100 Crazy Good Recipes Using Almonds

Updated February 08, 2017
Credit: Quentin Bacon

If you thought almonds were just a simple stir-in for salads, you've woefully underestimated them. We're going nuts over these almond recipes. With recipes from dips to casseroles to streusel toppings to desserrts, pretty much everything is better with almonds. You can buy them bagged in slivers and store them in the freezer to keep the fresh so that you always have a handful around when you need it.

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Almond-crusted Chicken

Credit: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Dan Becker

Almond-crusted Chicken Recipe

Coast strips of chicken breast with sliced almonds for this almond-crusted chicken dinner that delivers great flavor and satisfying crunch.

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Raspberry-Almond Streusel Muffins

Credit: David Prince; Styling: Linda Hirst

Raspberry-Almond Streusel Muffins Recipe

Raspberry-Almond Streusel Muffins get an update with slivered almonds for a nutty crunch.

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Spiced Banana-Almond Smoothie

Credit: Travis Rathbone

Spiced Banana-Almond Smoothie Recipe

Thanks to almond milk and almond butter, you get a double dose of the good stuff in Spiced Banana-Almond Smoothie. This smoothie satisfies as a breakfast or snack beverage.

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Smoky Almond-Parsley Pesto

Credit: Victor Prado

Smoky Almond-Parsley Pesto Recipe

A base of smoked almonds helps to create a rich, earthy pesto.

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Almond Toffee Popcorn

Almond Toffee Popcorn Recipe

Dress up your popcorn with the perfectly paired flavors of almond and toffee.

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Cranberry-Almond Coleslaw

Credit: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Amy Burke

Cranberry-Almond Coleslaw Recipe

Smoked almonds and dried cranberries give this sideline favorite just the right amount of flavor.

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Almond-Crusted Trout with Dill

Credit: Jennifer Causey

Almond-Crusted Trout with Dill Recipe

Trout gets an extra-crispy crust from the almonds. You could sub flounder for the trout and pecans or walnuts for the almonds.

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Blackberry Cobbler with Almond-Ginger Biscuits

Credit: Alison Miksch; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

Blackberry Cobbler with Almond-Ginger Biscuits Recipe

Pockets of spicy crystallized ginger and sweet almonds are a surprising addition to this biscuit topping.

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Fresh Fig Galette

Credit: James Ransom; Styling: Claire Spollen

Fresh Fig Galette Recipe

Almond meal is nothing more than finely ground almonds; it adds a rich, crumbly texture and nutty flavor to the crust of this free-form tart.

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Marcona-Rosemary Ice Cream Sandwiches

Credit: Randy Mayor; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Marcona-Rosemary Ice Cream Sandwiches Recipe

Salt is essential in desserts; here it enhances all the herby-nutty flavors. If you can't find Marcona almonds, use toasted blanched almonds.

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Chocolate-Almond Fondue

Credit: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Kristen Shelton Fielder

Chocolate-Almond Fondue Recipe

Decadent Chocolate-Almond Fondue can be whipped up in one pot. Once ready, dunk your favorite chocolate vehicles, from pound cake to marshmallows and more, into the almond liqueur-laced fondue.

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Grapefruit and Avocado Salad

Credit: James Carrier

Grapefruit and Avocado Salad Recipe

Havilah Stewart puts smoked almonds in this salad for a salty, complex note. If smoked almonds are unavailable, substitute roasted salted almonds.

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Chocolate Almond Cupcakes

Credit: James Baigrie

Chocolate Almond Cupcakes Recipe

These rich chocolate cupcakes start from a package of cake mix and get a triple hit of almond flavor from almond paste, sliced almonds, and almond extract in the glaze. 

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Pesto and Almond Farfalle

Credit: Colin Clark; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford

Pesto and Almond Farfalle Recipe

Fresh-cut greens beans and almonds add extra flair to this side dish of Pesto and Almond Farfalle.

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Chocolate-Almond Ice Cream with Coconut

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Cindy Barr

Chocolate-Almond Ice Cream with Coconut Recipe

Dark cocoa, roasted almonds and shaved coconut are added to this no-cook frozen dessert of Chocolate-Almond Ice Cream with Coconut.

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Almond Green Beans

Credit: Randy Mayor; Stylist: Cindy Barr

Almond Green Beans Recipe

This simple side dish of Almond Green Beans comes together easily and quickly. Toasted almonds add extra flavor and crunch to this fresh side.

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Watercress Salad with Verjus Vinaigrette

Credit: Anson Smart

Watercress Salad with Verjus Vinaigrette Recipe

At Benu, chef Corey Lee fries almonds and peels grapes for his compelling salad. At home, use roasted marcona almonds and unpeeled green grapes.

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Buttermilk Peach-Almond Cake

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Styling: Gerri Williams

Buttermilk Peach-Almond Cake Recipe

Buttermilk Peach-Almond Cake is a lightly sweet, very moist and simply delightful treat. The ground almonds give this cake pizzaz.

