These rosemary-roasted cashews blend sweet and savory, with a subtle kick of spice. Roasted in the oven, they become lightly caramelized and delightfully crunchy. Just a touch of cayenne pepper adds interest and a hint of spice. The best part? You can make maple-roasted cashews in advance and freeze for later. Makers say these roasted cashews are easy and make delicious holiday gifts. This recipe is vegetarian, vegan and gluten free. [ See VIDEO on the recipe card below ].
This recipe was first posted Oct. 2018 and has been updated to share step by step photos. The recipe is unchanged.
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Roasted Rosemary Cashews Highlights
Having homemade snacks on hand means there’s always something to nibble on should the mood strike. These rosemary cashews fit the bill! They’re a delightful grab n’ go snack, make a crunchy addition to snack or cheese boards, and are a generous holiday foodie gift! They’re low effort for a tasty return.
Inspired by Ina Garten’s rosemary cashews, I adapted her recipe, substituting butter with coconut oil. I also wanted more caramelization on the cashews for flavor and crunch, so I added maple syrup and never looked back.
This Snack Recipe Is:
- crunchy
- lightly spiced
- sweet
- freezer friendly
If you love easy-to-make appetizers and snacks, you’ll enjoy these maple rosemary cashews.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Even those who say they don’t like rosemary seem to appreciate these roasted cashews. They always come back for more! Here’s what you’ll need to whip up this tasty rosemary cashew snack (see recipe card for details).
- Raw Cashews: look for raw unsalted cashews in the bulk bins (or at Costco!) for the best value.
- Coconut Oil: you can use refined or unrefined coconut oil. After it’s melted, make sure it is warm to the touch before adding it to the cashews.
- Maple Syrup: adds Earthy flavor and carmelizes when roasted on the cashews. It makes them extra crunchy!
- Brown Sugar: adds a bit more sweetness and a hint of molasses flavor.
- Ground Cayenne Pepper: adds just a touch of spice. You’ll add 1/4 teaspoon, so it’s not too much. Add an additional pinch for more spice.
- Fresh Rosemary: is more flavorful than dried, so use fresh. Leftovers can be used in this tasty Roasted Sweet Potato and Carrot Soup. Be sure to chop fine.
At a Glance: How to Make Sweet and Spicy Maple Roasted Rosemary Cashews
Double the recipe if needed; these go fast! Here’s how to whip up a batch (see recipe card below for details):
- First, preheat the oven to 375 Fahrenheit.
- Second, chop the rosemary into little bits.
- Third, in a bowl, mix the raw cashew nuts, oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, salt, spice, and fresh rosemary.
- Next, transfer the cashews to a rimmed baking sheet and roast cashews until lightly golden or dark gold (pictured here).
- Last, sprinkle with more salt and fresh rosemary, then turn out onto a piece of parchment paper. Separate the nuts so they aren’t sticking and allow to cool.
Store in lidded jars until ready to share. These maple rosemary cashews are super simple and fun to have for snackin’!
These sweet and spicy rosemary cashews freeze beautifully, so they’re make ahead easy!
Expert Tips
- Stay Close to the Oven: Keep a close eye on the roasted cashews after the 10-minute mark and after stirring. They can go from golden to over-caramelized fast.
- Work Quick: After pulling the cashews from the oven, work quickly to transfer them to a piece of parchment paper, sprinkle with salt and more rosemary, stir, and then separate the nuts; otherwise, they’ll stick together or break apart after they cool – you want to try and keep the cashews whole.
- For Foodie Gifts: This recipe makes tasty holiday gifts. Cool the spicy roasted cashews, then fill small Mason jars and lid. The jars can be tied with ribbon and be used again by the recipient.
- How to Store: cool completely, then store in a lidded container at room temperature for up to a week.
- How to Freeze: cool completely, then store in Mason jars. It’ll keep in the freezer for several weeks. Thaw at room temperature.
More Snack Recipes to Try
- 10 Minute Green Olive Tapenade
- Texas Trash Snack Mix
- Sweet and Spicy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
- Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Sweet and Spicy Maple Roasted Rosemary Cashews
Ingredients
- 2 cup (300 grams) Raw Cashews
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Coconut Oil melted and slightly warm
- 3 tablespoons Maple Syrup
- 2 teaspoons Brown Sugar
- 3/4 teaspoons Sea Salt divided (see note)
- 1/4 teaspoons Cayenne Pepper ground
- 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons Fresh Rosemary finely chopped, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 Fahrenheit (190 Celcius).
