Cinnamon Roasted Almonds

Growing up, I used to love walking around NYC to look at the holiday window displays. The displays were always beautiful, but my favorite part was getting some warm roasted almonds to enjoy as I walked along. They were sweet, crunchy, and coated in a cinnamony candy crust. What’s not to love?

The week before Thanksgiving, my mom came to visit, and went to a market place featuring vendors selling unique Christmas gifts. As we walked into the 3rd building of the market, the smell of roasted almonds hit me, and although I wasn’t outside in the cold looking at the window displays, it took me right back to that feeling. Of course I bought some almonds and they were just so amazing. Warm, sweet and delicious, I knew when I got home that I had to make these.

I bought some almonds and went straight to work in my kitchen to recreate this holiday happiness.  To make theses almonds, you need sugar and brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, an egg, and of course, almonds.

I know the egg sounds a bit weird with the rest of these ingredients, but it makes sense. You’ll see! You’ll separate the egg and beat the egg white until it’s frothy. Then you’ll toss the almonds in the egg froth with the vanilla and coat them with sugar. Roast them in your oven low and slow for an hour.

Get ready because your kitchen will smell amazing. This is great to just eat if you love roasted almonds, to set out with your holiday snacks when you have guests come by, or as a gift. Just add them to a mason jar and tie a bow around them for a sweet and homemade gift for the holidays.

Ingredients

1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 egg white
1 pound whole raw almonds

Directions

Preheat oven to 250 degrees
Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. 
Mix sugars in a mixing bowl, along with cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and cloves. 
Add egg white to large bowl, and beat with a hand mixer until frothy.  Add vanilla and beat until combined. 
Add almonds to the egg whites and stir to combine.  Add sugars to the almond egg white mixture.
Spread almonds out in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. 
Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. 
Let almonds cool, uncovered on the pan. 
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 weeks.