These Bar Nuts are a highly addictive mix of roasted nuts, butter, fresh rosemary, cayenne pepper, sugar, and salt flakes. They offer a quick way to use leftover nuts from your pantry. When served in a bowl alongside wine or cocktails, they tend to disappear quickly.
This version of Bar Nuts is inspired by a recipe from Nigella Lawson, which she adapted from a popular spiced nut recipe at the Union Square Cafe in New York. The author has enjoyed making these nuts for many years, appreciating how simple they are to prepare with basic pantry ingredients and fresh rosemary. The flavor is interesting without being overly sweet, making it easy to eat a lot of them.
To make these Bar Nuts, you will need the following ingredients:
– Unsalted roasted mixed nuts: You can use a store-bought mix or create your own with any combination of almonds, pecans, walnuts, Brazil nuts, peanuts, cashews, or hazelnuts.
– Mini pretzels: Mini pretzels are preferred because they are closer in size to the nuts. You can choose to use more nuts instead if you like.
– Fresh rosemary: This ingredient adds a special touch to the recipe, so fresh rosemary is recommended over dried. Finely chopping the rosemary helps it coat the nuts evenly.
– Cayenne pepper: This spice adds a mild warmth to the nuts without making them too spicy. You can adjust the amount if you prefer less heat.
– Unsalted butter: Melted butter is used to coat the nuts. While the original recipe suggests one tablespoon, using more can help achieve a better coating.
– Dark brown muscovado sugar: This sugar provides a hint of caramel sweetness without making the nuts too sticky. Regular brown sugar can be used as a substitute.
– Salt flakes: Salt flakes are ideal for this recipe because they disperse evenly on the nuts. If using other types of salt, it’s best to start with less and adjust according to taste.
Making these Bar Nuts is quite simple. Start by roasting the nuts and pretzels in the oven for ten minutes until they are lightly browned. This step enhances the flavor and keeps the rosemary butter warm for better coating.
Next, mix the melted butter, rosemary, sugar, cayenne pepper, and salt in a large bowl. Add the hot nuts and pretzels directly into the bowl. If the butter has solidified, the heat from the nuts will melt it. Stir everything together until all the nuts are well coated in the shiny butter.
These nuts are best enjoyed warm, but they are still delicious at room temperature.
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Source: RecipeTin Eats, by Nagi