Give me a savory snack any day of the week over a sweet one. I seemingly lack the sweet tooth that so many people talk about which fuels their cravings. For me, just put a plate of cheese and crackers, chips and salsa, or a bowl of these flavorful Chipotle Rosemary-roasted Nuts by my side.
Inspired by a recipe from Ina Garten these nuts are delicious to eat and easy with common ingredients which can be found at the grocery store. This spicy, sweet nut mixture is a perfect for so many occasions. I love to make up cellophane bags to give to neighbors, coworkers, and friends. I also love to have a bowl of these out when friends stop by for a cocktail or glass of wine. You can also be a game day hero by putting out a bowl of these nuts to snack on when the big game rolls around.
Another reason that I love to make these nuts to keep in my pantry is that I prefer my snacks to be as close to whole food as possible. No bags of snack ‘food’ with a laundry list of unpronounceable chemicals for this girl! Nuts are naturally full of protein. They are also great if you like snacks that aren’t carb-loaded. But, keep in mind that they are also high in fat so enjoy in moderation.
I like to make this recipe with a mixture of my favorite nuts. I always include cashews, almonds, and pistachios. This time I also included pecans and peanuts because I had them on hand. You will want 7 cups of nuts in total for this recipe. Including peanuts into the mix can lower the cost of this recipe as they are typically less expensive than most other nuts.
You will also want to buy raw nuts. You will do the roasting and salting in your kitchen so you do not want to buy nuts that are already roasted and salted. A final tip is to make sure you have a metal spatula to stir the nuts while they roast and when then are out of the oven cooling. A plastic spatula will not do the job. I used the spatula from my BBQ.
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 25 minutes |
| Servings |
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- vegetable oil or other neutral-flavored oil
- 7 cups whole raw nuts of your choice I used almonds, cashews, pistachios, pecans, and peanuts
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 teaspoons ground chipotle powder
- 4 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves divided
- 4 teaspoons salt
Ingredients
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- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Brush a sheet pan with oil.
- Combine the nuts, 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, the maple syrup, brown sugar, orange juice, and chipotle powder in a large bowl.
- Toss to coat the nuts evenly. Add 2 tablespoons of the rosemary and 2 teaspoons of salt and toss again.
- Spread the nuts in one layer on the sheet pan.
- Roast the nuts for 25 minutes, stirring twice with a large metal spatula, until the nuts are glazed and golden brown. Using a metal spatula is very important. A plastic one will not do the job.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with 2 more teaspoons of salt and the remaining 2 tablespoons of rosemary. Toss well to evenly distribute.
- Let cool until room temperature, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking as they cool. Taste for seasoning. Store in airtight containers at room temperature. Enjoy!
Liz
Just made these to have on hand for the snacking husband. This does not let you off the hook at Christmas by any means! Yum.
Diane Hartford
I am so glad that Ben likes them. I can’t resist snacking on them when I have them around. That is why I will always bring you some! XO Diane