Nuts & Seeds — The Professional Baker's Guide

Nuts and seeds are among the most versatile ingredients in a professional or home baker's pantry. From adding crunch and richness to pastries and breads, to forming the base of pralines, marzipan, and nut butters — the quality of your nuts makes a real difference to the finished result.

At Nut House, we stock a carefully curated range of premium nuts and seeds, sourced for both home bakers and professional kitchens across the UK.

Nuts for Baking

Almonds

The most widely used nut in professional patisserie. Almonds are the foundation of frangipane, marzipan, macarons, and financiers. They can be used whole, flaked, ground, or as almond flour. Always roast before use to deepen flavour.

Pistachio Kernels

Prized for their vivid green colour and distinctive flavour, pistachios are a staple in Middle Eastern pastries, French patisserie, and luxury chocolate work. Use them whole for decoration, ground for pistachio paste, or roughly chopped in brownies and biscotti.

Hazelnuts

The classic partner to chocolate. Hazelnuts are essential for praline paste, gianduja, and Nutella-style spreads. Roast and rub off the skins before use for the cleanest flavour. Also excellent in dacquoise and tarts.

Macadamia Nuts

Rich, buttery, and indulgent. Macadamias add a luxurious texture to cookies, blondies, and white chocolate bakes. Their high fat content means they brown quickly — watch them carefully when roasting.

Cashews

Mild and creamy, cashews work beautifully in both sweet and savoury baking. Blend them into cashew cream for dairy-free recipes, or use whole and roasted in cookies, energy bars, and nut clusters.

Brazil Nuts

Large, rich, and selenium-packed. Brazil nuts add a satisfying crunch to fruit cakes, chocolate bark, and mixed nut clusters. Chop roughly and fold into brownie batter for an indulgent twist.

Pine Nuts

Delicate and buttery with a subtle resinous flavour. Pine nuts are essential in Italian baking — think pignoli cookies and pine nut tarts. Toast lightly in a dry pan before use to bring out their flavour.

Seeds for Baking

Sesame Seeds

Nutty and aromatic, sesame seeds add texture and flavour to breads, crackers, and pastry crusts. Use white sesame for a mild flavour or black sesame for a more intense, slightly bitter note and striking visual contrast.

Sunflower Seeds

Mild and versatile, sunflower seeds are excellent in seeded loaves, granola, energy bars, and muffins. Toast before use for a deeper, nuttier flavour.

Chia Seeds

A powerhouse ingredient for modern baking. Chia seeds absorb liquid and form a gel, making them useful as an egg substitute in vegan baking (1 tbsp chia + 3 tbsp water = 1 egg). Also great in granola, puddings, and seeded crackers.

Blue Poppy Seeds

A classic in Central European baking — essential for lemon poppy seed cake, poppy seed rolls, and strudel fillings. Their subtle, nutty flavour pairs beautifully with citrus and honey.

Professional Tips for Using Nuts & Seeds

  • Always roast before use: Roasting at 150°C for 10–15 minutes deepens flavour dramatically. Cool completely before adding to batters.
  • Store correctly: Nuts are high in fat and can go rancid quickly. Store in airtight containers in a cool, dark place or freeze for longer shelf life.
  • Toast seeds in a dry pan: A minute or two over medium heat is all it takes — watch carefully as they burn fast.
  • Grind fresh for nut flours: For the best flavour in macarons and financiers, grind your own almond or hazelnut flour from whole nuts just before use.
  • Chop to size: Roughly chopped nuts add texture; finely chopped nuts distribute more evenly through batters and doughs.

Shop Nuts & Seeds

Browse our full premium nuts collection at Nut House — including almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts, macadamias, cashews, brazil nuts, pine nuts, and a range of seeds. Delivered across the UK for professional kitchens and home bakers.