Spiced Spanish Almonds

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon hot paprika or smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon kosher sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 large egg white
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 lb marcona almonds or raw whole almond (about 3 cups)
• cooking spray

Directions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 275°F Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. 2

   Whisk brown sugar, cumin, paprika, thyme, salt and cayenne in a large bowl.

3. 3

   Whisk egg white and water in a medium bowl until foamy.

4. 4

   Add almonds to egg mixture and stir to coat; pour through a sieve to drain off excess egg white.

5. 5

   Transfer the almonds to the bowl of spices; stir well to coat.

6. 6

   Spread evenly on the prepared baking sheet.

7. 7

   Bake the almonds for 30 minutes.

8. 8

   Stir, reduce the oven temperature to 200F and bake until almonds are dry and golden, about 30 minutes more.

9. 9

   Let cool before serving, 15 to 20 minutes.

10. 10

    Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

11. 11

    NOTE: Spanish Marcona almonds have recently become more popular and more available. They're a little flatter than ordinary almonds, with a richer flavor. Always skinned, most Marcona almonds have already been sauteed in oil and lightly salted when you get them. For this recipe, select unsalted and oil-free nuts if you can, though either will work well. You can find them in specialty stores.