A careful balance of salty and sweet, crisp and chewy, these nuts are the perfect accompaniment for cocktail hour. You start with raw, untoasted cashews, toss them with oil and set aside. Then you make a syrup with brown sugar, a little water, and honey. Drizzle it over the cashews, toss, spread onto baking sheets and toast in a medium oven till golden brown and crisp. The cashews will last 1 week stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
We featured this recipe in our Bring Happy Hour Home menu, our Bar Snacks photo gallery, and our New Year’s Eve Speakeasy Party.
- Yield: 5 cups
- Difficulty: Easy
- Total: 40 mins, plus cooling time
- Active: 15 mins
Ingredients (6)
- 4 1/2 cups raw cashews
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 4 teaspoons kosher salt
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, toss cashews with oil until well coated; set aside.
- Combine brown sugar, water, and honey in a small saucepan, place over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook until mixture has thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Drizzle over cashews and stir to coat.
- Transfer nuts to the prepared baking sheet and spread in a single layer. Bake until golden brown, stirring every 10 minutes, for a total of about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Sprinkle salt over nuts and stir to coat. Let cool completely on the baking sheet and break up any large pieces before serving.
