Maple and Spice Glazed Nuts

The holidays are a great time to buy and enjoy a wide variety of specialty treats. Some of the best candies, appetizers, fruits, nuts and pastries appear around Christmas, New Year's Day, Valentine's Day, Easter or Halloween. They come to tempt our taste buds and to tempt us to part with some of our hard earned money.

There's no reason to go overboard on some of those fancy treats when you can make them yourself. Here is a simple, yet delicious, recipe for Maple Glazed Nuts that will rival some of the best snacks available at any mall kiosk around.

Start by assembling a few necessary utensils and ingredients. You will need a baking sheet, a sheet of wax paper and a couple of bowls. As far as ingredients, gather up 1-1/2 cups of assorted nuts, ½ cup of maple syrup, 1 tablespoon of butter, 1 tablespoon of cinnamon and ½ teaspoon of nutmeg.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Spray the baking sheet with cooking spray; evenly distribute the nuts over the sheet. You can work with mixed nuts here or just stick to one type that is your very favorite. The choice is up to you. Bake nuts for ten minutes. Remove from oven and cool before continuing.

While you're waiting for the nuts to cool, heat ½ cup of maple syrup in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring continuously. Bring syrup to a boil, stir in butter. Add nuts; stir until coated. Allow to cool.

Remove nuts from syrup mixture with a slotted spoon and place them in a clean bowl. Sprinkle the cinnamon and nutmeg over them and toss to coat the nuts evenly.

Place nuts on baking sheet covered with the sheet of wax paper. Sprinkle lightly with salt, if desired. Allow to dry before eating.

These nuts can be stored in an airtight container for up to two weeks. So, the next time you find yourself in the mood for one of those specialty holiday treats and the next holiday is months away, consider trying these maple and spice glazed nuts.