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Sweet and Spicy Peanuts

These Sweet and Spicy Peanuts are a quick and easy party snack that everyone will love! They take less than 10 minutes to make and you can keep them on hand for afternoon snacking or to serve at your next tailgate.

Finished peanuts in a mason jar with string tied around the top.

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If you’re looking for a fun, easy snack to enjoy with your friends, look no further than this recipe! It’s simple to follow and yields delicious results. Plus, the ingredients are readily available at any grocery store.

This takes no more than 10 minutes in the kitchen and the flavors are just outstanding.

These Sweet and Spicy Peanuts combine red hot pepper flakes and Chinese 5-spice powder with your favorite cocktail peanuts and honey. The only problem? It’s really hard to stop eating until they’re all gone!

❤️ Why I Love This Recipe


  • Quick and easy to prepare. These candied peanuts are done in less than ten minutes.
  • You can double the recipe. Or triple it. Whatever quantity you need for a get-together! (You may just need a lot, too. They’re addicting and go fast!)
  • Perfectly snackable! A handful of these is just filling enough to keep you satisfied, but not so filling that dinner is ruined.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING …

Game day snack at its best!”
— Brenda

🛒 Ingredient Notes


Ingredients needed for making the recipe.

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  • Peanut Oil – Used for cooking the sweet-hot coating for peanuts.
  • Honey – Recipes for candied peanuts always require a sweetener of some kind. I like using honey.
  • Cocktail Peanuts – These are the salted, skinless peanuts you’ll find in the snacks aisle at your grocery store. Please note that I don’t recommend peanuts with the skins on because the honey mixture will simply stick to the skins and fall off the peanuts. 
  • Red Pepper Flakes – They bring the heat to the party! Adjust the quantity up or down to suit your taste.
  • 5-Spice Powder – Commonly used in Asian cooking. You’ll usually find it with the other Asian ingredients or in the spice aisle of your grocery store.
  • Kosher Salt – Salt always brings out and enhances the flavors of all the other ingredients. Adjust according to your preferences.

You’ll find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe at the bottom of this post.

🔪 How to Make Sweet and Spicy Peanuts


  1. Before you start, prepare a baking sheet by covering it with a layer of aluminum foil.
  1. Heat the oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the honey, peanuts, red pepper flakes, and 5-spice powder.
  2. Cook, stirring constantly until the peanuts are brown and glazed (about 5 minutes). Keep the heat no higher than medium and watch very carefully as the honey and nuts can burn easily.
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This post contains affiliate links. Lana's Cooking is reader-supported and earns a tiny commission at no extra cost to you when you shop from our links.
Finished peanuts in a bowl with a vintage serving spoon on the side.

🔀 Recipe Variations


  • Use other kinds of nuts. Pecans, cashews, and almonds all work well with this recipe. 
  • Experiment with spices. While I think the 5-spice mixture is perfect for sweet and spicy peanuts, you could also use paprika, chili powder, allspice, cumin, or garlic powder depending on the flavor profile you like. 
  • Add even more heat. More a more fiery taste, add a dash of sriracha.

🍚 How To Store


  • These candied nuts can sit at room temperature or in the fridge for about a week.
  • You can freeze them for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Thaw them at room temp before serving.
Finished peanuts in a mason jar with string tied around the top.

❗ Make it Ahead


Spiced peanuts are a great make-ahead gift for any occasion. Co-workers, teachers, and family are sure to love these addicting little nuts. Simply prep them the night before and wrap them up in plastic wrap for a tasty, thoughtful snack!

🍽️ Serving Suggestions


  • As you can imagine, spiced peanuts pair well with other snacks like chips and game day classics like a good beer! :-)
  • This is much more versatile than a simple, delicious protein snack. I recommend them on top of salads, soups, or even ice cream…yes, really. You’d be surprised how well the flavors mix.
A spoon holding peanuts above a filled dish.

❓ Questions About Sweet & Spicy Peanuts


Is this recipe gluten-free?

While I’m not an expert in specialty diets, I believe this recipe is completely gluten-free, as these ingredients don’t usually have gluten products in them.

Is this recipe vegetarian?

Technically, yes, unless you count honey as an animal product! (Again, however, I’m not a dietary expert.)

What’s in 5-spice powder?

5-spice powder is typically a mixture of cloves, cinnamon, fennel seeds, star anise, and pepper. This can vary a bit from brand to brand, but no matter what, it always has a sweet and savory flavor you’ll like.

Lana Stuart.

More Questions? I’m happy to help!

If you have more questions about the recipe, or if you’ve made it and would like to leave a comment, scroll down to leave your thoughts, questions, and/or rating!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

📖 Recipe

Finished peanuts in a mason jar with string tied around the top.

