Spiced nuts make a great snack to accompany a cocktail, mix-in for a salad, or as the topping on a brie cheese wheel. Generally spiced nuts are something that you see on fall or winter menus, but they will work equally as well on your spring table. The trick is to change the flavor combination to complement light, bright, and refreshing flavors of Spring. Using Lemon Sugar as her inspiration, Sally was able to create a Lemon Spiced Walnut that is perfect for the warm Spring weather and the flavors that come with it!
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Lemon Spiced Walnuts
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
These Lemon Spiced Walnuts are a delightful spring snack, perfect for pairing with cocktails, adding to salads, or topping a brie cheese wheel.
Ingredients
- 8 oz (225 g) walnut halves
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) Lemon Sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 large egg white
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) cider vinegar
- 6 to 8 drops Orange bitters
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a small bowl, combine the Lemon Sugar, kosher salt, ground cloves, and cayenne pepper. Stir until the mixture is well blended and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, add the egg white. Beat with a whisk until frothy.
- Add the cider vinegar and orange bitters to the egg white, and whisk until combined.
- Add the walnut halves to the egg white mixture, stirring to coat the nuts evenly.
- Sprinkle the sugar and spice mixture over the coated walnuts, and toss until the nuts are evenly covered.
- Spread the walnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the nuts are golden brown and fragrant.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely before serving or storing.
Notes
- Store the cooled walnuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
- For a different flavor profile, try substituting lime sugar for lemon sugar.
- These nuts make a great gift when packaged in a decorative jar.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ounce
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 8 grams
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 15 grams
- Carbohydrates: 12 grams
- Fiber: 2 grams
- Protein: 4 grams
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is “Lemon Sugar” and how do I make it?
Lemon Sugar is a citrus-infused sugar — typically made by rubbing lemon zest into granulated sugar — that forms the flavor base for these walnuts. The recipe calls for ½ cup (120 ml) of it; the notes also mention you can swap in lime sugar for a different flavor profile.
What does the egg white do in this recipe?
Beating 1 large egg white until frothy — then mixing in 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar and 6–8 drops of orange bitters — creates a sticky coating that binds the Lemon Sugar spice mix to the walnut halves before baking at 300°F for 25–30 minutes.
How long do these spiced walnuts keep?
The notes say to store the cooled walnuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, making them a good make-ahead snack or gift — the notes specifically suggest packaging them in a decorative jar.
