Spiced Pecans

I made this snack for several parties during the holidays and they were a huge hit, with a strangely addictive sweet and spicy heat. Thanks to Christmas Gifts from the Kitchen for the recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 pound bag of shelled pecan halves
• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 5 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until lightly browned, for about 10 minutes. While baking, combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl.

Remove pecans from the oven and transfer them to a large heavy-duty pot. Add the oil and heat at medium-high heat, stirring to coat the nuts well. Continue stirring and add a bit of the spice mixture at a time so all nuts are evenly coated. Once all spices are added, continue to stir for an additional 2 minutes until the sugar melts and the nuts caramelize. Then return the candied nuts to the baking sheet, spreading them evenly, and let them cool.