Union Square Cafe Bar Nuts
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Once you start snacking, there’s no stopping! These rosemary bar nuts from one of New York’s most beloved restaurants are seriously delicious.
Many cookbooks feature variations of the renowned Union Square Cafe bar nuts, and as a fan, I couldn’t resist sharing my own version of the recipe here. The nuts are infused with sweet, salty, and spicy flavors, but it’s the addition of fresh rosemary that truly makes them special. Perfect with cocktails, as a casual snack, or even as a thoughtful homemade gift, these nuts are the ultimate nibble—and they’re incredibly easy to whip up, too! Just a friendly heads-up: once you start munching on these, it’s really hard to stop!
“Love this nut recipe! I make these every Christmas and give them as gifts to my family. They are a huge hit”
What You’ll Need To Make Union Square Cafe Bar Nuts
Step-by-Step Instructions
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup. Place the nuts on the baking sheet and toast in oven until warm, fragrant and lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Keep a close eye on them, as they can burn quickly.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the rosemary, cayenne pepper, brown sugar, and butter.
Add the warm, toasted nuts to the spiced butter and toss well. Then add the kosher salt.
Toss to coat thoroughly.
Serve warm or let cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Freeze for longer storage.
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Union Square Café Bar Nuts
Once you start snacking, there’s no stopping! These rosemary bar nuts from one of New York’s most beloved restaurants are seriously delicious.
Ingredients
- 2½ cups unsalted mixed nuts (see note)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean up. Place the nuts on the baking sheet and toast in oven until warm, fragrant and lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Keep a close eye on them, as nuts can burn quickly.
- In a large bowl, combine the rosemary, cayenne pepper, brown sugar and butter. Add the warm, toasted nuts to the spiced butter and toss well. Add kosher salt and toss to coat thoroughly. Serve warm or let cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Freeze for longer storage.
- Note: I like this recipe best with cashews and pecans, but you can use any nuts that you like. If you use raw nuts, be sure to toast them a bit longer, about 10 minutes or until lightly golden.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The nuts can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost them on the countertop before serving.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (10 servings)
- Serving size: 1/4 cup
- Calories: 216
- Fat: 19 g
- Saturated fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Sugar: 1 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Sodium: 85 mg
- Cholesterol: 3 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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These are amazing! I often eat way too many, be careful once you start it’s hard to stop eating them. I make several batches over the holiday season. I often reduce the cayenne pepper, if you aren’t a big fan of spicy food you may want to consider that as well.
These are a hit every time I make them. They really pack a punch with only a few ingredients. One of my all time favorite snack recipes!
I believe you when you say that they are addictive, they certainly look it! I would love to make some for gifts this Christmas. Was just wondering how long they would keep. How soon in advance I could make and store them prior to gifting. Thanks for another awesome recipe!
Hi Robin, I’d say they keep well for about a week.
Can you use dried rosemary instead of fresh? I only have fresh thyme & parsley on hand.
Hi Jen, Unfortunately, dried rosemary won’t work. But you can use fresh thyme instead 🙂
These are addictive! Seriously! I’ve made them twice already. They are soooo good when you eat them right away while still warm. First time I used unsalted roasted nuts and the dark brown sugar as listed. The second time I used raw nuts and only used coconut Palm sugar to make it a little more healthy since I planned on eating must if it 🙂 Both were delicious, but it was way more delicious the first time when I followed the recipe verbatim. Goes great with a dark beer! Yum!
Hi Jenn, I’d like to know how i will be able to store the nuts in order to have a longer shelf life. Thank you.
Hi Mary Ann, They will keep well at room temperature in an airtight container.
These nuts are fantastic, but it looks like a lot of the spices and rosemary do not adhere to the nuts, and are left on the sheet. Any suggestions?
Hi Karen, Yes, some of the spices don’t stick; that’s just the nature of it. I just pour them over the nuts in the bowl. Next time try making these with mostly pecans — the spices stick in all the crevices.
Same for me. I used a mixture of cashews and pecans, and the spices didn’t stick to the cashews. Disappointed, as they were gifts.
Jen–your website is FABULOUS! So glad I happened upon it–I have a question about how to prepare this–do you chop up the rosemary leaves or what? Thanks!
Hi Carolyn, Thank you! Yes, you chop them up. Hope you enjoy 🙂
Hi Jen – I have a huge container of salted mixed nuts from Sam’s Club. Could I use those in the recipe and just omit the salt? I have to tell you that this year I have been agonizing over recipes to use that will make my Thanksgiving preparation easier. I opened your email this morning and lo and behold my delimma is solved. Thanks!
Hi Donna, Yes, that should work just fine. Hope you have an easy and happy Thanksgiving 🙂
Do you use raw or roasted nuts for this recipe?
Hi Karen, I use roasted nuts. They’re only in the oven for 5 minutes so they’re really just getting warmed through.