Spiced Nuts ~ A Family Heirloom Recipe

I feel like a kid again. My Mom and Dad are visiting this Christmas holiday. We realized that it's been about 20 years since we've spent Christmas together....oh how I've missed my parents being with me and my family. I'm thrilled to have them with me us again. You see, it isn't that we aren't close, we are, but we live in two different states. The miles, and most often winter weather, keep us apart. Thanksgiving is the holiday I usually share with my parents and other family, but this year it worked out to share Christmas together. It's a very special Christmas after all. This is our granddaughter's first Christmas. Peanut will have her parents, her maternal grandparents, and her maternal great grandparents with her. Such a lucky little one. Well, actually, it's all of us who are feeling lucky and blessed this Christmas to have our Peanut with us.

Naturally, I'm taking full advantage of my mom being here. We're cooking together, and it means the world to me. We're making the most of our time together because who knows when we'll share this holiday again? Something we decided to do is celebrate by making a few of our family heirloom recipes. Recipes that have been passed down from other close family members to us throughout the years; family that is no longer with us. Today's recipe is one such recipe: my Auntie Norie's Spiced Nuts. When I was a child Auntie Norie used to come share Christmas with me, my brother, and our parents no matter where we were in the world. Remember, I grew up in an Air Force family, so we moved a lot. There were two recipes I distinctly remember Auntie Norie making whenever she was with us for Christmas. Spiced Nuts is one of them.

I'm happy to share this recipe with you. And who knows? Maybe it will become a tradition through the years in your family. Enjoy!

For a printer-friendly, text-only version of the recipe, click here.

Spiced Nuts
Auntie Norie's Spiced Nuts
Eleanor White - Mac's Aunt

What you will need:

1 Cup Sugar

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

6 Tablespoons whole Milk

3 Cups of walnuts (I use pecans)

1/2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla

What you will do:

1. Bring sugar, cinnamon and milk to a boil 

2. Keep at boil until mixture reaches a soft ball state - 236 degrees - use a candy thermometer

If you do not have a candy thermometer you can drip a small amount of the sugar mixture into cold water, then once mixture is cool, take mixture out of water and roll it between your fingers to see if it will form a soft ball.

The soft ball should still flatten easily and not be stiff. It's ready! Remove mixture from heat.

3. Add walnuts (I used pecans) and vanilla to mixture.

4. Stir until creamy and thick - stir quickly, the mixture will harden quickly. 

5. Pour onto cookie sheet and separate nuts

6. Let cool and harden (about 10 minutes). Once coating is hard, put the nuts ina pretty, festive bowl and serve. Or package up as a hostess gift, or holiday treat for someone special. Enjoy!

Mac's Cooking Notes:

1. I doubled this recipe. It worked just fine with 1 lb of shelled pecans.

2. The spiced nuts will last about 10 days if kept in an air tight container. About 7 days if kept in a cellophane gift bag that has been tied.

Comments

[L]

You are so lucky to have your folks alive, well and with you for Christmas. Take lots of photos and hold your loved ones close! Thanks for a tasty recipe so carefully laid out with great photos!