Easy & Healthy Spiced Nuts Recipe (No Sugar)

Delicious and wholesome spiced nuts are not just packed with flavor but also good for you, with healthy fats and protein in each serving. With a perfect blend of spices and no added sugar or sweeteners, this homemade spiced nuts recipe is the ideal snack to satisfy your hunger without the sugar crash.

These nuts are also amazing in this shaved cabbage salad or as a topping for this kale cranberry feta salad. Just one more quick healthy recipe for you!

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If you have read about my real food weight loss, then you won’t be surprised to know I have learned to enjoy nuts.

I love how just a few along with a cup of tea, satisfies my afternoon hunger (really – only just about an 1/8 cup – you can read more about my portion control tips here),

It’s just a bonus that nuts are packed with nutrition and good-for-you fats. I prefer mixed nuts, since I can get the benefits from the different kinds of nuts and the nutrients they offer.

Are Nuts Really Good For You?

The thing is, nuts have suffered from a bad rap through the years because they are high in fat. I remember being told to stay away from nuts when the focus was only on calories.

It wasn’t until I started researching real food and health that I realized that nuts are full of healthy fats and even help to lower your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels.

The Mayo Clinic reports that “Nuts also appear to improve the health of the lining of your arteries.” In addition, they are great sources of protein, omega-3 fats, fiber, and vitamin E.

And that protein and fat in nuts? That’s what works so well to satisfy us even when we just eat a tablespoon or two.

A little really goes a long way with nuts, but they are also one of the key real foods that helped me lose – and maintain – weight.

While I love the flavor of my perfectly salted roasted nuts, after awhile plain salted nuts can seem a bit…bland.

Since I didn’t want to add sugar like most of the spiced glazed nut recipes I’ve seen, I was thrilled when a friend brought spiced nuts to a gathering we had. They were SO good – the spices made the same old nuts I’d been eating seem like new. She shared the recipe with me so I could share it with you!

Recipe Ingredients

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this amazing spiced nuts recipe:

The ingredients are simple:

• Spices – pantry basic spices, nothing hard to source. Feel free to add or subtract spices you enjoy.
• Oil – olive, avocado
• Raw nuts – any type you want, though I have found the spice sticks best on nuts with crevices like raw walnuts and pecans. I usually do a mix of what I have.

And guess what? I learned that the spices make the nuts even BETTER for you!

• Turmeric is a known anti-inflammatory (I’ve even written about the healing benefits of turmeric).
• Cayenne pepper has been reported to aid in everything from heart issues to helping get rid of LDL (bad) cholesterol.
• Cinnamon is an antioxidant that can help regulate blood sugar, among other things.
• Ginger is an anti-inflammatory.
• Curry is said to help bones, digestion, and even help fight cancer.

The amounts used and eaten in a few nuts probably won’t make a huge impact, but over time you are adding to the health of your overall diet, which is a good thing.

And don’t you love it when something good for you tastes great, too?

How to Make Spiced Nuts: Step-by-Step

Here are a the visual instructions – the full instructions with exact ingredients can be found in the printable recipe card below.

Storage

Store at Room Temperature: once the nuts have cooled on the pan, you can transfer them to an airtight container (I usually simply put them in a quart mason jar with an airtight lid, like these cute bamboo lids). They will be good for 3-4 weeks.

To Freeze: Yes, you can freeze the spiced nuts! Store in an airtight freezer container or baggie for up to 6 months and thaw before serving (they thaw quickly at room temperature).

Since nuts do pack a good amount of calories from fat, even if it’s good fat, we want to practice moderation (I keep a measuring spoon right in the jar to make it easy!).

But you can definitely add a small handful of these nuts to your daily routine and reap the benefits of this nutrient-dense food, especially because this recipe is so easy and can be made in 20 minutes or less!

Reader Recipe Reviews

I’ve made this recipe three times already, and the only thing I change is I drastically increase the amounts, otherwise I would be making these twice a week. Thanks so much. -Dave

Amazing! I’m tired of all the sugary nut recipes and wanted something healthier. This recipe is perfect. -Roberta

These were Deeeeeeelicious! Made a half batch today With pecans, as we’re all trapped at home, and was feeling snacky. Very aromatic, not too spicy, and the only thing I did differently was add a bit more salt after they were spread in the pan. Incredibly simple to make as well, with no egg whites or burnt sugar mess. -Curtis

Wow! I was looking for a spiced nuts recipe that didn’t use sugar and this is fantastic. I used pecans and they turned out great. This recipe has a good bite to it. I’ll definitely be making these again. And again. -Maureen

Other Healthy Nut Recipes To Try

• Chipotle Spicy Roasted Almonds – Easy, Sugar Free
• Maple Sweetened Chili Pecans
• Perfectly Roasted & Salted Almonds (WAY better than bought!)

I hope you love these spiced nuts! If you make them, be sure to leave a recipe rating so I know how you liked it!

Adapted from a recipe in The New Basics Cookbook.

This recipe has been updated – it was originally published March 2014.

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