No cocktail hour is complete without a tasty snack and these sweet and smokey cashews fit the bill. They come together in a snap!
Sweet and Smoky Cashews
I’m writing this in our hotel room while nursing a small hangover after a night out with friends in Munich, which included ridiculously large mugs of beer, delicious Bavarian food, and a downpour of rain that soaked us to the bone and had us laughing our heads off. It was one of those experiences that will live forever in the memory bank; “remember that time we got caught in a downpour in Munich? Thank God I wasn’t wearing a white t-shirt!”
Despite a hangover and full-body tiredness that comes only after a night we had I have a strong desire to tell you about these sweet and smokey cashews. It makes sense considering the large amounts of Weissbier I’ve been drinking and I’ve thought several times since arriving in Munich how nice it would be to have a big bowl of these sweet and smoky cashews to nibble on. They really are the perfect beer companion.
These nuts came to be because of a supporting role they’re playing in a recipe I’ll share later this week, but after making them I thought they deserved a starring role in a post. They are a great cocktail hour snacky-treat and take all of five minutes to make with items you probably already have on hand.
Smoked paprika brings the strong smokey flavor while a little honey adds some sweetness. A small amount of red pepper adds just the right amount of heat. I added some garlic powder and cumin to round it all out, but you should know this recipe is flexible and forgiving. Chili powder would work in place of the smoked paprika if you’re not into smoky and prefer a spicier bite, so try it out if that’s your thing.
It’s our last day in Munich and there’s still a lot of beer to drink sites to see, so it’s time to sign off, but stay tuned for sweet and smoky cashews part two coming up later this week!
More Appetizers and Snacks
PrintSweet and Smoky Cashews
No cocktail hour is complete without a tasty snack and these sweet and smoky cashews fit the bill. They come together in a snap!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Toast
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper flakes
- 1 cup salted cashews
Instructions
- Mix the first six ingredients together in a small bowl. Add the cashews and toss them around to fully coat them in the spice mixture.
- Heat a medium-sized non-stick pan over medium to medium-low heat. Add the cashews and heat them just until the spices become fragrant. Remove them from the heat and spread them in an even layer on some parchment paper. Once cooled you can store them in a resealable bag.
Notes
I used cashews that were already salted, so if you use non-salted you will want to add some salt to the spice mixture. Start with 1/2 a teaspoon – you can always salt them more after you remove them from the pan. Be very careful when heating the cashews in the pan because the spice will burn easily. Don’t worry if you get a few black spots – it’s just more flavor – but be careful not to take them too far. The nuts will be a little sticky after you remove them from the heat, so be sure to spread them out so they don’t get all clumped together.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup
- Calories: 209
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 329.9mg
- Fat: 15.6g
- Saturated Fat: 2.8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11.2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14.9g
- Fiber: 1.3g
- Protein: 5.9g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: sweet and smoky cashews
Renee says
I’m a huge cashew fan so I’ll be making these for sure. All I ever do is a candied pecan for salads.
April says
Oooh, candied pecans — I love those, too. The cashews are a nice switch-up so I hope you like them!
Kelley @ Chef Savvy says
These cashews sounds amazing and like the perfect snack. Love the sweet and smokey combo!
Denise | Sweet Peas & Saffron says
How fun, sounds like you’re having a great time in Munich! And these cashews look so good! I’m pretty sure they’d last all of 5 minutes around me 😉
Thao @ In Good Flavor says
Cashews are one of my favorite nuts. I love the sweet/smokiness of these. Glad to hear you are having so much fun in Munich!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
I would say hope you you are having a stellar time in Munich, but it sounds like you are definitely doing just that! I love cashews in any form, especially when they are all gussied up! Sweet and smoky notes sound perfect for these salty crunchy yummy lil guys! Can’t wait to see what you do with them coming up! Cheers and good luck nursing that hangover! <3