Spicy Espresso Dark Chocolate Almonds

Sweet and spicy espresso dark chocolate almonds are an irresistible munchie to serve during fall and winter entertaining.

I was really bummed to have to cancel our annual party last month due to heating issues (nothing like having a new house and losing your heat during a cold spell) and sickness. More than half of the food was prepped or prepared when we had to make the call to cancel. We’ve gradually been eating through the cookies and appetizers that I stashed in the freezer, but these almonds got forgotten about in the pantry. It’s a good thing they have a long shelf life.

I know that the holidays are now over, but I’m going to share with you a little tip anyway. I love to have some sort of special nut to serve a munchie for fall and winter parties or entertaining. Done right, a candied, spiced or roasted nut (or mixed nuts) are something unique and special – they always stand out from store-bought salted nuts. Plus, most variations can be made at least a week in advance, making it one less thing to do the weekend of the party.

Sweet, savory, or slightly spicy – I have a hard time staying away from candied or spiced nuts. And this recipe? Oooo, so good. I loved the dark chocolate and espresso combo, and the sweet heat from the cayenne – YUM!

The hands-on time for this recipe is quite short – just 5 minutes to mix up the coating and toss the almonds. Then you have the better part of 90 minutes to clean the house or work on other party or entertaining prep, stopping back just to give the almonds a quick stir. After the almonds cool, they’ll be tossed in cocoa powder, test tasted (a must!) and and then stored in an airtight container until serving. Easy peasy, right?

So pin this recipe for your fall and winter entertaining. And if you try it, be sure to snap a photo and post to social media with the hashtag #booksncooks. I look forward to seeing your version of it!

More recipes for candied and spiced nuts:

• Candied Pecans
• Mixed Spiced Nuts
• Rosemary Cashews
• Vanilla Almonds

Print

Spicy Espresso Dark Chocolate Almonds

Sweet and spicy espresso dark chocolate almonds are an irresistible munchie to serve during fall and winter entertaining.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes

Servings 16 1-oz. servings

Calories 176 kcal

Author Books n' Cooks

Ingredients

• 1 egg white
• 1/4 c. granulated sugar
• 2 Tbs. ground instant espresso or strong coffee (I like Starbucks Via)
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne
• 1 lb. whole raw almonds
• 1/4 c. cocoa powder

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 250F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Whisk together egg white and sugar until combined. Whisk in espresso and cayenne. Stir in almonds until evenly coated. Arrange in a single layer on prepared baking sheet.

3. Bake for 1 hour. Flip almonds and return to the oven for another 30 minutes.

4. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Toss in cocoa powder.

5. Store in an airtight container. (Mine kept for a month.)

Recipe Notes

This recipe makes 1 lb. of nuts.

This recipe was adapted from Bell’alimento.