Homemade Beer Nuts

I can’t help but think of my Grandpa Renelt every time I reach into the pantry for the jar of peanuts. {I sure miss that guy.} His love for this crunchy salty snack is one that I affectionately claim, too. And I’m pretty sure he would have approved of these Homemade Beer Nuts. They’re a fun and tasty twist on peanuts, and perfect for when I’m craving sweet with my salty.

I took our girls back to South Dakota last fall, the same as I do that time every year, for corn harvest on the farm. After a rather stressful drive through hours of rain in the dark to my parents’ home, I needed some serious relaxation once I arrived. Dad opened up a fresh can of Beer Nuts and offered me a beer to wash them down. I hadn’t eaten Beer Nuts in years, and they were a welcome sight for road weary eyes.

While staying with Dad and Mom that weekend, I ran across a recipe for Homemade Beer Nuts in one of Mom’s recipe boxes. The recipe came from a close family friend, and I knew I needed to try it.

Now, these beer nuts are not an exact copy of the beer nuts that I shared with Dad and Mom last fall. I used cocktail peanuts rather than the red skinned variety used by Beer Nuts, Inc. And these peanuts are sweeter than the originals, with a thicker coating. They are awesome delicious, just not an exact replica of the ones you’ll buy in the can. My husband admitted to not really liking Beer Nuts all that much anyway, but deemed this homemade version very good. He likened them to honey roasted nuts, as he grabbed another handful.

We took a bowl of these homemade beer nuts to a Playoffs gathering yesterday, where they got the same reaction…“Hey! Who brought the nuts? They’re really good!”  The chocolate cake we brought all decked out in red, white, and blue did not receive the same positive response from most of our friends, however. Some even refused to sink their teeth into that wonderful homemade chocolate buttercream, so turned off by “Patriots” scrawled across the top of the cake. They don’t know what they missed!

If you’re looking for a sweet and salty snack for the Super Bowl, or any time of year, give these nuts a try. The recipe calls for a minimum amount of ingredients and comes together quickly, promising a light and crunchy texture that’s hard to resist. They’re sure to be a hit!

Print Recipe

Homemade Beer Nuts

Homemade Beer Nuts are a fun and tasty twist on peanuts, and perfect for when you’re craving sweet with your salty.

Yield: about 5 cups

Prep Time:10 minutes

Cook Time:25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/3 c. water
• 1-1/2 c. sugar
• 16 oz. cocktail peanuts
• 1 T. flaky sea salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300°.

In a medium saucepan over medium to medium-high heat, stir together water, sugar, and peanuts. Bring to a boil. Boil, stirring regularly, until water is absorbed. It will turn from a syrupy consistency to a grainy sugar consistency. Spread peanuts out onto a rimmed 11″ x 17″ pan, breaking up any large pieces of peanuts that have clumped together. Sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes for a lighter coating and crunch, or 30 minutes for a deeper darker coating, stirring after the first 15 minutes. Let cool on pan. Store in an airtight container once completely cooled.

Slightly adapted from Mom’s recipe box.

© a farmgirl's dabbles

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