Party Snack Recipe: Sweet and Savory Roasted Cashews

updated May 2, 2019
christmas
Jump to Recipe
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Post Image
(Image credit: Emma Christensen)

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.

(Image credit: Emma Christensen)

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

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Brown Butter Sage Cashews

Makes 2 cups

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 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

Instructions

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

  2. 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.

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

  4. 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

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound

    roasted, unsalted cashews

  • 2 teaspoons

    unsweetened cocoa powder

  • 2 teaspoons

    powdered sugar

  • 1/8 teaspoon

    kosher salt

Instructions

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

  2. 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.

Recipe Notes

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

(Images: Emma Christensen)