These 10+ Spiced Nuts and Seeds Recipes are The Easiest Holiday Appetizers

Whether you’re setting out a quick nibble before the big meal or building a festive grazing board, these spiced nut and seed recipes make holiday hosting a little bit easier. A batch of Spiced Candied Pecans delivers sweet and spicy notes, while our Pizza Pistachios are savory and satisfying. Crunchy, flavorful and easy to make, these spiced nuts and seeds are worth adding to your menu this season.

Snickerdoodle Almonds

Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Addelyn Evans, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco

Tossing almonds in frothy egg whites helps the sweet and savory seasoning adhere to these festive snickerdoodle almonds. They make an excellent appetizer for holiday entertaining.

Pizza Pistachios

Jennifer Causey

Nutritional yeast mimics the flavor of cheese, lending a pizza-like flavor to these playful spiced pistachios.

Sesame-Honey Roasted Cashews

Photographer: Ali Redmond.

These sesame-honey roasted cashews are a sweet-and-savory snack with a toasty crunch and a hint of umami from the sesame seeds. While they’re perfect for snacking straight from the jar, they also make a delicious topping for salads, adding protein and flavor.

Spiced Candied Pecans

At home or at Campo, the restaurant he oversees at Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm in Albuquerque, chef Jonathan Perno likes to welcome guests with spiced New Mexican pecans. You won’t see this in most spiced-nut recipes, but Perno blanches them to reduce some of the bitter tannins in the skin that can sometimes overwhelm the pecans’ delicate flavor.

Spiced Roasted Walnuts

Photographer: Heami Lee, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christine Keeley

Walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, while spices like cinnamon and ginger can further support the anti-inflammatory benefits. These walnuts are not only a flavorful, crunchy snack on their own, but also a great topping for salads.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Carson Downing

Pumpkin seeds are packed with fiber, protein and magnesium, so they make a great healthy snack. It’s also easy to customize them with different seasonings so you can enjoy endless flavors—or keep things on the simple side with just a sprinkle of salt.

Everything-Seasoned Almonds

Jennifer Causey

Grinding up the everything bagel seasoning in a spice grinder will help it adhere to the almonds in this easy snack.

Candied Hazelnuts

Greg Dupree

Use these nuts in both sweet and savory dishes. Top a tart for a cinnamony sweet and crunchy finish, or crack them and sprinkle over chicken salad. They’re good on their own, and you can change the flavor to suit many tastes.

Rosemary-Garlic Pecans

Jennifer Causey

These savory spiced nuts are perfect for snacking, adding to a cheese board or serving as a mini appetizer.

Gut-Friendly Snack Mix

Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Styling: Christina Brockman

This curried cashew snack mix features toasted edamame—a prebiotic food that sets the stage for a healthy gut. A combination of spices and red curry paste brings flavor and heat to this grab-and-go snack. To keep the spice level on the mild side, you can swap out the red curry paste for yellow.

Roasted Spaghetti Squash Seeds

Alexandra Shytsman

Cut down on food waste with this tasty, nutritious snack. The seasoning in this recipe is a mix of spicy, salty and sweet, but feel free to try your own flavor combinations.

Chile-Lime Peanuts

These spicy nuts were inspired by ones sold by street vendors across Mexico. If you can only find salted peanuts, omit the added salt. Add the maximum amount of cayenne pepper if you want an extra hit of spice.

Salt & Vinegar Pumpkin Seeds

Salt-and-vinegar seasoning isn’t just for chips. These roasted pumpkin seeds tossed with salt and vinegar are a briny, crunchy treat. Soaking the seeds in vinegar ensures that the deep vinegary flavor remains after baking.