These sweet and spicy rosemary nuts are everything you want in a festive snack—crunchy, caramelised, and perfectly balanced between sweet, salty, and spicy. They come together in one pan with just a handful of wholesome ingredients, making them an easy yet impressive treat for any gathering.
The maple syrup forms a crisp, glossy coating, while the rosemary and spices add depth and warmth. Sesame and nigella seeds add extra crunch and a subtle nuttiness, making every bite irresistibly moreish. Scatter them over a festive grazing board, serve them with drinks, or wrap them up as a homemade gift.
They’re quick to make, packed with flavour, and so much better than anything store-bought—once you try them, you’ll be making them all season long!
Tips
- Use a candy thermometer to measure the maple syrup hard crack stage. A meat thermometer sometimes works but it is not ideal as it usually measures lower temperature ranges, and it often isn’t as accurate or fast at very high heat. If you don’t have a thermometer here’s the classic old-school sugar test — no thermometer needed: Take a small spoonful of the syrup and drop it onto a cold, heat-safe surface (like a plate or marble slab). Let it cool for a few seconds: if it hardens and snaps easily when you try to break it, it’s at the hard crack stage. If it bends or feels sticky, it hasn’t reached the correct stage yet.
- Roasted nuts taste 10 times better so I would take some extra time to roast them first: toast in a pan for a few minutes or roast in the air-fryer for 5 minutes at 175C. Alternatively buy pre-roasted nuts.
Swaps
Cashews: most nuts will work, almonds would be my second option.
Maple syrup: white sugar would also work
Spices: experiment with different spices, maybe a hint of chilli powder for a bit of a kick or garlic powder for extra flavour.
Storage
Store them in an airtight container, such as a glass jar or resealable bag at room temperature or fridge. This helps retain their crunch and prevents moisture from getting in. If you keep at room temperature the maple syrup will melt slightly and become sticky but still totally delicious.
More nibble ideas
Sweet & Spicy Rosemary Nuts
Ingredients
- 250 g roasted cashews
- 30 g seeds 20g sesame seeds and 10g of nigella seed
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 pepper
- 1 tbsp rosemary
- 80 ml maple syrup
Instructions
- Add the maple syrup to a pan a let it simmer. The temperature needs to reach between 130-154C (if you don’t have a thermometer don’t worry, you can use the visual trick at the bottom of the caption)**
- Now, quickly add the rest of the ingredients and mix well to incorporate.
- Pour on a flat surface with baking paper on it (be careful as they are extremely hot at this point!) Try to scatter as much as possible and leave it to cool down completely.