You can make the Wonderful® brand chili roasted pistachios right in your own home with a super easy and fast prep!
Picture this…
I know my fellow Costco friends are going to hear me on this one…You pick up a fun new Costco find. Something you’ve never had before, but looks intriguing. You bring it home, get completely and utterly hooked on it, only to find that it is nowhere to be seen the next time you go to Costco. They are notorious for this! They’ll have seasonal items that come and go, but when you tease us with a cool snack that we end up falling in love with, don’t take that away!
An opportunity to create
Earlier this fall, I grabbed the big bag of Wonderful® Chili Roasted Pistachios at Costco. I have seen them in the regular grocery store before, but there is no way I was going to pay what they were asking! The price at Costco was half of the grocery store price and double the size bag, so I went for it. My husband and I were completely hooked. I’d grab a small handful here or there when I needed a quick protein snack, and they really hit the spot! I couldn’t wait to go back the following month to get another bag, because, who knows how long this stuff will be around, right?! Exactly. It wasn’t there, and I haven’t seen it since. A one time wonder, and I was so disappointed. A good friend of mine reminded me this might be a good opportunity to create, and I decided I was missing them enough to get into the kitchen and try my hand at Chili Roasted Pistachios!
The Method :: The Chili Seasoning Blend
I took a peek at the back of the chili roasted pistachios I had at home. It took about 4 batches to get it just right, but these pistachios really do taste like the store bought version! The great part about making them at home is that you can adjust the heat to your preference. Want the heat a little more tame? Pull down the amount of chipotle powder, or completely omit it. That is how I make them for my younger 2 girls that don’t like spicy heat. Want to take it up a few notches? Add more chipotle, or even a few pinches of cayenne to bump it up. Simply whisk the seasonings in a small bowl and you’re ready to dress up your pistachios!
The Method :: Roasting the Pistachios
My favorite part about making these chili roasted pistachios at home is that you get to use a healthier fat than the store bought version. I used coconut oil, but you can use butter, olive oil, or avocado oil too. Simply toss the shelled pistachios with the melted coconut oil and the seasoning blend from above and you’re ready to roast!
Will my kids be able to tolerate the heat?
It really depends on your kids. The best part of making your own seasoning blend is that you control the heat! All of the really spicy heat lies in the chipotle chili powder. If you leave that out, you’ll have a sweet, smoky flavor left to the chili pistachios – very mild and almost no heat. This is how my younger 2 girls like them. My oldest has grown an affinity for spicy food, and does enjoy the original version, so if you have kids that like to spice it up, give it a try! What a fun way to change up a lunchbox trail mix snack!
Can I use a mix of nuts?
Absolutely! I think this is going to make a fantastic holiday gift in a jar with a pretty ribbon, or a hostess gift for any parties you attend this year! Use the same amount of nuts to seasoning and oil ratio and you can double up if you want as well. I’m partial to walnuts, and really think that a pistachio, walnut, and pecan blend would be perfect for the holidays!
Copycat Wonderful® Chili Roasted Pistachios
Ingredients
- 3 cups shelled pistachios I get these bags at Costco for a great price – shop around and see what you can get!
- 3 tbsp coconut oil melted
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 2 tsp smoked paprika (see Notes below to adjust heat level)
- 2 tsp chipotle chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Stir the ingredients together in a small mixing bowl and spread out evenly on an unlined baking sheet.
- Bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes. The pistachios will crisp up more as they cool. Use an airtight container to store your chili pistachios in the pantry.
Notes
- The heat level on these pistachios is really all in the chipotle chili powder. If you want to make these for the kids, and they don’t love heat, just leave that out and there will be a mild smoky sweetness that the kids will enjoy. I do have one kiddo that enjoys a really spicy heat and she loves it made the original way. Just make 2 batches or 2 halved batches if you want to have some mild ones for the kids and spicy ones for you.
- The Wonderful Spicy Pistachios brand I believe has even more spice than this recipe. If you want that level of heat, add a pinch or so of cayenne!
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