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!
Homemade Beer Nuts
A fun and tasty twist on peanuts, these Homemade Beer Nuts are perfect when you're craving a sweet and salty treat. Easy to make & great for sharing!
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup water
- 1.5 cups sugar
- 16 ounces cocktail peanuts
- 1 tablespoon course sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300° F.
- 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 at cool room temperature once completely cooled.
Notes
Slightly adapted from Mom's recipe box.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 184Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 699mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 0gSugar: 34gProtein: 0g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Nutritionix. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.
Made these today – absolutely delish !
Its best not to change the recipe. I had some bright idea to add a couple of pats of butter and that was a mistake. At the 20 minute mark in the oven, the sugar mixture had burned and made the nuts too dark.
Had to throw about half of them away. Lesson learned – don’t change the recipe.
Made this today,.. awesome. Add some rosemary and cayenne pepper if you like. Very easy and delicious.
Will do again for sure
Sorry to spoil the party.
The water never fully boiled away. Eventually the syrup turned to molasses; not so much from having the temp too high, but from having to boil it so long. I used raw peanuts that I roasted in the oven for a while s a first step. (You don’t tell what kind of nuts to use. Any idea where I went wrong?
Should I grease the pan or line it with parchment paper before baking?
how long do you boil them for?? Will there still be liquid when you put them on the baking sheet???
Hi Mary – Boil and stir until all the liquid is gone, and it has turned very grainy textured. There should not be liquid when you place the nuts on the baking sheet, only a thick grainy coating.
Question: “flaky sea salt”, does that mean kosher or mandolin salt?
My hubby and I bought a couple of bags of homemade beer nuts at a craft fair before the holidays and we gobbled them up. I will give your recipe a try, sounds yummy. Thanks.
These were a big hit at work. Super easy to make as well. I had to do a mix of hazelnuts and peanuts since I didn’t have enough peanuts alone. I can totally see a mixed nut version working too!
Oh yummm, they look delicious.
Thank you!