Maple Glazed Mixed Nuts with Candied Bacon

This Maple Glazed Mixed Nuts with Candied Bacon post is sponsored by Hatfield and SheKnows Media.

Looking for a fun and unique holiday appetizer?  These Maple Glazed Mixed Nuts with Candied Bacon are salty, sweet and delicious!

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Looking for a fun and unique holiday appetizer?  These Maple Glazed Mixed Nuts with Candied Bacon are salty, sweet and delicious!I was down in New York City recently, and it turned out to be a particularly cold day.  Actually, it turned out to be a particular cold and rainy day.  The kind of day where the weather radar on my phone just showed patches of reds and yellows for the next several hours.  The kind of day where my umbrella turned inside out…as soon as I opened it.  But despite the weather, I couldn’t complain.  After all, I was in New York City, and the city always brings energy and excitement!

On my way back to Penn Station to catch my train home, I happened to catch a whiff of the most amazing smell.  Cinnamon.  And nuts.  I followed my nose to the pushcart on the corner where a guy was selling candied nuts.  These pushcarts are scattered all over the city (especially during the winter months), and there’s almost always a cluster of folks grabbing a snack to go.  I dutifully did the same and grabbed a bag of nuts to enjoy on the train ride north along the Hudson.

Looking for a fun and unique holiday appetizer?  These Maple Glazed Mixed Nuts with Candied Bacon are salty, sweet and delicious!As I was sitting there munching on those sugared nuts, I realized I should make a batch at home.  There’s really not much to it.  After all, the vendors make these sugared nuts on the streets of NYC!  And if they can make nuts on the street, then I can certainly do it at home in my kitchen.  But over the course of the next two hours, my brain started spinning with all of the ways I could make those mixed nuts even better.  Like with some maple syrup.  And bacon.  Bacon makes everything better!  Speaking of bacon, this Maple Bacon Chili has seriously become a staple around our house on these cold nights.  I highly suggest grabbing an extra pack of bacon to make this chili after you make these Maple Glazed Mixed Nuts!)

Looking for a fun and unique holiday appetizer?  These Maple Glazed Mixed Nuts with Candied Bacon are salty, sweet and delicious!The combination of sweet and salty in these Maple Glazed Mixed Nuts creates a snack that you just can’t put down.  Trust me.  I kept putting the lid on the container of nuts, only to come back 5 minutes later and grab another handful!  In fact, these nuts would make an excellent appetizer for a holiday party…or better yet, they’d make excellent gifts for friends and neighbors.  Just make up a couple of batches and divide the mixture into glass jars.  Wrap the jars up with a burlap ribbon and a sprig of pine, and you’ve got yourself a wonderful neighbor or hostess gift!  Just don’t be surprised when everyone expects you to make this recipe year after year!

Looking for a fun and unique holiday appetizer?  These Maple Glazed Mixed Nuts with Candied Bacon are salty, sweet and delicious!When making these Maple Glazed Mixed Nuts, I used Hatfield’s Thick Cut Hardwood Smoked Bacon.  Thick cut bacon is key for these mixed nuts as you want the bacon to hold its own next to the variety of nuts.  In fact, I prefer thick cut bacon for almost all of my recipes.  Hatfield’s Thick Cut Bacon has all of the wonderful taste you expect from bacon…just more of it!  Plus, Hatfield is an American-made, family-owned company based out of Pennsylvania.  The folks at Hatfield are committed to sustaining the American family farm, and I absolutely, 100% support that mission!  I do my part by always keeping a couple packs of Hatfield’s Thick Cut Bacon in the freezer, and we’ve just recently started picking up their dry rubbed seasoned pork tenderloins.  (The tenderloins are delicious and perfect for easy weeknight meals!)

