Party Snack Recipe: Sweet and Savory Roasted Cashews Recipes from The Kitchn

You get two recipes for the price of one today! First we have cashews tossed with brown butter and sage, and then there are cocoa-dusted cashews for those of us with a sweet tooth. Neither recipe takes more than a few minutes to bring together, making this our new favorite snack for holiday get-togethers.

We started out wanting to do something with sage and brown butter — two flavors we love this time of year that also love each other. Because we like the pinch of brown sugar in these rosemary cashews, we decided to add a tiny bit of honey to these.

The cocoa nuts were a complete afterthought. We'd had packaged cocoa-dusted cashews before and decided to give it a whirl (after we figured out that powdered sugar would add sweetness and also stick to the nuts). Grand total of ingredients? Three. Four, if you count the pinch of salt. Seriously, these take minutes to make.

Tester's Notes

These roasted nuts are really at their finest when they are still slightly warm from the oven. Which is perfect, since I always seem to be scrambling for a last-minute snack to serve with cocktails just before the guests arrive. They are equally good on their own or served with a selection of cheeses and dried fruits.

This said, I've also made these nuts ahead and taken them to parties for host gifts. They lose their "fresh from the oven" crispness, but are just as addictive and tasty. -Emma

Brown Butter Sage Cashews

Makes 2 cups

1/2 pound roasted, unsalted cashews
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Heat the oven to 350°F. Toast the cashews on a baking sheet for 5-8 minutes, until they are warm and fragrant.

In a small skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until the butter begins to turn golden brown and smell nutty. Add the sage and cook, stirring, for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the butter is dark golden and the sage is frizzled but not burnt. Remove from heat and add the honey.

Toss the cashews with the butter mixture and sprinkle with salt while still warm.

Cashews are best when still slightly warm, but will keep in a sealed container for up to a week.

Cocoa-Dusted Cashews

Makes 2 cups

1/2 pound roasted, unsalted cashews
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Heat the oven to 350°F. Toast the cashews on a baking sheet for 5-8 minutes, until they are warm and fragrant.

Combine the cocoa and powdered sugar in a large bowl. Whisk to remove any lumps. Add the cashews and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and serve.

Cashews are best when still slightly warm, but will keep in a sealed container for up to a week.

This recipe was originally published 11/17/10.

(Images: Emma Christensen)

Comments (5)

I made the brown butter sage recipe but used pecans instead of cashews — I wanted to make a large batch for several gifts and pecans are more cost effective. They were super easy and turned out yummy. We were surprised at how much that little bit of honey stood out.

Whenever I toss roasted nuts with butter, they always stay buttery (i.e., greasy feeling) until they completely cool. What am I doing wrong? How can I serve them warm but not make everyone feel like their hands are dirty?

@Douglas - They do stay a bit buttery while they're still warm, it's true -- I don't think there's any way to avoid it! Try serving the nuts in small, individual cups (like those pictured), rather than from a communal bowl. That should help cut down on some of the mess.

Thank you, Emma! I'll try the cups. I was also thinking that your recipe for the brown butter sage cashews could be combined with some ricotta and/or roasted squash for a lovely ravioli filling!

I'm hosting a party this weekend and this sounds like a great idea for some munchies for the guests.