Must-Try Nut Recipes

Hickory nuts add a buttery taste to the inside of this dense cake, from Audrey and Robert Biersach of Columbus, Wisconsin.

A coating of spicy and sweet turns toasted pecans into a great snack. Make these ahead of time if you're having a party. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 1 month.

This is caramel corn all grown up-studded with salted peanuts, flecked with rosemary and kissed with cayenne. Make a double batch to pack as gifts, or set a bowl on the coffee table as a way-fun alternative to Chex Mix.

Cocoa and rum flavor the soft butter frosting that crowns this airy three-layer cake from Elizabeth Varga of Barberton, Ohio. The recipe came from her Hungarian grandmother.

This quick bread from Missouri nut growers Drew and Susie Kimmell bakes in a casserole dish for a round loaf. They recommend using pecans, black walnuts or hickory nuts.

Fill layers of walnut cake with caramel whipped cream and drizzle it all with caramel sauce for a rich fall dessert. 

The croutons made from walnuts or pecans infuse nutty flavor into this tossed salad, made with oranges and dried cranberries. Nut producers Barb and Dwight Ittner of Noel, Missouri, created the recipe.

This nutty layer cake is a favorite dessert with Midwest Living® readers. Whipped cream tops a moist filling of pumpkin, brown sugar, pecans, butter and more whipping cream.

This fresh twist on peanut brittle takes just 15 minutes to make using your microwave. Be sure to use a heavy-duty glass measure that's free from cracks or chips to withstand high temperatures.

Our coffee cake (recipe at link above) is an indulgent mixture of chocolate, butter, sour cream, pecans and coconut. A brunch could also feature Stuffed French Toast, flavored with cream cheese, apricot preserves and pecans, or Maple Oatmeal Muffins, which blend pecans with oats, maple syrup, cinnamon and butter.

Nuts in your slow cooker? Sure! Just toss them with sugar, butter and spices, and cook on low heat for two hours.

Using the beloved pecan pie as a guide, cooks for the restaurant at the top of War Eagle Mill near Rogers, Arkansas, fashioned this cobbler adding oat flour for a different flavor in the crust. This buttery crust actually layers in the middle of the syrupy filling, an escape from the usual cobbler crowned with topping. A generous measure of pecans adds crunch.

Oatmeal-Pecan Pie (recipe above) gives the traditional pecan pie a chewy-good twist by adding oatmeal to the usual ingredients. Chocolate Pecan Pie is a rich treat that comes from Historic Clifton Mill restaurant in Clifton, Ohio. Black Bottom Pecan Pie comes from Miss Aimee B's Tea Room in St. Charles, Missouri.

A maple butter sauce tops this nutty catfish recipe from Hammons of Stockton, Missouri, a major producer of black walnuts. The Hammons family likes the deep, robust flavor of black walnuts in this recipe. We listed the much milder English walnut as an alternative.

Nuts and orange zest give a crunchy and flavorful twist to this summer classic. This recipe comes from Hammons black walnut company in Stockton, Missouri.

Make a couple of these easy nut-filled banana bread loaves-like most quick breads, they'll keep up to a month in your freezer. Overwrap in plastic wrap and place in a freezerproof bag. Thaw at room temp.

Coconut, pecans and caramel make a sweet sauce for an easy, one-layer twist on German chocolate cake.

This dish from Max Archer of McPherson, Kansas, packs some heat. Adjust it to suit your taste by varying the amounts of chili paste and poblano chiles.

This main dish adds walnuts to the flavors and textures of sweet potato, red onion, baby spinach leaves, goat cheese, basil and pasta.

A luscious chocolate and pecan mixture swirls throughout these festive cookies.

If you'd like to cut additional fat from this zesty snack mix, use five sprays of butter-flavor nonstick spray instead of butter. Be sure to add the spray right before eating to prevent the popcorn from getting soggy.

Philip and Meg Rutter at the Badgersett Research Farm in Canton, Minnesota, use extra-thick Iowa chops to hold stuffing featuring their chestnuts and hazelnuts.

Cafe Latte Turtle Cake (recipe at link above) is a favorite with diners at Cafe Latté in Saint Paul. A creamy Praline-Crusted Cheesecake delights guests at the Old Rittenhouse Inn in Bayfield, Wisconsin. Peach-Pecan Cobbler tempts fruit lovers with swirls of pecan-studded biscuits on top of sliced peaches. 

Staff at Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri, churn dozens of ice cream flavors at Hannah's Ice Cream Factory. For a sweeter ice cream, use more sugar. Look for black walnut flavoring, which pairs with nuts to give this cool treat its flavor, in large supermarkets.

These sweet, nutty and oh-so-buttery bars are a guaranteed showstopper on any cookie tray.