Looking for a fun and unique holiday appetizer?  These Maple Glazed Mixed Nuts with Candied Bacon are salty, sweet and delicious!During the holiday season, our dinners can be a bit eclectic.  Some nights we do quick leftovers, while other nights we grab dinner with friends and neighbors.  We joke that we see our neighbors more during the cold, winter months than we do during the summer when we’re all outside!  Seriously, though, we love just getting together for appetizers for dinner.  No need for a table and a traditional sit-down meal.  We just light a roaring fire in the fireplace and invite a couple of friends over.  Price of admission is an appetizer to share.  These evenings always lead to good fun and good conversations…not to mention good food, too!  I’m pretty sure (as in 100% sure) these Maple Glazed Mixed Nuts are going to be our contribution to the next holiday party!

Looking for a fun and unique holiday appetizer?  These Maple Glazed Mixed Nuts with Candied Bacon are salty, sweet and delicious!Even Robbie got in on the action with these Maple Glazed Mixed Nuts as he walked around the house saying “more nuts please” for about an hour!  Oh, life with toddlers, right?  Happy holidays, everyone!

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Looking for a fun and unique holiday appetizer?  These Maple Glazed Nuts with Candied Bacon are salty, sweet and delicious!

Maple Glazed Mixed Nuts with Candied Bacon

Looking for a fun and unique holiday appetizer?  These Maple Glazed Mixed Nuts with Candied Bacon are salty, sweet and delicious!
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 20 servings
Calories: 300kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place bacon in a cast iron skillet; place skillet over medium heat. Cook until bacon is crispy (~10-12 minutes).
  • Remove bacon from skillet and pat dry. Drain most of the bacon grease from skillet, leaving only about 1-2 tsp in skillet.
  • In a medium bowl, mix together the maple syrup, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon and black pepper; stir until combined. Add the cooked bacon, nuts (pecans, walnuts, cashews and almonds) and dried cranberries; stir until well combined.
  • Transfer mixture back into skillet; cook on low heat, stirring often, for 8-10 minutes or until sugar has melted and begun to thicken. (Note: you will need to stir the mixture fairly often to prevent the sugar and maple syrup from burning.)
  • Remove the mixture from the skillet and toss in granulated sugar. Spread mixture apart on a piece of parchment paper to dry (~5 minutes).

Looking for a fun and unique holiday appetizer?  These Maple Glazed Mixed Nuts with Candied Bacon are salty, sweet and delicious!

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137 Comments

    1. Oh my gosh, this recipe is SO good, Dawn! I mean bacon makes everything better, but it really makes these maple glazed nuts better! 🙂 Definitely put this one on the list. We’ve polished off this batch, but we will definitely be making it again (and probably again after that) during the holidays this year! Thanks so much, my friend!

      1. Hey Christy! My apologies for missing this comment. These glazed nuts + candied bacon are amazing…seriously! These are one of our favorite holiday appetizers now. 🙂 Because the dish includes bacon, we store these in the refrigerator. And we discovered (by accident) that we actually enjoy eating this one cold…go figure. Thanks so much, and I hope you enjoy this one!!

  1. The smell of candied nuts is the thing I love most about winter in NYC. It’s intoxicating! And it really beats the summer hot-pavement-and-subway smell :). I’m finding that I see my neighbors more in winter too because absolutely no one except me goes outside in summer in Phoenix. I’ll have to make a few batches of these nuts to give out now that I actually know what my neighbors look like!

    1. Haha! You are totally right, Kelsie. There’s nothing quite like coming out of the subway to find a hot nuts vendor right there on the corner. And there’s always a puff of smoke coming out of their cart, so you can spot ’em a block away! I’m thinking if you make batches of these nuts, then your neighbors will become good friends…and fast! Of course, when you move up here, your neighbors (ahem, me) will be quite appreciative of a batch of these nuts, too! 🙂 Hope your week is going well, my friend!

