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!

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 pint jars and smaller half-pint jars, with ribbons tied around the top. And offering them as little nibbles before a larger meal. They’re a welcome addition to any cheese tray, always quick to disappear!

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 alongside a bowl of these beautiful nuts…irresistible! Or on a treats platter with homemade peppermint bark and soft, chewy ginger molasses cookies. Doesn’t everybody like a little savory with their sweet?

How to make spiced nuts

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

I recommend good quality, large, whole nuts. I personally like a combination of cashews, almonds, and pecans. Find them in bulk at grocery stores, or in bags at Trader Joe’s (I love their nuts!). You can buy them unsalted or salted, depending on your salt preference. I prefer “lightly salted”, whenever I can find that offering, as salt will get added with the recipe. Also, I always choose “roasted” nuts versus “raw” nuts. The nuts are in the oven for only 15 minutes, so a little second roasting further develops that crunch and nutty flavor.

Once you have your nuts, all you need to do is warm a bit of oil in a saucepan on the stovetop. Add fresh rosemary and thyme, then a bit of cumin and cayenne pepper, and then pour the flavored oil over the nuts. Finish them off with a sprinkling of sugar, salt, and black pepper, and pop the nuts in the oven for a bit.

This is where you’re going to want to bottle up the scent in your kitchen!

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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Rosemary Thyme Spiced Nuts

Yield: 15 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

These herby spiced nuts are so easy to make. I love to offer them on cheese trays and as a small appetizer - and this recipe is great for gifting!

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Ingredients

• 3 c. large whole nuts - I like to use 1 c. cashews, 1 c. pecans, and 1 c. almonds (I usually buy nuts at Trader Joe's)
• 2 T. olive oil
• 2 T. coarsely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 T. sugar
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

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 warm. Do not let it get too hot – the oil will burn. Add rosemary and thyme and stir until aromatic, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat and stir in cumin and cayenne pepper. Pour the flavored oil over the nuts and stir to coat evenly. Sprinkle with sugar, salt, and black pepper. Stir again. Transfer to a jelly roll pan or a baking pan with sides. Bake for about 15 minutes total, stirring after the first 10 minutes. Let cool. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Notes

These nuts are great for including on cheese boards, and also for gifting. I like to package them in airtight canning jars and tie a ribbon around the top!

from a farmgirl's dabbles

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 15 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 338Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 25gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 333mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 4gSugar: 3gProtein: 9g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Nutritionix. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.

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