they are not getting stuck to the bottom of the tray.

After smoking the nuts for an hour, remove them and we are going to let them cool for a bit and allow the caramel to harden up. Give them 15-20 minutes to cool down, you can cover with some foil if you like but not necessary. I would also here suggest you stir the nuts around a bit, we again don’t want them getting stuck to the bottom of the tray. After they cool down you are ready to serve!

You can store these in an airtight container for about one week but honestly unless you make too much, you will not have many leftovers.

Checking your ambient temperature, the ThermoPro TP20 is a great budget friendly way to go.

Wrapping Up Winter Spiced Smoked Nuts

Winter spiced smoked nuts are a delicious and versatile snack that can be enjoyed during the colder months. The combination of warm spices and smoky flavors creates a unique and satisfying taste experience. Whether you’re hosting a holiday gathering or simply looking for a cozy treat to enjoy by the fire, these nuts are sure to impress. With their crunchy texture and irresistible flavor profile, they are the perfect addition to any winter occasion. So why not try your hand at making your own batch of winter spiced smoked nuts this season? You won’t be disappointed!

Thanks for being here and checking out this Winter Spiced Smoked Nuts recipe. I hope you enjoy it! We always appreciate comments, 5 star recipe rating and social media shares. As always, keep that smoke rolling!

Below I listed some other ideas. A shorter smoke like this, you can easily add on some other items as well. These are some great smoker recipes, from smoking almonds, hickory smoked nuts and more.

• Hickory Smoked Nuts
• Smoked Pecans With Honey Glaze
• Smoked Cinnamon Sugar Almonds
• Smoked Cream Cheese
• Hickory Smoked Almonds
• Spicy Smoked Chex Mix
• Roasted Chestnut Recipe

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