  2. I do like savory nut snacks. I normally make this with a little of spices (like smoked paprika) and herbs. Believe it or not, I’ve been thinking of any new ideas to try around the holidays. And here we go – you’ve brought an amazing one. Seriously, I never would have thought of adding bacon, and this sounds smart. But wait. Did my thoughts materialize? Well, I’m going to be thinking that it would be awesome to have a box of these nuts delivered to our house. Let’s see how this works 🙂

    1. Oh, smoked paprika would be an excellent addition to this nut mix, Ben! The smoky bacon adds so much flavor, and smoked paprika would be a good spice for sure. I’m serious that this is one amazing recipe! You should totally make a batch during the holidays. But you might want to hide this from Andrey…you know, just so he doesn’t eat it all. Haha! Thanks so much, Ben! 🙂

  3. Hi David. I love snaking on nuts, but with maple, cinnamon and bacon OH YEAH! I like to make homemade kitchen gifts for Christmas and these are perfect! Of course, they won’t all be given away…

    1. Oh my gosh, Dorothy…this recipe. It is seriously amazing! Laura and I could barely stop eating these nuts. They’re all gone now, but we definitely have plans to make this one again (and probably again after that) during the holidays! Thank you, and I hope you and Gary had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

    1. Adding bacon to green beans sounds like an excellent idea, Jessie! I’ll have to try that sometime during the holidays this year. Thanks so much for the inspiration…and for stopping by and commenting, too! 🙂

    1. Oh, you’ve got to try these maple glazed nuts with candied bacon then, Amy! They are seriously amazing, and they’re a perfect holiday appetizer. 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting!

  4. These look like fantastic appetisers / snacks for the festive season David. I enjoyed your story of you being in New York and picking up a bag of candied nuts from a street seller. It’s when I see such street sellers here in Glasgow and smell the delicious aromas in the air that I know Christmas is coming! Thanks for this brilliant recipe. Have a great weekend. I sure am jealous of you being able to light a good roaring fire in your house, its all just Gas Central Heating here I’m afraid!

    1. Do the street vendors in Glasgow also sell nuts during the cold winter months? The nut vendors in NYC are seriously one of my favorite things about the city when it turns cold! (And it was truly a cold, miserable day when I was down there…so those nuts were perfect!!) But adding bacon? Oh my gosh, SO much flavor! This is seriously one of our top 3 holiday appetizer recipes now. Also, if you’re missing a good fire, then come on over! I’ll have a nice fire and a glass of single malt waiting for you and Lynne! 🙂 (But you might have to put up with a certain toddler who will surely want you to do puzzles with him. Hah!)

  5. Love New York City – would love to visit again, it is such an amazing city and I completely agree with you, it has so much energy & excitement. No wonder you felt inspired to make these nuts. They look and sound rather addictive – I don’t think I’d be able to stop eating them either! Have a lovely weekend, my friend!

    1. It really is difficult to find words to describe NYC. It’s an amazing place! I love that I can take the train down for the day. (I also love that I can come back home to my own house at the end of the day, too!) As soon as I walked by that vendor selling hot nuts, I knew I needed to recreate this recipe here at home…and bacon just makes everything better, right? Seriously, though, make this recipe sometime during the holidays! It’s an amazing appetizer, and it goes quite well with a glass of wine. It’s Santa approved! 🙂

  6. Duuuude!!! It’s like you read my mind or something!!! This year I was thinking of changing things up some and gifting nuts instead of cookies and low and behold – you post this… ok, ok, so you posted this a few days ago but I have yet to make my nuts – and bacon + mapley cinnamony sugary nuts!! GOSH!!! I’d be following Robbie around asking for more nuts please, too! Heck – I’d probably try and make a meal of these nuts – though I’d be faced with the dilemma of what to gift then…hmmm….
    I need to go looking for those nut vendors when Lil Shashi and I are up there in 14 days! You sure are right – NYC has an energy and excitement that is hard to duplicate! Wish you were coming into town when we were there … but maybe next time?
    BTW – I don’t think I’ve ever had bacony candied nuts before – and while I’d love to give this a try, my all time favorite use of bacon is with Brussels Sprouts – I could eat a vat of those two combined! Happy Thursday, my friend!

