So, our big cookie bake-off is just a few days away and it looks like we’re going to have a full house. Now, I confess that I have a little bit of that Italian grandmother in me who fears that there will not be enough food. Heather is often the voice of reason in these moments, but I just can’t help it…I love to cook and I love to feed people!

The party is at 4pm and the cookie judging/reveal starts at 5:30pm, so we’re offering our guests a large array of snacks, cold appetizers, and hot appetizers. Today I’m sharing with you one of my snack recipes, which could not be easier or more delicious! These nuts are adapted from Ina Garten’s recipe (aka Barefoot Contessa) and I whipped them up yesterday. They smell absolutely delicious and the flavors won’t let you down either. Here goes!

Ingredients:

• Vegetable oil
• 12 ounces pecans
• 10 ounces walnuts
• 10 ounces whole almonds
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 teaspoons ground chipotle powder
• 4 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves, divided
• Kosher salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Brush a sheet pan generously with vegetable oil. Combine the nuts, 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, the maple syrup, brown sugar, orange juice, and chipotle powder in a large bowl or right on the sheet pan. Toss to coat the nuts evenly. Add 2 tablespoons of the rosemary and 2 teaspoons of salt and toss again.
3. Spread the nuts in one layer. Roast the nuts for 25 minutes, stirring twice with a large metal spatula, until the nuts are glazed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with 2 more teaspoons of salt and the remaining 2 tablespoons of rosemary.
4. Toss well and set aside at room temperature, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking as they cool. Taste for seasoning. Serve warm or cool completely and store in airtight containers at room temperature.

It’s really as simple as that! : )

You can use whatever nuts in whatever ratio you prefer, just keeping in mind that the original recipe calls for a total of about 8 cups of nuts. Of course you can also adjust the seasoning to your liking. At the halfway mark, I tasted a nut and the chipotle flavor seemed overpowering. But by the time they were done, it really simmered down and mingled well with the rest of the flavors.

Some of the commenters noted that clean up can be a real pain if you let the nuts cool on the same baking sheet that you baked them on (think maple syrupy brittle). So, I took their advice and cooled them on a clean baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. My cookie sheets are non-stick, so I’m not sure that I really needed to do that step, but I’d rather be safe than stuck scrubbing over the sink!

Packed in a nice glass bottle, these would make lovely edible gifts for those non nut-allergic folks in your life – if you don’t eat all of it first!

Enjoy!