Spicy Pretzel and Nut Mix

If you feel nostalgic about the days when you sent a package of wafers and an orange as mishloach manot, the gifts of food exchanged on Purim, you’re out of luck today. When I spotted a bottle of sangria, a fruity wine beverage, in the wine store, the wheels in my head started to turn and this year’s mishloach manot began to take shape. I knew that this crunchy, sweet-salty-spicy nut mix by food blogger and cookbook author David Lebovitz would be a superb accompaniment to a glass of sangria and is the perfect nibble even when not accompanied by a drink.

Spicy Pretzel and Nut Mix

This toasty nut mixture is very adaptable; you can easily change up the nuts and seasonings to suit your preferences. For extra-spicy or not-at-all-spicy nuts, adjust the cayenne pepper. And after making eight batches of this spiced nut mixture I can testify that it is the simplest, throw-together homemade snack imaginable. Not only a welcome addition to your mishloach manot at Purim time, a jar of this nut mix tied with a neat ribbon is a much appreciated hostess gift all year round. But be sure to tell the lucky recipient to hide it because these nuts will disappear before you can explain the difference between wicked Haman and righteous Mordechai. Happy Purim!

Assemble your ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the olive oil, dark brown sugar, cinnamon, cayenne, maple syrup and 1 tablespoon water in a medium bowl.

Add the nuts to the brown sugar mixture, stirring until they are coated. Add the pretzels and sea salt to the mixture and stir until everything is well coated. Spread the nut mixture on the prepared baking pan. Bake for 12 minutes, stirring once during cooking. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the nut mixture to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Print Recipe

Spicy Pretzel and Nut Mix

Appetizers and Snacks

By David Lebovitz, adapted from The Sweet Life in Paris – Serves: 8

Prep Time: 8 minutes – Cooking Time: 12 minutes – Total Time: 20 minutes

Crunchy, sweet-salty-spicy nut mix

Ingredients

• 2 cups (200g) nuts, unsalted ; any combination of cashews, whole almonds, peanuts, pecan halves, and hazelnuts
• 1 tablespoon (15g) olive oil
• 3 tablespoons (45g) dark brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne (or to taste)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt or kosher salt
• 2 cups (100g) small pretzel twists, unsalted

Instructions

1

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the olive oil, dark brown sugar, cinnamon, cayenne, maple syrup and 1 tablespoon water in a medium bowl.

2

Add the nuts to the brown sugar mixture, stirring until they are coated. Add the pretzels and sea salt to the mixture and stir until everything is well coated.

3

Spread the nut mixture on the prepared baking pan. Bake for 12 minutes, stirring once during cooking. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the nut mixture to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.