Brazil nuts rewards a little know-how: how to choose them, cook them, store them, and substitute in a pinch. Browse 18 recipes to cook with them.

What are brazil nuts?

Brazil nuts are the big, creamy-white kernels you always seem to find at the bottom of the holiday nut bowl. They are large, longer than a thumb, with a soft, oily crunch and a mild, faintly milky flavor that sits somewhere between a macadamia and a coconut.

They are very high in fat, which gives them richness but also makes them spoil quickly. The flavor is gentle, so they tend to play a supporting role rather than lead.

One thing sets them apart. Brazil nuts are unusually high in selenium, so high that a couple of nuts cover a full day's worth, which is why people often eat them in small amounts.

How to Use Brazil Nuts

Brazil nuts are mostly an eating and baking nut. Their size makes them satisfying out of hand, and their richness suits fruitcakes and holiday cookies.

Chopped, they fold into batters for a soft, buttery crunch, the way they do in this Christmas Memory Fruitcake and in Apple Brazil Nut Squares. Their mild flavor means they rarely overpower a recipe.

A light toast helps. Like all nuts they taste flat raw, and a few minutes in a dry pan or a low oven brings the oils forward and deepens the flavor. Because they are so oily, keep the heat moderate and watch them, since they scorch quickly.

Ground, they enrich a nut roast or a torte, and they grate into a fine, oily meal that can replace some of the flour in a flourless cake.

Pairing and Common Mistakes

Brazil nuts get along with sweet, rich flavors. Chocolate, dried fruit, and coconut all suit their mild, buttery character, which is why they turn up so often in holiday baking.

The first thing to know is moderation, and it is about selenium, not calories.

Selenium is good for you in small amounts but harmful in excess, and just a few Brazil nuts hit the daily target. A big handful every day is genuinely too much, so treat them as an occasional nut.

The second mistake is buying too many. Their high oil content means they go rancid faster than firmer nuts, so a big bag often turns before you finish it.

Substitutes

For size and a soft, oily crunch in baking, macadamias are the closest match, though they cost far more and taste richer. Cashews are a cheaper swap with a similar soft texture and mild flavor.

In a nut roast or torte where you want bulk and richness, a mix of walnuts and cashews covers both the body and the creaminess.

None of these carry the selenium, so if that is why you are eating Brazil nuts, there is no real substitute. For cooking, though, any mild, rich nut stands in fine.

Buying and Storing

Brazil nuts are sold shelled far more often than in the shell, since the shell is hard and three-sided. Shelled, look for firm, pale kernels and avoid any that look yellowed or shriveled.

Because they are so oily, they spoil quickly. A rancid Brazil nut tastes sharp and bitter, nothing like its mild fresh self, so buy them in small amounts you will actually use.

Store them airtight in a cool, dark spot for a month or so, in the fridge for several months, or in the freezer for up to a year. The fridge is the safest home for such an oily nut, especially if you only reach for them now and then.

Quick facts

Where to find brazil nuts: Brazil nuts are usually found in the snacks section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

In Chinese

巴西坚果

British (UK) term

Brazil nuts

en français

noix du Brésil

en español

nueces de Brasil

Recipes using brazil nuts

There are 18 recipes that contain this ingredient.

All 18 recipes