Spicy hot habanero beer nuts.
Beer Nuts – the incredible sweet & salty snack that hails from Bloomington, Illinois – are the pinnacle pairing for enjoying pints of beer. Even better than the original Beer Nuts, is the brand’s Habanero Bar Mix, which features a “fiery Hot Habanero Mix of Peanuts, Corn Sticks, and Insane Grain!”
The heat provides a substantial kick, that is perfectly quelled by a nice cold beer, creating an endless cycle of snacking and sipping, which is the perfect way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon.
Alas! It is hard to find the delicious habanero mix, so I set out on a quest to make my own. This is the result. A recipe for raw Spanish peanuts, boiled in beer and brown sugar, then roasted in a blend of garlic powder, salt, and habanero pepper powder (courtesy of the Tailgate Foodie). While it might not be the OG Beer Nuts, it holds its own as a satisfying partner to some cold pints.
Details
- Prep: ~10 minutes
- Cooking: ~20 minutes
- Serves: 6-8
Grocery list
- 1 1/2 cups of light beer
- 3 cups of raw Spanish peanuts
- 1/2 cup of brown sugar
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- Habanero pepper powder, to taste
- Salt, to taste
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
What you’ll do
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, grease lightly, and then preheat the oven to 350.
- In a small saucepan, add beer and mix in brown sugar until dissolved. Add in peanuts and butter, then bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Continue to simmer until the liquid in the pan has boiled away.
- Remove from heat and season with pepper and garlic powder + salt to taste.
- Spread the peanuts on the baking sheet and bale for about 15-20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and top off with an extra dash of seasoning, stir the nuts, then return to the oven and bake for an additional 15 or so minutes.
- Remove, let cool, and enjoy with another pint of beer!