With the final countdown to Christmas in full effect, I wanted to share a very simple yet delicious and thoughtful gift idea. Last year one of my friends gifted us with a jar of homemade cinnamon and sugar spiced nuts and they were amazing! So amazing that I had to ask her for the recipe and make them this year to give as gifts. This recipe is not only incredibly easy, but it makes a ton and it also keeps for weeks. Both the recipe and the sources for the packaging are below :)

The key to this recipe is to make sure to whip the egg whites until they form stiff peaks before folding in the cinnamon and sugar. While they are baking, I found that stirring them every 15 minutes really helps to coat the mixture on the nuts and also prevents it from sticking to the pan.

Once the nut mixture has completely cooled from being in the oven, you can either store them in an air tight container until you're ready to gift them or package them up right away. I placed the cinnamon and sugar nuts in some tall jars and tied them with my favorite velvet ribbon. I also had some simple labels made to put on the front of them. I kept the packaging pretty simple since I was making a lot of these for gifts, but you could get as creative as you'd like with these!

Cinnamon & Sugar Spiced Nuts Recipe

Ingredients:

5 cups pecan halves, unsalted
1 cup whole almonds, unsalted
2 egg whites
2 Tablespoons water
2 cups granulated sugar
2 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300F degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and spray with non-stick spray; or use a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
Mix pecans and almonds in a large bowl. Set aside.
Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and water on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 4-5 minutes. Add the sugar, cinnamon, and salt, gently folding until combined.
Pour/spoon sugar mixture over nuts and stir to coat completely. Spread nuts over the baking sheets and bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15. Allow to cool completely and enjoy. Store nuts at room temperature for a few weeks, covered.

*This recipe comes from this original source.