Have you ever made something so good you are absolutely amazed? Like I-could-eat-this-whole-pan-right-now good. That is exactly what happens when I make these honey roasted cashews!
My mom makes candied nuts every year for the holidays, and they are always a hit with our family and everyone we gift them to. But, I wanted to make my own spin on them. And that’s where these honey rosemary cashews come in.
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The honey and rosemary combo is delicious. By cooking it over the stovetop for a bit, the rosemary infuses the coconut oil and honey. And as you roast them, it makes almost a caramel-like consistency.
After they cool, the cashews become crispy and the nuts stick together in clusters. The clusters are the best part, hands down. The end result is the perfect combination of sweet and savory crunchy coated nuts. These nuts can be made any time of year, but with it being the holidays, they are perfect for gifting.
Why we love these easy honey roasted cashews
- easy to make
- made with simple ingredients and not heavily sweetened
- versatile – enjoy them as a snack, put them in salads, on top of yogurt or ice cream, or give them as gifts!
Are roasted cashews good for you?
Cashews are a great choice of nut to enjoy. They are full of copper, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and zinc to name a few nutrients. They also contain healthy fats, with half of them being monounsaturated fat. Roasted cashews are usually tossed in oil before being roasted, or they can be dry-roasted. Nuts are calorie-dense, so be mindful of how many you are consuming.
Ingredients
- coconut oil
- honey
- fresh rosemary
- cashews – my favorite nut and is neutral in taste to let the honey and rosemary shine!
How to make honey roasted cashews
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make your honey mixture. In a small saucepan over low heat (almost the lowest your stove goes), add coconut oil. Allow it to melt until it is liquid, about 30 seconds. Add honey and whisk to combine. Continue to whisk for about 1-2 minutes and let it come to a slow simmer. Add rosemary and stir to combine. It should sound like it is frying some, but you want to make sure it doesn’t burn (you may need to remove the pan from the heat). Whisk for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant and well combined.
- Mix in cashews. Remove from heat and add cashews to the pan. Toss with the honey mixture, making sure to thoroughly mix to make sure every cashew is coated. Spread them out evenly in a single layer on a baking sheet, making sure to pour any leftover honey-rosemary mixture on top of the nuts.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
- Let cool for 10-15 minutes so the honey mixture hardens and some nuts stick together.
- Enjoy! Add a sprinkle of salt if desired and enjoy!
How to use honey-roasted cashews
- in salads
- in a yogurt bowl
- as a topping for ice cream
- straight up as a snack!
Storage
- to store – make sure they are completely cooled before storing because you don’t want any moisture or it will make them soft. Place in a tightly sealed glass jar, airtight container, or tin with parchment paper at room temperature. Candied nuts will last for 2-3 weeks.
- to freeze – I have not tried this, but they should last 2-3 months in a freezer-safe dish.
Substitutions and additions
This recipe for rosemary cashews is really quite simple. If you want to change it up some, here are some suggestions.
- coconut oil – I would not suggest using another kind of oil as coconut oil is solid at room temperature which you need to have the nuts harden. You could try butter or ghee, but be careful it does not burn.
- honey – I haven’t tried it, but maple syrup might work instead. I’m not sure if they will get the same coating once cooled and the flavor will change, but you can try it.
- fresh rosemary – I don’t think using dried spices will have the same effect and won’t infuse as much flavor, if you are in a bind and don’t have fresh, you can try using dried. I would suggest 1-1 1/2 teaspoons.
- cashews – feel free to use whatever nuts you like. I choose cashews since they are so neutral in flavor, but any kind would work. Try almonds, pecans, peanuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, or macadamia nuts.
Here are some additions you can add to spice them up:
- spices – add some spices to change it up. Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, or even cayenne pepper would be delicious!
- vanilla extract – use a teaspoon or two.
More snack recipes
- pumpkin pie butter
- pomegranate guacamole
- candied nuts
- homemade caramel corn
- pumpkin pie chia pudding
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Honey Roasted Cashews
ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 1/2 cups cashews
- salt, to taste (optional)
instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make your honey mixture. In a small saucepan over low heat (almost the lowest your stove goes), add coconut oil. Allow it to melt until it is liquid, about 30 seconds. Add honey and whisk to combine. Continue to whisk for about 1-2 minutes and let it come to a slow simmer. Add rosemary and stir to combine. It should sound like it is frying some, but you want to make sure it doesn't burn (you may need to remove the pan from the heat). Whisk for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant and well combined.
- Mix in cashews. Remove from heat and add cashews to the pan. Toss with the honey mixture, making sure to thoroughly mix to make sure every cashew is coated. Spread them out evenly in a single layer on a baking sheet, making sure to pour any leftover honey mixture on top of the nuts.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
- Let cool for 10-15 minutes so the honey mixture hardens and some nuts stick together.
- Enjoy! Add a sprinkle of salt if desired and enjoy!
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Has anyone ever tried using another sweetener so they could be vegan also, such as maple syrup?
Hi Joy! I haven’t tried. I would think it would work, but the honey hardens and gives it that sticky consistency. I’m not exactly sure what maple would do. If you try it, let me know how it goes!
So good! But be careful they’re very addicting!!!
Haha yes! So glad you liked them Rachel, thanks for trying them!
I made these yesterday as a spontaneous addition to my Thanksgiving gathering. I had everything on hand except cashews, so I substituted raw almonds. It was a big hit! I’m going to make a batch to give my neighbors over the holidays!
Yay! Almonds sound so good too! Glad everyone enjoyed them and thank you trying them Jane!
These were a huge hit on Thanksgiving! They will be a staple every year, for sure!
Yay! So happy to hear that Megan! Thank you for trying them and glad you enjoyed!
Yummy great snack
Glad you liked them!!
Love this recipe so much my hubby keot gping in kitchen to grab some when they cooled off. Hehe they are soooo good.
So glad you liked them Amanda! They are definitely somewhat addicting, thanks for trying!
Addictive! 😄 Everyone loves them + they are super easy to make!
Glad you loved them! For sure a holiday staple at our house 🙂
Made these today and they were amazinnng! Honey + rosemary combo is phenomenal! Making another batch this weekend…kids enjoyed them too! It was a erfect quick snack for drop in company 🙂
Right!? I was surprised with how much I loved the combo too! Glad y’all liked them and thanks for trying them Sara!
These are super! Just yge right about os sweetness with the savory rosemary flavor. I can’t wait to make more!
Yes, the sweet and savory combo is so good! Glad you liked them!!
This recipe was a perfect snack while cooking Thanksgiving dinner!
Glad you enjoyed them Gabi!