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Salted Candied Almonds

Credit: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Linda Hirst

Salted Candied Almonds Recipe

These salty and sweet almond treats are easy to make ahead. 

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Smoked Trout-Celery Root Salad

Credit: David Prince

Smoked Trout-Celery Root Salad Recipe

Roxanne Chan garnishes this delicious fall salad with chopped smoked almonds. We liked it with plain toasted almonds too.

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Peachy Almond Shortcakes

Credit: Johnny Miller; Styling: Sarah Smart

Peachy Almond Shortcakes Recipe

Peachy Almond Shortcakes make a divine dessert when using ripe, locally gorwn peaches.

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Coconut-Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies

Credit: Kate Sears; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps

Coconut-Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

These tiny Coconut-Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies pack a lot of flavor!

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Almond-Graham Crust

Credit: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Linda Hirst

Almond-Graham Crust Recipe

Almond-Graham Crust serves as the tasty base for Key Lime Pie with Raspberry Sauce. We pump up the flavor to this graham cracker crust by adding chopped sliced almonds to the mixture.

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Linzer Muffins

Credit: Alison Miksch; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford

Linzer Muffins Recipe

Tender almond cake surrounds a raspberry filling in this playful riff on classic linzer torte.

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Peanut-Almond Snack Bars

Credit: Randy Mayor; Styling: Cindy Barr

Peanut-Almond Snack Bars Recipe

Peanut-Almond Snack Bars feature pretzels, marshmallows, peanut butter, almonds, and even a little hint of chocolate. Is there any snack attack this bar can't beat?

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Almond Torte with Grilled Figs

Credit: Thomas J. Story

Almond Torte with Grilled Figs Recipe

From Erin Scott, creator of the blog (and cookbook) Yummy Supper, comes this lovely, not-too-sweet torte. It's equally good for dessert, a late-afternoon treat, or even breakfast. Almond flour gives it a rich, buttery texture; almond extract and sliced almonds heighten the flavor.

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Toasted Almond and Pecorino Snap Peas

Credit: Johnny Autry; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross

Toasted Almond and Pecorino Snap Peas Recipe

Toasted almonds and shaved pecorino Romano cheese heighten the flavor of these sugar snap peas. Serve this quick side of Toasted Almond and Pecorino Snap Peas to complement your favorite entree.

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Apricot-Almond Cobbler

Credit: Oxmoor House

Apricot-Almond Cobbler Recipe

Almonds and a sweet batter turn canned fruit into a decadent dessert.

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Chocolate-Dipped Cannoli with Pistachios

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Cindy Barr

Chocolate-Dipped Cannoli with Pistachios Recipe

Budget tip: You can substitute chopped peanuts or almonds for the pistachios.

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Pecan-Chocolate Chip Snack Cake

Credit: Karry Hosford

Pecan-Chocolate Chip Snack Cake Recipe

You can substitute chopped walnuts, almonds, or cashews for the pecans.

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Smoky Chipotle Snack Mix

Credit: Thomas J. Story; Styling: Randy Mon

Smoky Chipotle Snack Mix Recipe

This fun snack mix features corn cereal, slivered almonds, raisins, and ground chipotle chiles!

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Supercharged Cherry-Almond Cookies

Credit: Plamen Petkov

Supercharged Cherry-Almond Cookies Recipe

Fruits and nuts give this cookie nutritional cred: Almonds provide vitamin E, calcium, and magnesium; tart cherries contribute disease-fighting anthocyanins and sleep-regulating melatonin. Find almond flour in your supermarket's natural foods section, or pulse 1 cup almonds in a food processor.

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Raspberry-Almond Torte with Chocolate Ganache

Credit: Photography: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Lydia DeGaris-Pursell

Raspberry-Almond Torte with Chocolate Ganache Recipe

A torte is a cake enriched with nuts and often layered with jam. Almond paste is a mixture of ground almonds and sugar. Look for it in the baking aisle of most supermarkets.

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Strawberry-Almond Salad with Basil-Balsamic Vinaigrette

Credit: Oxmoor House

Strawberry-Almond Salad with Basil-Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe

The vinaigrette used to dress this salad adds a tang and sweetness to the crunchy almonds and juicy strawberries.

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Almond-Saffron Cake

Credit: Rick Lew; Styling: Ana Kelley

Almond-Saffron Cake Recipe

This delicious Almond-Saffron Cake delicately combines the flavors of orange zest, almond paste, and saffron - a costly spice derived from the saffron crocus flower.

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Apricot-Thyme Galette

Credit: Gentl & Hyers; Styling: Kendra Smoot

Apricot-Thyme Galette Recipe

A little bit of almond flour (also labeled almond meal) makes the dough more tender. Look for it on the baking aisle or in the gluten-free section.