Sweet and Spicy Maple-Roasted Rosemary Cashews

5 stars (from 19 ratings)

By Traci York — Updated February 21, 2023 — 77 Comments / Jump to Recipe

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Sweet and Spicy Maple-Roasted Rosemary Cashews make a fabulous appetizer, snack or gift, anytime! | This recipe is vegetarian, vegan and gluten free. [ See VIDEO on the recipe card below ].

Table of Contents

Cashew Love

My relationship with cashews began late in life. After giving up meat, I discovered new foods in my efforts to eat a wider variety. Nuts were high on the agenda because they provide a powerhouse of nutrients, fats, and are an excellent source of protein. They’re delicious too.

I always have cashews on hand and I continue to discover their versatility. Not only can they be made into Homemade Cashew Milk, but they can also be turned into cashew creme to make things like Dark Chocolate Cocoa Nib Vegan Ice Cream! I didn’t believe it either….

…until I tried it. #mindblown

But because I’m such a big fan of cashews, why not have them on hand for a sweet and spicy snack? It didn’t take long before these rosemary spiced cashews made an appearance on a fall picnic.

Perfect for Snacking

Roasted cashews are simple enough to make, but you need to keep an eye on them because they can go from golden (or darker – pictured here) to overcooked fast!

Roasted with coconut oil and mixed with a bit of cayenne, rosemary, salt and a touch of sugar, roasted cashew nuts make a tasty snack, appetizer or gift. Think holidays or housewarming… They also a nice accompaniment on a tossed salad.

Sweet and Spicy Maple-Roasted Rosemary Cashews is such a tasty treat and simple! They’ll disappear fast, so keep these roasted nuts on hand for snacking, road tripping, or to take them on a hike. Doubling the recipe is easy peasy too if needed!

How to Make Roasted Rosemary Spiced Cashews

Double the batch if needed, these go fast! Here’s how to whip up a batch (see recipe card below for full details):

First, preheat the oven to 375F.
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 bake until lightly golden, or dark gold (pictured here).
Last, sprinkle with more salt and fresh rosemary then, turn out on to 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 roasted cashews are super simple and fun to have on hand for snackin!

A Few Recipe Notes

Use fresh rosemary. It makes all the difference.
Look for cashews in the bulk bins. They’re more economical and you can refill that old large container you saved.
Roasted Rosemary Spiced Cashews roast fast – in about 15 minutes. Keep an eye on them after the 10 minute mark and after stirring. They can go from golden to over caramelized fast.
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, then separate the nuts, else they’ll stick together or break apart after they cool – we want to try and keep the cashews whole.
This recipe makes fabulous holiday gifts. Cool the spicy roasted cashews completely, then fill small Mason jars and lid. The jars can be tied with ribbon and be used again by the recipient.

Sweet and Spicy Maple-Roasted Rosemary Cashews in a bowl ready for snacking.

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