These smoky rosemary maple roasted nuts with sweet and salty flavours and a dash of smoked salt are the perfect snack to enjoy with a pipe of Old Toby and a hearty drink at Bilbo and Frodo's birthday feast! For another Gandalf-inspired recipe, try our Smoked Cinnamon Old Fashioned for a smoky autumnal cocktail, or try another recipe from our Feast at Bag End collection like these Mini Mushroom Galettes.
At a Glance: Smoky Rosemary Maple Roasted Nuts
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Baking Time: 17 to 20 minutes
- Total Time: ~40 minutes
- Servings: 4 cups
- Flavour: Smoky, salty, slightly sweet and herbaceous
- Skill Level: Easy
- Why this Works: The sweetness of maple contrasts with smoky sea salt and the woodsy aroma of rosemary in these delectable roasted nuts.
If you love recipes from the Shire, try our Feast at the Green Dragon e-cookbook for classic tavern fare: bubbling starters, savoury mains and pies, hedgerow puddings, and dark ale and berry drinks.
A Feast at Bag End: A Hobbit Birthday
As summer begins to fade into fall and the fields and gardens of the Shire are brimming with a bountiful harvest, the hobbits look forward to a very special celebration. With the War of the Ring now behind them and peace restored to Middle-Earth, the joint birthday of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins feels more joyful than ever! Both uncle and nephew are now keen to celebrate with the friends and family who saw them through darker days.
In honour of the hobbits' shared birthday on September 22nd, we can imagine Bilbo and Frodo preparing for a gathering of friends from across Middle-Earth. As each member of the Fellowship and other old friends travel to the Shire they bring with them a taste of their local cuisine. Join us in celebrating this momentous hobbit day with Bilbo, Frodo, and the rest of the Fellowship!
Gandalf's Smoky Rosemary Maple Roasted Nuts
Arriving precisely when he means to, Gandalf the wandering wizard makes his way to the Shire in time for Bilbo and Frodo's celebration. There he is treated to a warm welcome with his old friends and a pipe full of Old Toby. Gandalf's beloved pipe-weed is the inspiration for this salty snack. A blend of mixed nuts are roasted with sweet maple, fragrant rosemary, and a dash of smoked salt. Ideal for munching while sharing a hearty drink or a pipe of long bottom leaf, these smoky rosemary maple roasted nuts make for a delightful snack before Bilbo and Frodo's birthday feast!
For more Middle Earth snacks you should try our warm rarebit dip with seasoned breadsticks or our scotch eggs.
Ingredients for Smoky Rosemary Maple Roasted Nuts
Mixed nuts: You can use any combination of whole nuts for this recipe. However, they should be raw and unsalted since you will be both roasting and seasoning them. I used a blend of walnut halves, pecans, cashews, almonds, and hazelnuts. For another recipe using mixed nuts, check out our blue cheese nut log with port poached prunes.
Smoked salt: These nuts get their smoky flavour from using smoked salt. There are many types of smoked salt available, often featuring different woodsmoke. For this recipe we used a strong hickory smoked salt to really make sure the flavour stood out. Another milder option is smoked Maldon sea salt which uses oak and we felt had a softer flavour.
Rosemary: The flavour of fresh rosemary really stands out in this recipe, although you could use dried rosemary leaves instead.
Maple syrup: Maple syrup adds a touch of sweetness to this recipe. You can substitute with an equal amount of honey if you prefer.
Brown sugar: The brown sugar crystallizes on the nuts and adds to the overall crunch of these roasted nuts.
Storage Tips
Here are a few tips for keeping and storing these roasted nuts.
- Airtight container - Allow the nuts to cool completely before storing in an airtight container. If the nuts are still warm then condensation will form in the container and make them sticky.
- Room temperature - Store the nuts at room temperature for up to 1 week. While the nuts will keep for up to a week, they are best enjoyed within 2 or 3 days as the coating may begin to soften the longer the nuts sit.
- Fridge or freezer - If you wanted to store the nuts for longer, they can be kept for up to a month in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. However, the condensation will likely cause the sugary coating to soften and become sticky.
How to make Smoky Rosemary Maple Roasted Nuts
1. Prep the nuts
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Combine the nuts in a mixing bowl and set aside. Combine the butter and maple syrup in a small saucepan and place over medium heat, whisking together as the butter melts. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, chopped fresh rosemary, and the smoked sea salt.
Once the butter mixture begins to bubble, remove from the heat and pour over the nuts. Stir the nuts so they are well coated with the butter mixture. Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture over the nuts and stir to combine. Spread the nuts out on the prepared baking sheet.
2. Roast the nuts
Bake the nuts while stirring occasionally. Every 5 minutes, take the nuts out and stir them on the sheet pan. Continue roasting for a total of 17 to 20 minutes or until the nuts are well browned. When done, you can sprinkle with a little more of the smoked salt if you prefer.
3. Serve the Smoky Rosemary Maple Roasted Nuts
Let the nuts cool completely, breaking up any large chunks as they cool. The nuts will harden as they cool. Enjoy!
Smoky Rosemary Maple Roasted Nuts
Ingredients
- 4 cups mixed whole nuts *see note
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 3 tablespoon maple syrup **see note
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 ½ teaspoon smoked salt plus extra
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Combine the nuts in a mixing bowl and set aside. Combine the butter and maple syrup in a small saucepan and place over medium heat, whisking together as the butter melts. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, chopped fresh rosemary, and the smoked sea salt.
- Once the butter mixture begins to bubble, remove from the heat and pour over the nuts. Stir the nuts so they are well coated with the butter mixture. Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture over the nuts and stir to combine. Spread the nuts out on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake the nuts while stirring occasionally. Every 5 minutes, take the nuts out and stir them on the sheet pan. Continue roasting for a total of 17 to 20 minutes or until the nuts are well browned. When done, you can sprinkle with a little more of the smoked salt if you prefer.
- Let the nuts cool completely, breaking up any large chunks as they cool. The nuts will harden as they cool. Enjoy!
