Rosemary Thyme Spiced Nuts

This Rosemary Thyme Spiced Nuts recipe is incredibly easy to make. The nuts are lightly spiced and beautifully fragrant with herbs, perfect for nibbling and gifting – a holiday favorite!

Spiced Nuts Recipe with Rosemary & Thyme

I wish I could bottle up the fragrance of these Rosemary Thyme Spiced Nuts while they are roasting. It would make a heavenly candle scent! Warm and nutty, and embraced by fresh rosemary and thyme, these nuts are my kind of irresistible.

I’ve been making this spiced nuts recipe for years, gifting the nuts in small jars, with ribbons tied around the top. And I like to offer them as little nibbles before a holiday meal. They’re a welcome addition to any cheese tray. So many ways to enjoy!

This is one of those recipes where I’ve learned to make a double or triple batch, as everybody loves them and they simply go great with EVERYTHING. Enjoy!

What Inspired This Roasted Nuts Recipe

Many, many years ago, I was introduced to a roasted nuts recipe that quickly became a staple for my family. I found myself roasting a batch – or two or three – every single year during the holidays, and then randomly throughout the year. 

The nuts make for an easy game day nibble, a beautiful hostess gift, or an extra special snack. That recipe was the inspiration for these rosemary nuts.

Just think how lovely it would be to serve these nuts for a holiday cocktail party. A frosty eggnog cocktail or hot toddy alongside a bowl of these beautiful party nuts…irresistible!

Or on a treats platter with homemade peppermint bark and soft, chewy ginger molasses cookies and our favorite chocolate peanut butter Ritz cookies. Doesn’t everybody like a little savory with their sweet?! These Christmas nuts are the perfect addition!

Ingredients

This is a super basic recipe. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Nuts – Use large, whole nuts for the best appearance and texture. I like to use equal amounts of cashews, pecans, and almonds – but you can use any nuts you like, in any proportion. Look for ones marked “roasted” if possible, and stay away from those marked “raw”. I usually buy my nuts at either Trader Joe’s or Fleet Farm…my parents and in-laws swear by the nuts at Fleet Farm, for both quality and price!
• Olive oil – Just a bit, to coat the nuts and help everything stick when roasting
• Fresh rosemary leaves – Oh, how I love fresh herbs! Such a lovely aroma and flavor!
• Fresh thyme leaves
• Cumin – This adds so much flavor, one of my favorites in the spice drawer.
• Cayenne pepper – Just a touch, for a little hint of heat. Of course you could eliminate the cayenne or add more!
• Sugar – The sweetness is a fun contrast with the earthy, salty flavors.
• Salt & pepper

How to Make Spiced Nuts

It’s ultra easy to make a batch of these rosemary spiced nuts!

1. Preheat oven to 300° F. Place nuts in a medium heatproof bowl.
2. Pour oil into a small heavy saucepan and place over medium-low heat until just warm.
3. Add rosemary and thyme, and stir until aromatic, about 1 minute. Take care to not let the oil get too hot and burn.
4. Remove pan from heat and stir in cumin and cayenne pepper.
5. Pour the flavored oil over the nuts and stir to coat evenly. Sprinkle with sugar, salt, and black pepper, and stir again.
6. Transfer to a jelly roll pan and bake for about 15 minutes total, stirring after the first 10 minutes. (Smells SO GOOD!!!)
7. Let cool. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

I’ve been making these herby nuts for years now, and they’re always quick to disappear. The beauty of fresh herbs provides an earthy loveliness. Add to that a teensy bit of spice, and you’ve got yourself a whole lotta yum.

I recommend making a double (or even a triple) batch.

You won’t regret it.

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This post was previously published in 2012. Some of the photographs and text were updated in 2019.