Cinnamon Spiced Almonds (Bread Machine)

I love candied nuts. So good, but so expensive to buy premade! I love making these in my bread maker/ bread machine, but you can do them on the stove top also. I like almonds when I use the bread maker because they don't break up as easily as pecans and walnuts. Because the paddle in the bread machine does break some of the nuts up. You do need to have a bread machine that has a jam cycle, and you will also need to keep an eye on the nuts so they don't burn. So do NOT just set this on the jam cycle and leave your house.

1 cup sugar
3 cups raw almonds
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
heaping tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt

Put everything in the pan of your bread machine and stir it up. Set the jam cycle. Once the nuts are being mixed, keep an eye on them. Make sure they aren't getting over roasted. I just set my timer to check them every 10-15 minutes and then every five once I see it's getting close to done. Once the sugar is glazed over the nuts and coats the them, remove the nuts and spread them out on a cookie sheet to cool (they will be HOT and so will the pan, be careful). They will harden and crisp as the sugar cools
Note- every time the bread machine is heating up to make these it smells like something is burning, just check it. Mine is usually because I have some dry flour at the bottom of the heating element. Because I don't ever bake in my bread machine.

To make this on the stove top grab a heavy bottomed sauce pan that is roomy enough to stir everything in, you can use a dutch oven too. Just keep in mind that it's easier to use a sauce pan because the water can evaporate quicker, a dutch oven has higher sides. Combine all the ingredients in the pan. Over medium to medium-high heat stir the nuts until the sugar melts. Keep stirring until the nuts are coated and until the sugar crystallizes. Cool as directed above.