There is no snack quite like fresh, hot, roasted almonds – sitting in the ballpark, visiting a theme park, or walking downtown in a major city. The smell alone immediately makes your mouth water. Even just thinking about them can elicit a visceral reaction based on the memory of the scent alone. However, did you know that cinnamon roasted almonds are actually super easy to make at home?
We’ve been roasting our own candied almonds for a couple of years now. What’s great about this starter recipe is that once you get the method down, then you can really begin to play and come up with different flavor combinations. Swap out the type of nuts (we use pecans a lot too), try a combination of granulated and brown sugar, mix in an optional add-in, substitute the spice (try adding a sprinkle of cayenne or chili pepper for a little spicy kick), etc. They are absolutely amazing warm! They also make great holiday, host, or housewarming gifts packaged in smaller containers. So have fun and go nuts!
Ingredients
2 egg whites
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp almond liqueur, bourbon or whiskey (optional)
25 oz container whole almonds (approximately 5 cups)
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
Directions
Preheat your oven or grill to 300°F.
Beat the egg whites, salt, and any optional flavor add-in in a large bowl to soft peaks. Add the almonds and toss to coat. Add the sugar and cinnamon. Stir until combined thoroughly and the almonds are evenly coated. Pour the almond mixture into a 9×13” disposable aluminum roasting pan (you can use an oven or grill-safe dish, but the disposable aluminum makes for the easiest cleanup). Bake or grill until the coating is dry, stirring every 10-15 minutes – this usually takes about 60-75 minutes.
Enjoy them while they are still warm and then store any remaining almonds in a sealed bag or container. They should stay fresh for up to a week in an airtight container, and probably a bit longer if kept in the refrigerator or freezer, but they’ve never lasted that long in our house!
