Rosemary Spiced Nuts
Warm mixed nuts tossed with brown butter, rosemary, and a touch of cayenne
Ingredients
- 2 cupsmixed nuts(almonds, pecans, walnuts, cashews)
- 3 tbspunsalted butter
- 2 tbspfresh rosemary(finely chopped)
- 2 tbspbrown sugar
- 1 tspkosher salt
- 0.25 tspcayenne pepper
- 0.5 tspsmoked paprika
📝 Make Ahead
Store in airtight container up to 2 weeks. Re-crisp in 300°F oven for 5 minutes if needed.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F and line baking sheet with parchment
- Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat
- Continue cooking until butter turns golden brown and smells nutty, about 3 minutes
- Remove from heat and stir in rosemary, brown sugar, salt, cayenne, and paprika
- Toss nuts in brown butter mixture until evenly coated
- Spread in single layer on prepared baking sheet
- Bake 15-18 minutes, stirring halfway, until fragrant and toasted
- Cool completely on pan - nuts will crisp as they cool
- Break apart any clumps before serving
💡 Pro Tips
Watch butter carefully - it goes from brown to burnt quickly. Fresh rosemary is essential; dried won't release its oils properly. Cool completely before serving or storing. The nuts will seem soft when hot but crisp as they cool. Customize spice level to taste.
📜 History
Spiced nuts have been a cocktail party staple since the mid-20th century. The combination of rosemary with brown sugar and cayenne became popular in the 1990s through upscale restaurants and caterers, who discovered that warm, fragrant nuts were the perfect accompaniment to cocktails. They make an ideal make-ahead appetizer that improves as flavors meld.