How to Roast Nuts

Andrea Beck
·4 min read

Knowing how to roast nuts is an easy skill that can make your midmorning snack taste 10 times better. Once you master the basics, you can make your own roasted pecans, roasted almonds, roasted peanuts, and more! You can also start with mixed nuts, or choose a roasted nut recipe to follow if you’re wary of experimenting right off the bat. We’ll walk you through the process step-by-step, and you’ll be snacking on homemade roasted nuts before you know it!

How to Roast Nuts in the Oven

  • Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F (note that some recipes may call for a slightly higher or lower temperature, depending on the type of nuts and the seasonings you use).

  • In a large bowl mix together your nuts and desired seasonings. If you’re adding a coating, like honey, mix it into your bowl of nuts first, then add dry seasonings, like sugar or cayenne pepper, so they’ll stick to the coating. You can also roast your nuts plain and then after roasting add seasonings like fresh herbs, salt, and brown sugar (so this isn’t your last opportunity to add flavor).

  • For plain nuts, bake for 10-12 minutes, stirring at least once, until the nuts are toasted.

  • For coated nuts, bake for 15-25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until your nuts are golden and appear dry.

  • For plain nuts, sprinkle on your desired seasonings and stir (you can also drizzle your nuts with melted butter first to help the seasonings stick).

  • Spread the nuts on a large piece of foil or waxed paper, and allow to cool completely before storing.

Tip: Because different kinds of nuts can vary in size, keep in mind that not all nuts will roast for the same amount of time. For example, whole nuts will need to roast longer than sliced or chopped nuts, and larger nuts, like whole walnuts and pecans, will generally need to roast longer than smaller nuts, such as peanuts. Adding certain seasonings or coatings to your nuts could also affect roasting time (for example, if your recipe calls for brushing on a mix of egg whites and water before baking, you’ll need to roast your nuts until they’re dry to make them safe to eat).

How to Roast Almonds

If you want to elevate your almonds to be a little tastier at snack time, start by roasting them! This roasted almonds recipe uses a few sprinkles of pumpkin pie spice and a dusting of sugar to turn your plain almonds into a sweetly spiced treat.

You’ll need:

  • 4 cups whole unblanched almonds (or mixed nuts)

  • 1 egg white

  • 1 teaspoon water

  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar

  • 1/3 cup packed brown sugar

  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

  • ½ teaspoon salt

Then follow these steps:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the almonds in a single layer in a shallow baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Place on a wire rack and cool for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Grease a 15x10x1-inch baking pan and set aside.

  2. With a wire whisk or rotary beater, beat the egg white and water in a large bowl until frothy. Stir in the granulated sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Stir in the cooled nuts. Spread the nuts in a single layer in the prepared pan.

  3. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the nuts appear dry, stirring once halfway through baking. Transfer the nuts to waxed paper, separating into individual pieces or small clusters, and cool completely.

  4. Place the almonds in a tightly covered container, or separate them into covered decorative containers. Cover and store in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Gochujang Spiced Nuts

Want to give your roasted nuts a little something extra? Try making this recipe with gochujang, a thick Korean paste made with red chiles, glutinous rice, fermented soybeans, and salt. You can use mixed nuts for this sweet-and-spicy recipe. A combination of roasted pecans, almonds, and cashews is particularly tasty.

Spicy Honey-Roasted Peanuts

We've all bought honey-roasted peanuts before, but did you know you could make this nut roast recipe at home? You can have a batch of these spicy, sweet peanuts ready for snacking in just over 30 minutes, so really, an extra trip to the store would be silly. Coating them with honey and sugar before baking gives them their signature sweetness, while just a pinch of cayenne pepper adds delicious heat.