Nut

Star-shaped cookies will certainly put you in the holiday spirit, but feel free to use any cookie cutters you have in the drawer.

Adapted from a recipe by Chez Panisse alum and Top Chef Masters veteran Jonathan Waxman, this delicate, fuss-free dish proves that Brussels sprouts can be just as tasty raw as they are roasted. Use a food processor or mandoline to shave the sprouts, unless you’re really confident with your knife skills. The slaw also makes an incredible pizza topping; just wait to add the walnuts until the dough is out of the oven and the pecorino has melted.

With tender acorn squash, salty pancetta, a pungent and tart vinaigrette, and bitter chicory, this hearty salad is layered in flavor and texture. It will take you through all of winter, and would fit perfectly on most holiday buffets. You can use other winter squashes, including butternut, and bacon or prosciutto can easily stand in for the pancetta.

Dried blueberries and plump dates partner with old-fashioned rolled oats and toasty nuts in this hearty granola created by Epicurious editor-in-chief Tanya Steel and her Real Foods for Healthy Kids coauthor Tracey Seaman. Sesame seeds lend extra crunch while pure maple syrup (cane syrup or honey are excellent substitutes) kisses the mix with sweetness. With milk or yogurt, this granola is an easy breakfast, but don’t limit yourself: it’s delightful sprinkled on pancakes or as a topping for ice cream.

Chocolate and hazelnut: Consider this combination the “Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks” of flavor profiles—sweet, nutty, and guaranteed to produce a blockbuster. Baking expert Carole Bloom’s indulgent cake recipe calls for an easy homemade hazelnut butter, but store-bought will do just as well. Top it off with some crushed hazelnuts for added texture, and then serve it with a glass of Sauternes or port, or a shot of espresso.

With toasted pecans, dried sour cherries, and creamy milk chocolate chunks, these cocoa-based cookies feature a mix of flavors guaranteed to appeal to every palate. Seek out a high-quality milk chocolate for the richest, smoothest experience, or experiment by replacing some or all of the chunks with premium white chocolate.

Sometimes the simplest things are the most delicious. Epicurious member JynnJynn of Louisville, Kentucky, ensured these moist cookies are easy to make and easier to enjoy. Follow JynnJynn’s advice and add coconut, or use white chocolate and other fruit or nuts. Save a few cookies for the next day, as the banana flavor truly comes out the day after baking.

Crisp on the outside and gooey on the inside, these irresistible cookies get extra crunch from dry-roasted peanuts. The recipe, from Epicurious member Ashlee L. Galletta of Winnipeg, Canada, was inspired by Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, so get ready for a heady dose of peanuts balanced by creamy milk chocolate. If you prefer your cookies a little less sweet, skim a couple of tablespoons of sugar from the recipe and swap in semisweet chocolate chips for the milk chocolate ones.

These deliciously sticky nut bars are like miniature maple pecan pies and are perfect as a dessert, snack, or indulgent breakfast. Swap out the walnuts and pecans with other varieties, or try mixing some dried fruit into the filling to add another layer of sweetness. Make a batch to share with friends—or store them in a container as a gift to yourself.

Enjoy this rustic salad as a palate-opening starter or as a hearty side—the combination of robust beets, salty feta, sweet onions, and toasted pine nuts pairs particularly well with the lamb and beef recipes in this book. If you prefer fresh beets, roast them ahead of time and toss them in the dressing once they’ve cooled. Use a combination of red and yellow beets for a more colorful presentation, and to trim some fat and calories, seek out light feta; you’ll never notice the difference.

Epicurious member Eileen La Mendola tells us that her husband’s family preferred their sweet potatoes roasted and topped with melted marshmallows. But it was her husband who inspired this revamped version of the family classic featuring bourbon and pecans. It’s been a hit ever since.

Whoever believes that bread-based stuffing is the only one worth eating hasn’t tried this wild rice version. Alongside perfectly cooked poultry, its blend of sweet and savory stands out as a great-tasting, healthier alternative to plain old stuffing. Pearl onions are sweeter than their larger cousins and they add a nice visual touch, so seek them out in the market’s frozen section. And to fortify nutrients, substitute with brown rice, which requires a little more cooking time than white.

A blender and a saucepan are all you’ll need to cook this peanut-thickened chili. In authentic Mexican fashion, the nuts, along with the dried chiles, garlic, cilantro, and cumin, are blended with tomatoes and chicken broth to create an earthy, spicy stew base. Pulled rotisserie chicken—a brilliant time-saver—and fiber-rich beans complete the magic. To turn this into a “meatless Monday” meal, replace the chicken with another can of beans and use a good-quality veggie broth. And always remember to wear gloves while handling chiles.

Meat lovers may smile politely and insist otherwise, but it’s the rare vegetarian lasagne that truly pleases the committed carnivore. In the case of this exceptional recipe, the meaty texture of the eggplant makes a luscious stand-in for Bolognese sauce. Choose your eggplant wisely: a younger, smaller one will yield the tastiest results. Try white or Asian eggplant for a more mellow flavor.

Oranges, fennel, and toasted hazelnuts perk up red and yellow beets in this versatile salad from Chef Alfred Portale of the long-beloved Gotham Bar and Grill in New York City. Equal parts rustic and refined, with an eye-catching mix of colors and sophisticated blend of ingredients, this salad is perfect as a dinner-party starter or main-course accompaniment. Try grilling the beets, instead of roasting, to add yet another layer of flavor.

Epicurious member Marsha Klein of Barrington, Rhode Island, shared her everything-but-thekitchen-sink banana bread with our community, and it quickly became popular. Toasted walnuts and chocolate chips add texture, but this flexible recipe can easily be adapted to a baker’s whim. The chocolate-averse can substitute dried fruit—golden raisins or blueberries—for the chips; the nut-allergic, shredded coconut; the health-conscious, white whole-wheat flour.

More than one Epicurious editor considers this cake flawless: buttery and firm, sweet but not too sugary, moist but still cakey. If you’re leery of the dense, oily texture of most zucchini bread, this zucchini cake will be a pleasant revelation. And if you’re buried in a bounty of late-summer zucchini, this is a great go-to recipe to help burn through it using a short list of pantry staple ingredients. (Oh, and don’t be afraid to eat it for breakfast!)

A traditional Spanish romesco sauce calls for almonds, but in this recipe hazelnuts spruce up simple halibut fillets. The sauce freezes well and also partners with chicken, steak, or pasta. For a more budget-friendly dish, substitute tilapia. You can also swap roasted red peppers for the piquillos and use whatever nuts you happen to have in the pantry.

With a recipe as simple as this, there’s no reason not to make dessert. The fruit comes out soft and tender, while the crumble is crisp and light golden brown. Experiment with other seasonal fruit combinations: raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries are other summer options, while apples, pears, and quince are perfect for fall. All are delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.