- In a mixing bowl add the raw cashews, warmed coconut oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, cayenne pepper and 1 tablespoon rosemary. Toss well to make sure the nuts are evenly coated with mixture.
- Roast nuts on an ungreased sheet pan for about 10 minutes, stirring and turning pan 1/2 way through roasting. Roast for another 5-8 minutes if needed, or until golden. I like to push these nuts to make them dark are caramelized. Keep an eye on those last 5-8 minutes, though because they can go from golden to too dark fast! The nuts pictured in the blog post are more caramelized than golden.
- Immediately after removing nuts from oven, sprinkle with remaining salt and fresh rosemary, give them a stir and pour on to a piece of parchment paper. Gently separate the nuts that are sticking together. They'll continue to harden as they cool.
- Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. Store in a covered container for up to a week, or freeze for longer storage. Thaw at room temperature.
This recipe was a big hit! I made these as part of one our Thanksgiving appetizers and everyone loved them. Easy and delicious! Thank you, Traci! I’m going to make more this week to snack on.
Excellent !! Just made them a second time, but modified by first melting 1 tbsp unsalted butter on medium and adding 4 tbsp maple syrup in a pan, with the cayenne, rosemary & salt. I let it thicken slightly for 3 minutes before adding the raw cashews and cooking + stirring occasionally for 3 minutes more. I find the thickened syrup adheres better to the cashews and they’re already on their way to darken a little. I then finish them off in the oven at 365 F for 10 + 3 minutes to add that little bit extra caramelized darkness to them, as per Traci’s suggestion. Tossing them half-way through roasting helps keep the colour uniform. Hard not to eat half of these cashews before putting them away in a jar. Will be making extra batches before Christmas to share.
Just a quick question. I have roasted (not raw) unsalted cashews. How much should I cut back on the heating time?
Hi Jane! The reason for raw cashews is we’re giving the maple and brown sugar enough time to caramelize – get crunchy – while the nuts roast. If you cut back time, I wouldn’t do more than five minutes because your sugars may come out sticky rather than crunchy. We’re going for crunchy. Sally, (see comments below) used roasted cashews, but instead of roasting in the oven, she tossed the ingredients in a pan on the stove top. I hope this helps!
What other herb could you use beside rosemary? My son doesn’t like rosemary
Hi Michelle! You can leave it off if you like. Sage might be nice in this, but since I’ve not tried it, I’m not sure how it will taste.
Delicious! Easy! I had Costco roasted and salted cashews on hand and used them but did not add any salt. I also threw them in a frying pan (since they were already roasted) and they caramelized up in no time.
I love your stovetop approach, Sally! Thank you for your note, review and tips… I’ll be on the lookout for those roasted and salted cashews!
I have been using this recipe for a couple of years now. They’re always excellent. Everyone request them. Thanks for the great recipe!
Hi Terri! I loove hearing this! Thank you for your note and FIVE star review.
These are excellent. Tried a different recipe and these are vastly superior. Makes great holiday gifts!
Hooray! Thank you for your note, Alan, and giving the recipe a go! SO happy to hear you enjoyed the nuts. I feel honored to be a part of your gift giving :)
If you haven’t made these yet give them a try… I’ve made at least two dozen batches of these- I always have to double the recipe so I can give half away and keep some for ourselves! They store really well too.
Hiii CM! Thank you for your note and recommendation! Hooray for a tasty morsel!
I was a bit skeptical of the recipe at first, but I gave it a try and I loved it! I skipped the coconut oil because nuts are already oily themselves
Hiii Clarissa! Hooray! SO happy to hear you gave the cashews a go and you’re enjoying how they turned out. Thank you for coming back and leaving a note and rating!
Excellent! I didn’t have cayenne (decided to use smoked paprika), but still came out lovely! Highly recommended!
Hi Ginger! Ohhh, but that smoked paprika sounds delicious! Thank you for making and sharing.
love these!! I had to use dried rosemary and I added extra cayenne because my family likes it spicy. The coconut and maple syrup were such a great contrast with the spices. Thank you! Will try with other nuts
Hooray MJA! Thank you for your note and giving the recipe a go! Love that extra cayenne in there.
