Baked Masala Peanuts coated in a crunchy, savory batter of gluten-free flour and spices makes for a wonderful tea time snack!
I’ve always been a bit of a peanut-fanatic – from snacks, to chutneys to toppings, peanuts are my favourite! And this Masala peanut – roasted peanuts deep-fried in a thick batter seasoned with spices – is one of my favourite ways to enjoy peanuts as a snack.
But Masala peanuts are more of an ‘indulgent’ snack not just because of the peanuts, but also because they’re usually deep-fried. This Baked version will taste the same, yet take away some of the guilt so that you can maybe enjoy an extra handful!
And making a quick batch is simpler than it looks like. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, adding water and oil a teaspoon at a time and stirring with a fork until the peanuts clump together with the flour and spices. You don’t want to add too much water, a little goes a long way!
Spread them apart on a baking tray lined with parchment paper/silpat/ foil. Try to break apart the clumps without separating the peanuts from the batter. Using a fork helps!
Bake them (with a quick spray of oil, if you want) until they’re crisp. Remember, they can burn easily, so be sure to toss them around and rotate the tray a couple of times during baking. And keep a watchful eye for the last couple of minutes. They’ll continue to cook as they cool, and if not, you can always put them back in for a couple more minutes.
When you make these (which I really think you SHOULD!), be sure to SHARE YOUR PHOTOS with me through Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. I’d love to see what you cook from here and will share it with pride on my social media feeds.
Baked Masala Peanuts (V+GF)
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 425°F/220°C. Line a medium baking tray with parchment paper/silpat mat.
- Combine the peanuts with all the dry ingredients in a bowl.
- Add oil and water, one teaspoon at a time and combine with a fork until the batter clumps together around the peanuts.
- Transfer to the prepared baking tray and use the fork to break the clumps up and spread it as evenly as you can. Spray/brush/drizzle 1-2 tsp more oil for melt-in-your-mouth crispness.
- Bake in the preheated oven at 425°F/220°C on the middle rack for 15 minutes. After about 10 minutes of baking, and break up more clumps as you stir.
- Once the 15 minutes are up, turn off oven and leave the oven door slightly ajar and let it stay inside for 2-3 more minutes.
- Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely. (it will continue to get crisp as it cools).
- Store in an clean, dry, airtight container for 2 weeks.
Notes
- If you're not a fan of garlic, you can omit. Curry leaves are also optional.
- You can also reduce the red chilli powder and add garam masala or other spice blends to your taste.
Deepa says
I tried making these following your recipe exactly but they burnt badly though I stirred in between 🙁
Tina Dawson says
Hey Deepa, I’m so sorry to hear that! I’d love to help you troubleshoot this problem, if you’d like. Does you oven tend to have hot spots? And did you bake in the central rack? I use a standard convection oven for all my recipes, and the middle rack is about 8″ from the coil. Let me know if I can help more.
Sangeeta says
Recipe seems awesome and peanuts looks so cryspy. I don’t have parachment paper. Is there ok to bake it without it on a greased pan ?
Tina Dawson says
Absolutely! The parchment paper is just so cleanup is easier!
Subha says
Sweet.. i do the same recipe in a microwave where i could watch more easily to make sure my peanuts didn burn ( i am a lil lazy to do turning in the convention oven ? ). It is always a hit..
Tina Dawson says
Hey Subha! Making these in the microwave sounds like a lot of fun! I gotta try it sometime! Thanks for that idea!
Sandhya Hariharan says
Oh send me some… Love Masala Peanuts.. specially when you have glass of Margherita to accompany.
Tina Dawson says
Message me your address, hun! I’ll send them over!
Cecilia says
What a great snack idea! Perfect! Thanks for the idea.
Tina Dawson says
So glad you like it, Cecilia!
Amanda says
What a unique idea for a snack! Always looking for new gluten-free snack ideas. I’ve had peanuts all kind or ways, but these sound deliciously different. 🙂
Tina Dawson says
Thanks Amanda!
Sarah @ Champagne Tastes says
This is amazing! I love coated peanuts- making them yourself is genius!
Tina Dawson says
Thanks Sarah!
Lisa | Garlic & Zest says
Tina, I’m a huge peanut lover, but my daughter is allergic to them, so we rarely had them around while she was growing up — now that she’s in college, we’re back to pea-nutting and I definitely want to try this recipe! It sounds phenomenal!
Tina Dawson says
Aww! Thanks Lisa!
Erren says
These are the perfect snack for anytime of the day!
Tina Dawson says
Thanks Erren!
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy says
Don’t those look like a tasty treat. Love the spice on the nuts. I can say these would not last long around here. They sound totally addictive too.
Tina Dawson says
Here neither – I gobbled these up as soon as I finished taking the pictures! Thanks Gloria!