Mom’s Spiced Nuts Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How long do homemade nuts last? ›

The general rule is that most nuts retain quality for a few months. However, this does not mean that nuts will remain in good condition for an extended period. Shelled nuts stored at room temperature are expected to last six to nine months. Non-shelled nuts will last for four to six months.

Freeze chopped, ground, whole, roasted, or spiced nuts in the shell or in an unopened can. Nuts that are salted or spiced have a freezer storage life of 6 months. Plain nuts have a freezer storage life of about 12 months. Seeds can also be frozen for up to 6 months.

When storing nuts, the freezer is your friend. This dark, cold space slows the deterioration of the nut's oils, a process that directly impacts flavor. Light, oxygen, and heat are the enemies of nuts.

Nuts don't usually spoil, unless kept in a very warm place, or are years old. If they smell good and still have their original colour, they should be fine to eat. Is eating rotten nuts really bad? Yes, when nuts turn rancid you can actually tell from the smell and taste.

"Nuts have a wide range of fat contents," says LaMarita. Almonds, walnuts, and pistachios are lower in fat, so they'll generally last longer than nuts higher in fat, like macadamia nuts, pine nuts, cashews, and Brazil nuts, all of which will go rancid quicker, says LaMarita.

If after they have cooled down, the pecans are still sticky, this means that the sugar mixture never reached a high enough temperature when on the stove. To fix them, place the nuts back into the skillet and cook a bit longer.

If stored in the refrigerator, however, these healthy fat sources can last up to six months. But the freezer is really where it's at when it comes to storing nuts, as they can easily last up to a year in there—with some experts saying up to two years! Plus, you won't even notice that your nuts have been frozen.

Glass jars are ideal; thick-walled plastic jars also work well. Some people use ziplock freezer bags. The main disadvantage of freezing nuts is needing to warm them up before eating or roasting.

Even if the bag's been opened, shelled nuts should last an entire year, and in-shell nuts will last about a year and a half. If you're going to use your nuts in the immediate future, it's fine to keep them in a cool, dark spot in your pantry.

Tips to Safely Store Nuts. Contrary to popular belief, nuts should be stored in the fridge or freezer as opposed to a room temperature pantry. Why? Because nuts contain a high amount of unsaturated fat, a delicate type of oil, which makes them highly prone to going rancid.

How long does homemade peanut last? ›

Just be sure to store it properly in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer. Homemade peanut butter can last for up to 3 months in the refrigerator and up to 6 months in the freezer. If your peanut butter has gone bad, it will have a sour or rancid smell. It may also have a strange colour or texture.

I use the freezer for long-term storage, and keep small quantities of nuts at room temperature in a dark cupboard. (Light and heat make nuts go stale faster.) Nuts that go stale really fast, such as pine nuts, I keep in a glass jar in the fridge (to keep out fridge odors).