This Tracy lady has the worlds Best sweet n spicy roasted cashew recepie ever.
SO happy to hear, Anthony! Thank you for your note!
Better than the original recipe!! And makes the aroma is divine!
Thank you, Lee! Thank you for your note :D SO happy to hear you enjoyed the cashews!
So happy to hear you’re enjoying it Lee!
Do you think you could make these omitting the oil?
Hi Mary! I’ve not tried it. If you give it a go, please let us know how it goes!
How long do these last in a store tight container like a stand up pouch or mason jar? Additionally how do they keep in the fridge?
Hi Jamie! Store in a covered container for up to a week at room temp. I’ve not stored them in the fridge, so I’m not sure how long they’d keep. I hope this helps!
We love Roasted nuts so I’ve made many different types. By far, yours is the very best we’ve ever had. Will make this my signature Roasted nuts to take to parties and make for gifts. Doesn’t get any better than this. I did make one change because I had it on hand. Used a gourmet Smoked maple syrup…Awesome!!
Hi Debra! Thank you for your note and giving the recipe a go! That smoked maple syrup is a perfect pairing… I’ll be on the lookout now!
A friend made these for me as a gift. She packed them in a canning jar, which made a great presentation. My husband and I ate them immediately and then asked for the recipe. Now I’ve made them myself. They’re easy to make, taste so good and make a great gift to bring to others.
Hi Maren! Thank you for stopping by and leaving a note! So happy to hear you’re enjoying the nuts… I love the canning jar gift idea too. SO smart!
I don’t know what to say, I roasted the cow shoes exactly by . I emptied the baking sheet back into the bowl that contained the remains of the glaze tossed and dried as described. BAM!
I made these last night and they are absolutely delicious. A friend of mine made a similar recipe with butter and I was searching for a vegan option. I came across this recipe and couldn’t be happier with how they turned out. I will be making these for many years to come. Thank you so much!
So Delicious! I have to make a second batch because my husband and I can’t stop eating them.
I had to use coconut cream mixed with some avacado oil as I didn’t have coconut oil. It gave a slight coconut flavour that works well. I also added a little extra cayenne to balance the slight sweetness from coconut cream and skipped the rosemary.
I’m also planning to try it with almonds
Woooo! Thank you for your note and rating! So happy to hear Laurie and that you made them to what you had on hand! Thank you for sharing your modifications and tips! I bet the almonds will be amazing!
I’m on my 3rd double batch, now a combo of pecans, cashews and almonds. The added coconut cream has been a real hit with the rest of the recipe being perfect. I did try some with rosemary and they were also delicious. My husband keeps asking me to make more, so today I caved.
Such a quick easy recipe. I just love the way the cashews nuts are roasted with rosemary with the combination of sweet and species. I’m not much into cooking, but I’m surely going to replicate the fabulous appetizer. Thank you for making this look so easy, I have bookmarked it already, eagerly waiting to prepare this.
These were amazing! Doubled the recipe and now regret it because we can’t stop eating them! Thank you (I think).LOL
So happy to hear, Rose! Thank you for coming back and leaving a note!
Easy and delicious. I use olive oil instead of coconut oil. I recommend using Dorset Maple Reserve Vermont Smoked and Spicy Maple Syrup (or similar) in lieu of maple syrup and cayenne.
Hi Sally! Thank you for your note and tips. That maple syrup sounds amazing! So glad you enjoyed the cashews!
I made these on Christmas Eve and they were so great I gave quart mason jars of them away for gifts. LOVE these! Another HIT from Tracie! Thank you!
Thank you for your note, Nancy! What a fabulous gift… so happy to hear you’re enjoying the recipe!
These are absolutely deadly! I used olive oil instead of coconut oil (less unsaturated), and these were absolutely unbelievable. I am glad I made them as a gift, otherwise I would have eaten them in one sitting. Thank you so much!
Al
Hehe! Thanks so much, Al, for coming back and leaving a note! So happy to read!
Very Nice Post, I learned a lot through it. Thanks for posting.
Oh Traci, these look fantastic! Have to try them soon. My kids will love them too… Best wishes, Chris
Hi Chris! I hope y’all enjoy them!
I have an emotional reaction to your food! It is ALL so beautiful! Great video, my friend! xo
Hehe! Love reading this Annie… it gave me a big smile :D Thaaaank youuu!! xo
Love these cashews Traci! So perfect for the upcoming holidays. And great for holiday gifting too! LOVE the videos!
