Spiced Pecans or Walnuts

These spiced pecans are very popular, particularly at bake sales. I don't remember where I got the recipe, but I've been making them for at least thirty years. The hardest part is not eating all the nuts as they cool.

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Serves: 24
• Yields: 3 cups

Ingredients

• 1  cup white sugar
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 2  teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1⁄2 cup water
• 2  cups pecan halves (8 oz) or 2  cups walnut halves (8 oz)

Directions

1. Combine sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved.
2. Continue cooking syrup, without stirring, to 238°F on candy thermometer, or until a little syrup dropped into cold water forms a soft ball.
3. Remove from heat and add nuts, stirring gently until the mixture becomes creamy.
4. Turn onto waxed paper (or a non-stick mat or jelly roll pan) and separate the nuts with a fork. Be careful because they will be hot. Let dry and store in an air-tight container.