    1. Sugared nuts are one of my favorite holiday gifts, Shashi…they are so good! And while I do love a good cookie or six, these glazed nuts with bacon are moving right on up Santa’s list! 🙂 Brussels + bacon is indeed a delicious combination, but you’ve gotta try nuts + bacon. These seriously do make the best holiday appetizer! And, yes, grab some nuts from the street vendors in NYC…it’s a holiday tradition in the city. Hopefully we can meet up next time you’re in the area! Cheers, my friend!

  7. These nuts got it goin’ on, David! I LOVE sweet and salty combinations so these are definitely made for me (should expect some soon, I guess 😉 ???). The bacon in there is fabulous!!! I mean, I’ve made spiced nuts before, but never thought of the whole bacon situation so clearly I’ve been missing out!! These are one dangerously good snack, my friend 🙂

    1. Haha! I love that, Dawn…these nuts really do have it goin’ on! I love glazed, sugared nuts, but I have to admit that the addition of bacon here has taken these to a whole new level. Pour a glass of wine, curl up on the couch and munch away on these glazed nuts + bacon while binge watching Netflix. Sounds like a great holiday plan, huh? 🙂 Thanks so much, my friend!

  8. This reminds me of one our favorite salty sweet desserts – caramel corn with candied bacon. But this sounds even better!! Such a perfect party snack or edible gift for the holidays.

    1. Caramel corn with candied bacon? Woah. I think you just blew my mind, Marissa! That sounds like it needs to appear in my kitchen sometime soon…right next to another batch of these glazed nuts with bacon! 🙂 These nuts are seriously amazing. Give ’em a shot!!

    1. Candied nuts in salads are one of my sneaky ways to boost up the flavor of salads, too! But you’re right, Heather…sometimes you just don’t need the lettuce getting in the way. 🙂 Thanks so much, my friend! I hope you had a great weekend!

  9. I am excited to cook with their Applewood smoked bacon to make bacon wrapped dates, which is my favorite recipe to make. Thanks for the chance to win!

    allisonrsdswain(AT)gmail(DOT)com

    1. I love a good quiche, too, Rachel! It makes for a great dinner during the holidays. But do give these mixed nuts + bacon a shot…it’s a really, really tasty recipe, and it’s perfect for holiday entertaining! 🙂

  10. My favorite bacon recipe to make for the holidays is overnight breakfast casserole! Super easy, so delicious and definitely a family tradition!

  11. Real talk – you had me at candied bacon. I mean everything needs bacon. Because, bacon. For real though, this festive recipe pairs perfectly with this time of year! I’m drooling all over my keyboard reading and looking at the pictures of this post!

    1. Oh man, I totally agree with you, Christina! Bacon does indeed make everything better…and candied bacon is even more addicting that regular bacon (if that’s actually possible). 🙂 Try making a batch and mixing it with glazed nuts…trust me, this is one of our all-time favorite holiday appetizer recipes, and I just started making it this year. It’s so darned good!! Thanks so much for stopping by, my friend!

  12. Look, David, there are plenty of things on the streets of New York that you could never – would never … should never do in your own kitchen. But nuts isn’t one. These look delicious.

    1. Hahaha…thanks for keeping it real, Jeff. I agree that the streets of NYC can be rather suspicious at times, but the nuts make up for it all! Do give these bad boys a shot this year. Perhaps before your cabin trip? They are a huge hit around our house, and I’ve already made several batches! 🙂

  13. Hi David, I would love to devour these maple glazed nuts, I don’t eat bacon but I might make a little exception for this masterpiece. Spiced/glazed nuts are a staple during the holiday season. I’ve purchased nuts from one of those vendors in New York, they are always delicious and so convent. I never thought about adding bacon into the mix.

    1. Glazed nuts are totally perfect for holiday snacking! I personally love bacon, but I totally understand if you don’t eat meat. The nuts themselves are still super delicious…and super easy to make, too! 🙂 Thanks so much, my friend!

