I just love little things to nibble on during the holidays, don’t you?  They’re always so good--and I don’t know about you, but to me they always seem so special at this time of year.  Plus, they make wonderful gifts--for your neighbor, a teacher, to bring to the office…just make some up and pack them in pretty little holiday bags, and then you have a supply of last minute gifts.  We always need those, don’t we?

I was contacted a couple weeks ago from Hilary at Domino Sugar.   Oh my gosh, do they have some great homemade gift ideas there!  Giving a homemade gift is such a great way to share the holiday spirit, don’t you agree?  I love it when someone takes the time to head into the kitchen and spend quality time making a gift for me.   Anyway, Hilary wanted to know if I’d be interested in participating in their blogger program spotlighting different recipes from their site.   They even included a $20 gift card to give me a jumpstart on supplies!  There was no way I could pass that up.  I love holiday baking--and was just planning out recipes for it, so it was meant to be.

Originally, I’d planned to do cookies.  But as I looked around the site more, I found the snacks category.  I’ve always loved spiced nuts, but have never made them.  I know, right?  They’re so easy!  But I’d never gotten around to it.  So my plans shifted, and I chose two spiced nuts recipes, and a snack mix.  Again, special holiday nibbles!  Or, like I said--pack some up in pretty bags, tie with a ribbon, and you’ve got instant gifts.  Plus, they’re all incredibly easy to make, so if you’re short on time, these are perfect for you!

Here are the recipe links and photos:

Party Nibblers This is a great, all around mix up!  And it’s the only savory one I chose.  Lightly spiced with chili powder and soy sauce, it’s great for anyone--and any time of year, really.   This mix would be a great football game snack!  And you could always crank  up the heat a bit with some cayenne.  I made one change, and that was to use Wheat Chex instead of Corn Chex.  That’s up to you!

Sugared Pecans  Easily my favorite of the three.  Flavored with apple pie spice, they just scream holiday flavors.  If you don’t have apple pie spice on hand (and I didn’t), here’s a great recipe:  Apple Pie Spice, from Baking Bites.   These have a nice coating of egg whites, too--so when they bake up?  Crunchy and delicious!  And--addictive.

Sweet and Spicy Nuts  This mix has not only pecans, but walnuts as well.  It’s a sweet/spicy combo including cinnamon, chili powder, cumin and ginger.   You could also crank some heat into this one with some cayenne if that’s your preference.  After baking, they have a wonderful glaze that adds so much flavor to the nuts.

We love all three and will definitely be making more--for gifts…aaaaand for us, too.  The Party Nibblers Mix?  My husband is addicted and already has an order in for another batch.    Thanks so much to Hilary and Domino Sugar for inviting me to join in the holiday baking for bloggers!