Oh yeah, you know I love those foodie gifts, Mare!
Love the new photos and the video! You KNOW this is one of my favorite recipes. I bet I’ve made it more than you. Ha!
Hooray! I knew you’d approve, Liz! :D
Traci, these are hands down always part of my appetizer menu for parties and are so popular. I have shared this recipe many times. I usually triple the recipe and I still find myself wishing I made more! Sweet, spicy, herbaceous-it hits all the right notes!
Love reading this Jean! Thank you for sharing and as always, giving the recipes a go! I love this one too! :D
excellent, easy to make, and gone in an instant. Thank you!
Thank you Vivian! :D
Girl I can’t even tell you the sounds that just came out of my mouth because they’re barely human. Just guttural moans. Because ROSEMARY! So happy you added these to my FBC call out.
Hooray, Christine! Thank you my dear… and yes, I do the same for Rosemary. I’ve about picked my neighbor’s Rosemary bush clean… every year!! :D
I checked on mine after 10 minutes and i’m glad I did! The ones on the edges were beginning to burn. It was perfect timing though because even the ones with black on the edge were delicious. I also added Chia seeds for extra nutrition. Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you Danielle, for your note! I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe. Different ovens can sometimes produce different results. I’ll make a note of it in the recipe to start checking at 10 min! :D
Oh, that Ina recipe is my absolute party GO TO. I like the twist on ingredients–will have to give it a try next time!
Oh that Ina! All her recipes are fabulous! I hope you enjoy my twist on it. Thanks for stopping by Tessa! :D
These seem like the perfect thing to snack on while I write! I can use all the extra (delicious) protein-filled energy-boosters I can get.
They’ll boost your brain power for sure! :D
Aren’t cashews such an amazing nut! You can do so many awesome things with them! I always try to have some kind of nuts around, they are so great for snacking! And roasting them with all these delicious flavors is such a great idea! Spicy, maple-y, rosemary-y oh my! I could see myself eating an entire bowl of these in one sitting :)
I have to portion mine out, else I’ll eat way too many! It’s the rosemary with maple… so delicious!
i love cashews. I am definitely going to try your cashew creme ice cream recipe! Right after I try these babies. Sweet and spicy is my jam. By the way, I wish I had half of your photography skills!
Oh Amanda, thank you for your kind words. Touché my dear! :D I would love to hear what you think about the cashew ice cream! :D
I need to make a batch of these immediately!! Cashews are one of my favorite kinds of nuts – I love their slightly sweet taste – and you’ve made them look even more amazing with these wonderful spices!! Salty + sweet is one of the best combinations out there, so I’m sure I would devour these. And beautiful photography, Traci!!
Oh I know, Julia! That’s it! They are slightly sweet! That’s why I love them so much! hehe! Thank you, Julia!! :D
I discovered cashews a few years ago and was always too poor to afford them – so I’d basically dance around the supermarket when they were on offer because they are just so good. I LOVE cashew creme based anything and home roasted they are simply divine! Love the flavor combination of maple and rosemary – never would have put them together!
I hear you, Nora. I buy them in bulk so the price is a bit better. When they’re on sale, I stock up. I think you’ll like the maple and rosemary together! :D
These are seriously the most unique spiced nuts I’ve ever seen! :) Loving the process shots.
Thank you, Medha :D They are tasty! The buttery flavor of the cashews still come through despite the bit of sugar and spice. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Yum!
These look like they’d be dangerous!
Portion control on these is not my strength… :D
Love spiced nuts, Traci. Never thought of making them myself so looking forward to trying these!
Try them! I looked at a bag of Shale snacks today and woah! They are pricy.. (although delicious), they cost much more than making my own. I got a bit motivated to experiment today after seeing those!:D
What a yummy idea to change up the typical, plain cashews! Definitely have to try this out sometime! :)
Thank you Christina! :D
Roasted nuts are so phenomenal and I never think to make them at home, but then always find myself drooling whenever I pass those stands in the mall or at fairgrounds. You know the ones. Yes- perfect football snack!
Yeah, Chrissy, I KNOW the ones! Addicting. Really, they’re so easy to put together at home. I think for me, I just need a little inspiration. I need to do more taste testing at the fairgrounds! Thanks for stopping by! :D