Copy Cat Union Square Cafe Bar Nuts

A super easy copy cat recipe for the bar nuts served at Union Square Cafe. Sweet, salty, earthy and just a touch spicy, you can’t stop at one handful. Warm, room temperature, or even a few days later, these Union Square Cafe Bar Nuts are off the chain addicting. And so damn good it hurts.

Copy Cat Union Square Cafe Bar Nuts | mountainmamacooks.com

This recipe is hardly original. In fact, you could find no less than dozens of recipes on the internet for these famous mixed nuts served at the Union Square Cafe Bar. Traditionally served warm, these toasted nuts are made by rating the nuts and then tossing them with melted butter, fresh rosemary, brown sugar and just a touch of cayenne. In one word, these nuts are irresistible. Consider yourself warned.

Copy Cat Union Square Cafe Bar Nuts | mountainmamacooks.com

I volunteered to bring some munchies in for the teachers last week at my kiddo’s school. It was conference week and the parents offer to bring in snacks and dinner for the teachers that work late. I signed up to bring “packaged mixed nuts” and I know it would have been way easier to just buy some mixed nuts but I’d had this recipe to try on my radar for a really long time. I also made some ridiculously delicious snickerdoodle cookies and magic bars that I’ll be sharing later in the month. No store-bought goodies coming from my house- teachers pet right here- winning brownie points with the staff one snack at a time!

Copy Cat Union Square Cafe Bar Nuts | mountainmamacooks.com

I was unsure of how these would hold up as most recipes say to serve the nuts warm immediately after you make them. I get why most recipes call for serving warm. Straight from the oven, these are addicting and ridiculously good. Too good in fact. I couldn’t stop nibbling them. With that being said, these held up great and were just as good the next day. I let the nuts cool completely on the baking sheet and then portioned them into individual snack bags. The were one of the first things to go off the staff table and I’ll definitely make them again for the holidays.

Copy Cat Union Square Cafe Bar Nuts | mountainmamacooks.com

A few notes: You could use whatever raw nuts you wanted- cashews and pecans are my favorite- but go with what you have. Instead of just melting the butter, let it brown just a bit- you’ll be glad you did. And lastly, make sure to chop the rosemary really fine as it blends in better with the butter/sugar mixture. Enjoy!!

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Copy Cat Union Square Cafe Bar Nuts


  • Yield: 6 cups 1x

Description

A quick and easy roast nut mixture with butter, rosemary and brown sugar.


Ingredients

  • 6 cups raw, whole nuts (I use a mix of almonds, pecans, and cashews)
  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons finely minced rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon season salt
  • pinch cayenne pepper (optional)

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 350F degrees.
  2. On a large baking sheet, spread nuts out in a single layer. Toast in a preheated oven for 10-12 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, melt butter in a small sauce pan and let it brown just a bit. Add brown sugar, minced rosemary, kosher salt, season salt and cayenne pepper if using.
  4. Remove nuts from oven pour butter/sugar mixture over the nuts. Toss to combine and then devour warm or room temperature.