    1. That sounds delicious! In fact, it reminds me of an appetizer I had back when I lived in Atlanta. Shrimp stuffed in jalapenos and then the whole thing wrapped in bacon. Yum!!

  14. This recipe sounds so yummy got to try it. One of my favorite recipe is quiche using bacon instead of ham. Thanks so much.

    1. Quiche with bacon is a classic! I love it, too, Margaret. Thank you SO much for sharing this post. I do hope you give this one a try…it’s one of our favorite appetizers for holiday parties!! 🙂

    1. Bacon-wrapped asparagus is a favorite around here, too, Cynthia! But now I need to try bacon in the stuffed mushroom caps like you said. Sounds delicious! Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing!

  15. I enjoy baking cinnamon rolls for my family at Christmas time, and I think they would be delicious alongside a few strips of bacon and a hot cup of coffee. I enjoy making memories with my family!

    1. Baking cinnamon rolls on Christmas is a tradition in our house, too, Rebecca! And bacon is a must for delicious breakfast, too! Oh yeah, and coffee. Lots of coffee! 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting…happy holidays!!

  16. One of my favorite recipes to make for the holidays is bacon wrapped asparagus. If the weather is decent I’ll grill them, if not…They get roasted in the oven! I like when the bacon is crispy and the asparagus has a slight bit of char!

    1. Bacon wrapped asparagus is so good! I don’t think I’ve ever tried that one on the grill, though…I definitely need to do that as soon as the snow is all gone. Haha! Thanks, Jeffrey!

    1. Wow, that sounds amazing, Vincent! I’m a huge fan of goat cheese, so I definitely need to try out those stuffed dates. Thanks so much for stopping by!

    1. Bacon wrapped shrimp are a classic! We’ve made bacon-stuffed jalapenos that we’ve wrapped in bacon, and those are a fun twist, too. Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing!

    1. Yes! Black eyed peas are a requirement for New Year’s Day, and bacon in the pot adds so much flavor. Good call, Ellie! Thanks so much for stopping by, and happy holidays! 🙂

    1. Both of those sound amazing, Stephanie! We do a similar bacon wrapped shrimp, but we stuff the shrimp inside of a jalapeno first. So good! 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing this one…this is one of my favorite appetizers!! Everyone loves nuts + bacon!

    1. That sounds really good, Kathryn! I’ve never thought about wrapping dates with bacon…I might have to try that out sometime! Thanks so much for stopping by, and I do hope you give these candied nuts a shot. They are delicious! Happy New Year!

    1. Bacon wrapped scallops sound delicious, Thomas! Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you make these nuts with candied bacon…they are really tasty! 🙂

    1. We’ve made bacon wrapped jalapenos several times, and they’ve always turned out great! Thanks so much for stopping by, Susan, and happy New Year! 🙂

    1. Bacon wrapped dates sound really tasty, Erica! Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you make this candied bacon + nuts recipe sometime. It’s really good! 🙂

  17. We enjoyed bacon wrapped shrimp and steak tips, smothered in BBQ and honey mustard sauces. I added bacon to my baked beans and green bean casserole. Simply delicious!

    1. Woah…that sounds delicious, Cheryl! Thank you so much for sharing that idea! We love stuffing shrimp in a jalapeno and then wrapping the whole thing with bacon. It’s kindof a combination between bacon wrapped shrimp and jalapeno poppers! 🙂 I appreciate you stopping by and sharing!

    1. I don’t think I’ve ever cooked with dandelion greens, but I’ve heard great things about them…I’ll have to try that out sometime! Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing, Lisa! 🙂

  18. My favorite bacon recipe to make for the holidays is a nice Bacon, Pineapples and drizzled Candied Glaze on top of a croissant served up with traditional Eggs.

    1. Woah…that sounds like my idea for a delicious breakfast, Jerry! Thanks so much for the idea, and I really appreciate you stopping by to comment, too! 🙂

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