Bottom Line: These nuts deliver quite a kick of heat with plenty of flavor and count as a healthier snack choice.
The new year is coming up and people will want to be eating healthier to start off 2022. But we all have our snack cravings and us chiliheads generally like something with a kick when the munchies hit. So an option that steers away from chips and crackers and other processed snacks is nuts. And the good people over at The Peanut Shop of Williamsburg have a nice choice that satisfies the snacking urge as well as the need for heat.
The Hot Habanero Chili Pepper Nuts consist of extra-large Virginia Peanuts which are hand-cooked and covered with what they refer to as “hotter than hell” seasonings. You can find them in convenient 10.5 oz cans that should go a long way towards satisfying your snacking needs.
These peanuts are well roasted and have a nice firmness to them with quite a bite. Taste-wise, they have a bit of smokiness and some sweetness, almost like a barbeque flavor. They have a nice saltiness as well that does not go overboard and that blends well with the other seasonings. Then you get the pungent kick of roasted Habaneros as the featured chili pepper really comes through.
The heat does not hit you right away, which is typical of Habaneros. But it certainly catches up quickly. After a few bites of these, the spice is in full flame, with these approaching the Hot heat level. These are not nuts that you will set out in a dish for just anybody to munch on. These are serious nuts and should be served only to those looking for a good kick while snacking. They deliver the heat and pair that up with good taste as well.
The Peanut Shop got its start as a small vendor selling nuts in Colonial Williamsburg over forty years ago. They source their nuts from Virginia and the Carolinas, picking the Super Extra Large which are the very highest market grade available. They are known internationally, and you can purchase directly from their website as well as gourmet food sellers (I find them at Total Wine). Other seasoned peanuts that they sell which I have tried are the Hot Southern Jalapeno and the Bold & Spicy Bloody Mary, both of which are quite good.
These are certainly healthier for you than processed chips or crackers, but that is if you practice portion control. One serving is 170 calories, but that is only two tablespoons. So go easy on the amount if you don’t want the belt to start bulging. It will be tough because these nuts are quite addicting, but they still probably count as a better choice to reach for when snacking.
Tale of the Tape
Ingredients: Extra-large Virginia peanuts, peanut oil, hot peanut seasoning (sugar, salt, paprika, habanero pepper, garlic powder, spices [including celery seed], expeller pressed sunflower oil [processing aid], jalapeno pepper, extractives of paprika, natural smoke flavor, spice extractives, less than 2% tricalcium phosphate to prevent caking).
Serving Size: 2 Tbsp (30g)
Calories: 170
Fat: 14g (2g Sat/0g Trans)
Protein: 7g
Carbs: 7g
Sodium: 290mg