Salty, sweet and laced with smoke—the perfect kind of almond for a party. If any remain the next day, savor them over a salad topped with sliced ripe pears and shaved Manchego cheese.

Makes 12 servings, 1/4 cup each

ACTIVE TIME: 10 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 1 1/2 hours

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon hot paprika
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon water
1 pound (about 3 cups) Marcona or raw whole almonds (see Tip)

1. Preheat oven to 275°F. Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Whisk brown sugar, cumin, paprika, thyme, salt and cayenne in a large bowl. Whisk egg white and water in a medium bowl until foamy. Add almonds and stir to coat; pour through a sieve to drain off excess egg white. Transfer the almonds to the bowl of spices; stir well to coat. Spread evenly on the prepared baking sheet.
3. Bake the almonds for 30 minutes. Stir, reduce the oven temperature to 200° and bake until the almonds are dry and golden, about 30 minutes more. Let cool before serving, about 20 minutes.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 245 calories; 19 g fat (1 g sat, 12 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 12 g carbohydrate; 8 g protein; 5 g fiber; 99 mg sodium; 5 mg potassium.

Nutrition bonus: Vitamin E (30% daily value).

1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1/2 other carbohydrate, 4 fat

TIP: Tip: 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 sautéed 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. Find them in specialty stores or online at tienda.com.

MAKE AHEAD TIP: Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

I made these to bring to a party and they were quite a hit; much better than other spiced nut recipes that I've tried.

, San Francisco, CA

A perfect balance of sweet and spice. I often make these for parties or give a jar of them as a gift.

Carolyn, El Paso, TX

Great snack! We have made these several times now and have tweaked the recipe a little. We add Spanish smoked sweet paprika and double the cayenne and leave out the thyme.

Rick, Sequim, WA