Make plenty of these mildly sweet and salty nuts—they are great to have on hand over the holidays.

Makes 4 cups

ACTIVE TIME: 20 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 20 minutes

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

1 pound pecan halves
1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon piment d’Espelette (see Tip) or a pinch of cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Spread pecans on a large baking sheet. Roast until fragrant, about 12 minutes. Watch carefully so they don’t burn.
3. Combine brown sugar, salt, thyme, rosemary, pepper and piment d’Espelette (or cayenne) in a small bowl. Transfer the roasted pecans to a large bowl, drizzle with oil and toss well to coat completely. Sprinkle with the spice mixture and toss again. Serve warm or let cool completely and store in an airtight container.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per 2-tablespoon serving: 107 calories; 11 g fat (1 g sat, 6 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 2 g carbohydrate; 1 g protein; 1 g fiber; 53 mg sodium; 58 mg potassium.
0 Carbohydrate Servings
Exchanges: 2 fat

TIP: Tip: Piment d’Espelette is a sweet, mildly spicy chile pepper from the Basque region of France, ground into a powder. Find it online at spanishtable.com.

MAKE AHEAD TIP: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

These were fun and easy to make and quite tasty. A great snack and good for company.

Anonymous, Walnut Creek, CA