Nuts are a great way to add flavor, protein and crunch to your cooking. From salads to sweets, these recipes make the very most of nuts.
Hands-down, my favorite biscotti recipe. Adapted from Zuni Cafe in San Francisco, they are everything good biscotti should be: buttery, lightly sweet and crunchy but not tooth-shattering. GET THE RECIPE
Baked oatmeal is a comforting Amish breakfast casserole with a consistency similar to bread pudding. There are endless variations — the recipe is easily adapted with whatever fruits and nuts you have on hand — but this version filled with tart apples and plump raisins with a crunchy walnut topping is my favorite. GET THE RECIPE
Sweet, salty, spicy, and rosemary-infused, these nuts from Union Square Café make the perfect party snack. Bonus: they’re a cinch to make! GET THE RECIPE
This retro snack mix is a party essential in our home. The recipe makes a ton, which is a good thing since one handful is never enough. GET THE RECIPE
When you combine roasted Brussels sprouts, smoky bacon, toasted pecans and maple syrup, it’s hard to resist eating the entire pan right out of the oven. GET THE RECIPE
Made with crisp power greens, toasted walnuts, chunks of Parmesan and a lemony Dijon dressing — this salad tastes like a healthful, crunchy Caesar. GET THE RECIPE
Sweet, tart and gooey, these bars are a happy marriage of blondies and raspberry jam. And they’re just as good with your morning coffee as they are for dessert. GET THE RECIPE
Dried cranberries and toasted walnuts make this carrot slaw absolutely crave-worthy. Serve it with a crusty baguette or as a healthy side to leftover turkey sandwiches. GET THE RECIPE
This combination of tender roasted chicken, juicy grapes and crunchy cashews in a creamy curry dressing is always a crowd-pleaser. GET THE RECIPE
You’ll toss that greasy Chinese food menu away after tasting this tender stir-fried chicken with roasted cashews in an authentic brown garlic sauce. GET THE RECIPE
Eating healthy should never leave you hungry, which is one of the reasons I love quinoa. It eats like a grain but is actually the tiny seed of a plant related to leafy greens like spinach and Swiss chard. Here, it's gussied up with sautéed onions, carrots, shiitake mushrooms and pecans to make an earthy and hearty dish. GET THE RECIPE
Part cookie, part brownie — who doesn’t love blondies? And the best part is that they’re ridiculously easy to make: fewer ingredients than cookies (plus you don’t have to roll the dough into balls) and easier than brownies because there’s no chocolate to melt. This version, made with chocolate chips and pecans, is my all-time favorite. GET THE RECIPE
These cookies might look plain but when you bite into them, you discover a buttery and sweet shortbread studded with melted toffee bits and crunchy almonds — they’re just wonderfully good. GET THE RECIPE
If you’ve ever watched traditional fudge being made in a candy shop, you know it’s fickle: it must be heated and cooled to precise temperatures and then stirred “just so” to ensure success. That’s why I LOVE this Chocolate Walnut Fudge from America's Test Kitchen. Not only is it foolproof, it’s finished in 15 minutes! GET THE RECIPE
If you’re a fan of pecan pie, you’ll love these pecan squares. A buttery shortbread crust and rich caramel-pecan topping make them truly over-the-top. GET THE RECIPE
My husband calls these candied pecans “crack nuts” because they’re madly addictive. They’re perfect to serve with cocktails, toss over salads or just keep around the house as a snack. The best part? You only need four simple ingredients to make them — and if you start right now, you’ll be done in 15 minutes. GET THE RECIPE