- Nonstick spray for the baking sheet
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon (rounded measure)
- ½ teaspoon salt (rounded measure)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar (or more)
- 5 cups raw, unsalted nuts in large pieces (any combination of whole almonds, cashews, and/or walnut or pecan halves)
- Preheat the oven to 300°F. Generously spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray.
- Break the eggs into a large bowl and beat well with a fork or whisk. Add the vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and 1/3 cup sugar, and beat until blended.
- Add the nuts and stir until they are thoroughly moistened. Let stand 5 minutes.
- Transfer the nuts, plus any remaining liquid, to the prepared baking sheet, and push together into a single layer, so the nuts are touching, but not piled vertically. (It should be one large, flat mass.)
- Bake on the center rack of the oven for 15 minutes, then use a spatula to scrape the nuts and their coating from the bottom of the baking sheet, and rearrange everything, so nothing is sticking and the nuts get moved around a bit. This helps them cook evenly.
- Bake another 15 minutes, then remove from the oven. If your taste runs sweet, you can sprinkle the nuts with 1 to 2 teaspoons additional sugar while they are still hot and on the baking sheet. Let the nuts cool completely on the baking sheet, then transfer them to clean jars with tight-fitting lids for storage. (You can also just transfer them to bowls for instant eating.)