Spiced maple nuts and seeds

This recipe takes inspiration from cold winter nights in Sweden, where friends gather for drinks and warm spiced nuts by the fire. But these aromatic spiced nuts are just as popular any time of year!

Credit: Brett Stevens

• makes

  750

• prep

  5 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

These are a fabulous party or picnic treat eaten warm or cold. Package them up into cellophane bags, and give to family and friends over the Christmas season.

Ingredients

• 3 cups unsalted raw mixed nuts, blanched almonds, pecans, brazil, cashews
• ½ cup linseeds (flax seeds), or pumpkin seeds
• 60 g unsalted butter
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp sea salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 150ºC (300ºF). Combine the nuts and seeds on a large lined baking tray and bake for 15 minutes until the nuts are golden.

Melt the butter in a large deep frying pan over a medium heat. Add the brown sugar, maple syrup, chilli, spices and salt. Stir until the sugar has dissolved.

Increase to a medium high heat, add the nuts and toss well to coat in the sugar and spice mixture.

Continue stirring for 5 minutes until you can smell the sugar caramelising on the nuts.

Pour the nuts onto a large lined tray and allow to cool slightly. Serve warm or, once cold, break up the nuts and store in an airtight container for 2 weeks.

Photography by Brett Stevens. Styling by Marcus Hay. Food preparation by Angela Devlin. 

Looking for more gift ideas? See our edible gift collection here. 

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

These are a fabulous party or picnic treat eaten warm or cold. Package them up into cellophane bags, and give to family and friends over the Christmas season.