Sweet and Spicy Peanuts

These Sweet and Spicy Peanuts are great finger food for parties! Keep them on hand for afternoon snacking or serve at your next tailgate.
5 from 9 votes
Print It Rate It Save Text It
Course: Snacks
Cuisine: Southern
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 7 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 174kcal
Author: Lana Stuart

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • ¾ cup cocktail peanuts
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ½ teaspoon 5-spice powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

  • Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Set it aside for now.
  • Heat the oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the honey, peanuts, red pepper flakes, and 5-spice powder.
  • Cook, stirring constantly, until peanuts are brown and glazed (about 5 minutes). Keep the heat no higher than medium and watch very carefully as the honey and nuts will burn easily.
  • Spread the peanuts on a foil-lined baking sheet and sprinkle immediately with salt.
  • Allow to cool completely; transfer to a paper-towel lined plate and blot with additional paper towel to remove excess oil.

Notes

  • These candied nuts can sit at room temperature or in the fridge for about a week.
  • You can freeze them for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Thaw them at room temp before serving.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1 | Calories 174kcal | Carbohydrates 10g | Protein 5g | Fat 14g | Saturated Fat 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat 4g | Monounsaturated Fat 7g | Sodium 323mg | Potassium 133mg | Fiber 2g | Sugar 7g | Vitamin A 26IU | Vitamin C 1mg | Calcium 13mg | Iron 1mg

Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.

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— This post was originally published on January 14, 2015. It has been updated with additional information.

Finished peanuts in a small green bowl.

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31 Comments

  1. 6 servings? LOL! No way! They would disappear in an instant! I would guess this would double easily.

    1. Lana Stuart says:

      Yes, they do go pretty quickly! Ha! And you can double the recipe easily.

  2. Oooh! Love the five Spice! I’m going to have to give these a shot soon! A great addition to any party.

  3. Oh wow these look amazing. I am hosting a party and am going to have to try these. Thanks for sharing!

  4. kellie @ The Suburban Soapbox says:

    What a fabulous snack! Love the sweet and spicy. :-)

  5. I could definitely snack on a whole lot of these :)

  6. Nutmeg Nanny says:

    These look amazing! I’m sharing the recipe with my dad because I know he will go crazy over this!

  7. Heather // girlichef says:

    I guarantee I would not be able to keep my hands out of a bowl of these! Therefore, I must amke a batch!

  8. Kate @ Diethood says:

    Best snack, ever! I looove that you used red pepper flakes! A bit of spice never hurts. :-D

  9. Carol at Wild Goose Tea says:

    Perfect time of year to share this addictive recipe!!!!

  10. Paula - bell'alimento says:

    I’m not even sure they’d make it into a bowl off the pan ; ) Love this Lana.

  11. Angela {Mind Over Batter} says:

    Oh, snap – These peanuts would not make it to the baking sheets to cool. I’d eat them hot. The flavors here are amazing.

  12. claire @the realistic nutritionist says:

    This looks like my next snack!!

  13. Martha @ A Family Feast says:

    Oh wow – I am seriously wishing I could reach into my computer monitor to grab a handful of these peanuts!

  14. Brenda@Sugar-Free Mom says:

    Game day snack at it’s best!

    1. Lana Stuart says:

      Yes it is! Thanks, Brenda.

  15. Kim (Feed Me, Seymour) says:

    My husband had sciatic pain last year and it laid him out flat. I do not envy you! I’m impressed you are still coming up with amazing recipes like this!

    1. Lana Stuart says:

      Kim – it took me about 10 minutes to make this start to finish and I was crying by the time I finished. This sciatica is rough!

  16. estella mosley says:

    I want to make the sweet and spicy peanuts but what is the 5 spice powder?

    1. Lana Stuart says:

      Estella – it’s a spice blend that’s typically used in Asian cooking. You’ll find it with the Asian ingredients in your grocery store.

  17. Cookin Canuck says:

    Five-spice powder has fantastic flavor – we love using it on roasted potatoes and cauliflower. These nuts look addictive!

    1. Lana Stuart says:

      The 5-spice really makes this recipe, Dara. And you’re right – they are addictive!

  18. Amanda @ The Kitcheneer says:

    This looks amazing! Love the flavors!

  19. The Food Hunter says:

    I’m going to be trying this soon

  20. Marjory @ Dinner-Mom says:

    Love the sweet and salty combo. Have you tried these on other nuts? My dd is allergic to peanuts. But, I enjoy almonds, pecans and walnuts sometimes.

    1. Lana Stuart says:

      Marjory – I haven’t tried this with other nuts but I feel sure it would work just as well. Pecans sound especially good.

  21. Lana Denning says:

    THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH FOR HAVING RECIPES PRINT READY!! MY COMPUTER ‘SKILLS’ MADE ME SIT IN FRONT OF IT AND COPY BY HAND, STILL CAN’T DO PASTE AND PRINT. THANK YOU , LANA DENNING

    1. Lana Stuart says:

      You’re welcome! Thank you for reading!

  22. Catherine says:

    These nuts would disappear in a minute.

    1. Lana Stuart says:

      They sure did here, Catherine!