Holiday Appetizers 101: Cinnamon Sugared Roasted Almonds.

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If you are anything like me, walking through the mall this time of year without buying some cinnamon roasted almonds is just torturous. Can you smell them now?

 

I can’t, but that’s probably just because I’m sitting by my husband.

 

Who smells like a boy.

 

And rotten eggs.

 

But I still like him. Most of the time.

 

Everytime I am at the mall during the Christmas season (which, let’s be honest, is every single day), I blow a few bucks on those almonds because they smell so good.

The outer shells are hard, they hurt my teeth and cut my gums.

I eat the entire bag while walking around, then throw a tantrum in the dressing room while trying on jeans. I have no idea why they won’t fit.

And then I go get more almonds to eat my emotions.

They are THAT good.

 

I knew I needed to recreate these before I bankrupted my family on sugary almonds and new jeans that fit.

 

 

So I grabbed some raw almonds – a large bag was less than $2.00 at my store.

 

 

I beat an egg white to use as ‘glue.’ Thank you, Mother Lovett, for always telling us we did things wrong teaching me this.

 

 

And mixed together some sugar, cinnamon, salt, and raw turbinado sugar for texture.

 

 

 

I coated the almonds with the foamy egg whites. 

 

 

I threw the almonds in all at once, since I have no patience.

 

 

After the egg white bath, I coated the almonds with the cinnamon sugar.

 

 

And placed them on a baking sheet to roast.

 

 

They came out perfectly!

 

They lacked the hard outer shell that the mall-almonds have, yet tasted the same. They also cost much less then buying the overpriced bags at kiosks.

 

Alas, they will still probably cost me new jeans. 

 

 

Cinnamon Sugar Roasted Almonds

1 cup raw almonds

1/2 cup sugar

1/8 cup cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup course sugar (I used raw turbinado)

1-2 egg whites, beaten until foamy

Preheat oven to 275.

Mix sugars, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until foamy.

Dip almonds in egg whites, then in sugar mixture. Place on a baking sheet.

Roast at 275 for 30-45 minutes, tossing occasionally.

 

 

Set a big bowl of these babies out and your guests will devour them. No need for new jeans!

  

 

But if your jeans are feelin’ tight, check out how I plan to stay fit this holiday season.

Tagged as: almonds, appetizers, recipes