Nuts are the best part of any good brownie, in my personal opinion. They give that satisfactory crunchy texture, add some protein, and some sweet-ish/savory appeal to brownies nothing else does.
Because of that, I love adding these tree offerings to every batch of brownies I make! But I’ve learned to pay attention to which ones I add and which ones aren’t as great.
What Kinds of Nuts are Best for Brownies?
The right kinds of nuts for your brownies are going to boil down to two things: the right texture and the right flavor. For the best of both aspects of this, add walnuts, pecans, pistachios, hazelnuts, cashews, and macadamia nuts. There are others some folks love, too, like peanuts and almonds.
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Should I Make Brownies With or Without Nuts?
Honestly, the use of nuts is your call. Some folks love brownies with nuts, while others hate them.
The main things to consider when contemplating those sumptuous chocolatey treats are whether or not there are any nut allergies and the kind of taste and texture preferences you have.
If you like a crunch, certain nuts will be better. If you don’t like the crunchiness but want the nutty flavor, others are better (I’ll discuss below).
What Kinds of Nuts Taste Best in Brownies?
For the best crunch factor, you’ll want to consider toasted walnuts, almonds, toasted pistachios, and hazelnuts.
As to flavor, really any nut will do in brownies, as long as you like the flavor of the nut!
Keep in mind, however, that pistachios will taste a bit different in brownies than they would be sprinkled over vanilla ice cream or similar other treats.
Walnuts are probably the most popular nuts used in brownies, but personally, I highly recommend pecans for an extra shot of sweet flavor that won’t overpower the chocolate.
Hazelnuts are best for a dark chocolate-style brownie, and macadamia nuts are best for lighter chocolate (such as a marbled brownie) or milk chocolate flavoring.
Cashews add a unique flavor altogether and really stand out in the brownie flavoring. So if you’re not a huge fan of cashews, pick a different nut instead!
Finally, peanuts are a great “basic” flavor nut to add to brownies for an extra punch of protein and flavor, but they should be toasted if you don’t want them to seem “soggy.”
What Are the Most Common Nuts That Popular Brownies Brands Add?
The most common nut you’ll find in any brownie mix will be the faithful walnut. The nut adds some crunch and savory/sweet flavor for a “grounding” of the taste that many folks love.
Pistachios have become more popular in brownie mixes in recent years, as well, along with macadamia nuts and pecans.
How Do I Add Nuts to My Brownies?
You should add the nuts to your batter after you’ve made the brownie batter with all the other ingredients and before you pour it into the pan.
Stir the nuts into the batter as your final step before putting the batter into the pan.
Do I Need to Toast the Nuts Before Adding Them?
I never add toasted nuts to my brownies personally, but there are two reasons you may want to.
- Toasted nuts maintain their crunchy texture better when added to brownies.
- Toasted nuts taste more “completed” than raw nuts in brownies.
How Many Nuts Should I Add If My Recipe Doesn’t Tell Me?
Most recipes call for a half cup of nuts for your brownies.
However, if you’re really looking for a nut-packed treat, I recommend doubling that.
You can even mix it up with a few different types of nuts for your brownies by adding a half cup of one type of nut and a half cup of another.
Which Nuts Blend Best Together in the Same Recipe?
If you want to mix up the flavors of your nuts in the brownies, I recommend these pairings.
- Walnuts with pecans
- Walnuts with almonds
- Walnuts with hazelnuts
- Pecans with almonds
- Pecans with macadamia nuts
- Pecans with hazelnuts
- Pecans with peanuts
- Pistachios with hazelnuts
- Pistachios with almonds
- Almonds with hazelnuts
- Almonds with cashews (3/4 cup walnuts, 1/4 cup cashews)
- Cashews with peanuts
- Hazelnuts with macadamia nuts
Can You Freeze Brownies With Nuts?
Yes! You can absolutely freeze brownies with nuts in them! I do this all the time and love the results.
The key is making sure that the brownies are completely air-tight so they don’t get freezer burnt or exposed to the occasional funky smell of other foods in there.
And be sure to only take out the number of brownies you want to eat right then and put the rest immediately back into the freezer. Otherwise, the rest of the brownies will get freezer burnt.