Sweet and Salty Bacon and Nuts

  4.4 – 17 reviews  • Recipes for Parties
Level: Easy
Total: 2 hr 55 min
Prep: 10 min
Inactive: 2 hr
Cook: 45 min
Yield: About 3 cups (6 to 8 servings)

Ingredients

  1. 8 ounces (8 to 9 slices), applewood-smoked bacon, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
  2. 1 large egg white
  3. 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  4. 1/3 cup sugar
  5. 1 cup raw almonds (about 5 ounces)
  6. 1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped (about 4 ounces)
  7. 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Cook the bacon over medium heat in a large skillet until brown and crisp, 8 to 9 minutes. Remove the bacon using a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Pour 1/4 cup of the bacon fat on a heavy rimmed baking sheet and spread evenly.
  2. Beat the egg white and salt until just foamy using a whisk in a medium bowl. Gradually add the sugar and beat until just blended. Add the almonds, walnuts and cayenne pepper. Toss until the nuts are coated.
  3. Spread the nut mixture in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake until the nuts are crisp and brown, about 35 minutes, turning and stirring the nut mixture with a metal spatula every 10 to 15 minutes. Cool for 2 hours.
  4. Transfer the nut mixture to a bowl; add the bacon pieces and toss to blend. This recipe can be prepared 1 day ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 of 8 servings
Calories 348
Total Fat 29 g
Saturated Fat 5 g
Carbohydrates 15 g
Dietary Fiber 3 g
Sugar 10 g
Protein 10 g
Cholesterol 19 mg
Sodium 195 mg

Reviews

Anna Alexander
These are addictive! I read the reviews before making them for a Super Bowl party and changed just a few things. I used only 1-2 T bacon grease to coat the pan and added chili powder and smoked paprika to the egg mixture. I make all kinds of spiced nuts a lot and agree that the bacon pieces could be omitted but the addition of a little bacon grease is what sets them apart. Everyone loved them. Pecans are a winning addition.
Carlos Fox
Excellent! Would make this again. The reason for four stars is that the nuts-to-other-ingredients ratio is too low. I added another 1/2 cup of both walnuts and almonds, and could have easily doubled it. Also, I think two Tbsp of bacon grease would have been enough for either version. But oh, was it tasty!
April Adams
So yummy! So yummy! Only thing was that the nuts burned the first time I made it so the second time I cooked them at 280 degrees for an hour and they turned out perfectly!
James Terry
Great flavor – too greasy with the bacon so I just make it as written without the bacon – i use cooking spray to grease the pan.
Jeffrey Williams
This is addicting. What’s not to love about bacon! This is a great general recipe for making candied nuts for all uses. Adding the bacon really gives it an interesting and delicious taste. I had to give some away so I wouldn’t eat it all myself. Will definitely make this again as a snack and will also make the nuts for salads. It will freeze well to use when needed.
Larry Bowen
I was so excited to make my husband some beer nuts for Father’s Day. I followed the recipe exactly and they did not come out well. They don’t have enough flavor and they do come out greasy. I was hoping for more of a sweet/salty/spicy coating and they really don’t have any flavor but oily. We LOVE bacon, so I don’t want to omit that, but next time I’m only going to spray the bottom with cooking spray and try that. The bacon grease is too much. Also, after the first batch of cooking time, 10 min, I tossed them and put them back in. Only 8 min later, they are too dark 🙁 You must watch these like a hawk to make sure they don’t go too dark.
Erin Osborne
These are a tasty and a great snack to whip up for guests. We aren’t bacon eaters, so I was thrilled to read other reviews mentioning they were liked more without the bacon. I added some raw cashews I had on had also. I make Ina’s Chipotle and Rosemary nuts all the time, so this is another nut recipe that’s a little sweeter.
Samuel Kelley
I AGREE with the other reviewers; whatever you do OMIT the bacon and all the fatty bacon fat part. The recipe on it’s own is terrific and everyone loves it; but with the pork fat some of my guests couldn’t eat it!

Make it healthy and without the pork and you have a fun recipe everyone will Love! :

Juan Stokes
I’ve made these 2 times so far and the second time, I did 2 batches. One w/ and one w/o the bacon and we all agreed w/o the bacon was SO much better. The first time, i followed the recipe but left out the bacon fat. I made a few adjustments for the second time. I baked them at 350° and added an extra cup of nuts, end result…the nuts were super crunchy. There was a lot less of the egg mixture left over and when I baked them at the higher temp, it helped to make them super crunchy. Definitely will be making these again!
Rebecca Wilson
This is the best snack recipe ever!! We have made it over and over and have to make double batches. It is so good it’s addictive and was such a hit when we took it to a friend’s house at Christmas that everyone wanted the recipe! Also, this snack is good with any beverage (doesn’t have to be beer. We make it as the recipe reads with the bacon grease and all, no need to improve on a good thing!! If you want to make a hit at your Super Bowl party, make this snack. You won’t be sorry!

 

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