Key takeaways:
- Pistachios, peanuts and hazelnuts are driving some of 2026’s biggest bakery and snack launches as brands blend indulgence with protein, fibre and functional nutrition.
- Product developers are increasingly using nuts to deliver texture, premiumisation and globally inspired flavours across everything from Dubai chocolate and pistachio ice cream to peanut butter chilli crisp.
- Brands including Nutella, Lindt, Häagen-Dazs, Tony’s and McVitie’s are expanding nut-led innovation across confectionery, cereals, frozen desserts and savoury snacking.
Consumers are going nuts for nuts again and this time it’s not just about protein.
From brain health and plant-based functionality to texture innovation and indulgent snacking, nuts are one of the food industry’s most versatile ingredients, showing up everywhere from breakfast cereals and chocolate bars to condiments and comfort foods.
Consumers no longer want to choose between healthy and indulgent – they expect both. Manufacturers are responding with products that promise crunch, functionality, clean label appeal and comfort all at once.
Walnuts are increasingly linked to cognitive and heart health; pistachios are gaining traction for blood sugar management and protein content; while almonds and cashews continue to benefit from growing interest in fibre, magnesium and nutrient-dense foods.
Here are seven nuts driving innovation across the bakery, snack and confectionery industries in 2026.
Pistachios
Pistachios are increasingly associated with protein, fibre and blood sugar management, but they’ve also become one of the hottest ingredients in global bakery and confectionery thanks to the ongoing ‘Dubai chocolate’ craze and demand for visually indulgent flavours and textures.
Costco recently introduced Twice-Baked Pistachio Croissants in its US bakery aisles, featuring croissants filled with pistachio cream, topped with chopped pistachios and dusted with icing sugar. The pastries retail at around $9.99 for a six-pack.
Lindt & Sprüngli has expanded its Excellence range with the Lindt Excellence Pistachio Dark Bar, combining dark chocolate with caramelised pistachio pieces and sea salt. The £3.50 bar launched online, in Lindt stores and through Waitrose in the UK.
Ice cream brands are also leaning heavily into pistachio. Nuii launched its Cream & Anatolian Pistachio stick in the UK, featuring pistachio ice cream coated in white chocolate with roasted pistachio pieces.
Meanwhile, Häagen-Dazs rolled out Dubai Style Chocolate Mini Bars exclusively through Costco in the US, pairing pistachio ice cream with milk chocolate and crunchy toasted kataifi.
Beyond desserts, pistachios are also increasingly appearing in savoury snack mixes, seasoned nuts and premium cracker formats as brands look to tap into Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavour trends.
Almonds
Almonds remain central to health-focused snacking because of their fibre content, vitamin E and links to heart health, satiety and blood sugar management. Their versatility and crunch also continue to make them popular across cereals, granolas and high-protein snack applications.
Seven Sundays’ Protein Oats Maple Almond SKU is dropping in Target stores across the US, while the brand’s granola range also uses almond inclusions to boost crunch and protein.
General Mills has expanded its Ratio line with Cinnamon Almond and Honey Almond protein cereals, each delivering 20g of protein and 6g of fibre per serving. The products begin rolling into major US retailers this summer.
Post Consumer Brands has also introduced Honey Bunches of Oats Protein in Honey & Almond and Cinnamon varieties, combining granola clusters with added protein. The cereals launched nationwide across the US.
Almonds also remain central to keto cereals and granolas, including General Mills’ Ratio Keto Granola in Toasted Almond and Coconut Almond varieties.
Meanwhile, Blue Diamond continues expanding its flavoured almond portfolio with bold savoury profiles including hot honey, Korean barbecue and spicy dill pickle, as consumers increasingly seek protein-rich snacking with stronger flavour impact.
Walnuts
Walnuts remain closely tied to the ‘brain food’ conversation because of their omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and growing links to cognitive and heart health.
That wellness positioning is increasingly feeding into product development. California walnut flour is now appearing in Fearless Keto’s Keto Cookie Bites, which were formulated for keto consumers and contain 3g of protein and 1g net carbs per serving.
Lehi Valley Trading Company’s OH! MEGA Trail Mix combines walnuts with pumpkin seeds, mango and cranberries to create a more functional take on traditional trail mix formats.
Wildway’s grain-free Dark Chocolate Strawberry Granola uses walnuts alongside sunflower seeds, pecans and strawberries to tap into demand for gluten-free, vegan and grain-free snacking.
Meanwhile, Duncan Hines’ Walnut Fudge Brownie Keto Cups are positioning walnuts as part of indulgent low-carb dessert occasions, while TrailNuggets Pro’s Banana Walnut Energy and Protein Bar uses walnut butter filling to boost satiety and texture.
Cashews
Cashews are associated with magnesium, healthy fats and plant-based energy, while their smooth texture and neutral flavour profile make them ideal for premium confectionery, granolas and snack applications.
Hu Kitchen has expanded its Dark Chocolate Bites line with its Cashew Butter + Pure Vanilla Bean Bites. The individually wrapped bites pair dark chocolate with a smooth vanilla cashew filling and retail for $7.49 per bag in Target stores across the US and online through Target.com.
General Mills has also expanded its Ratio Protein & Fiber granola line with a new Honey Cashew variety delivering 18g of protein and 6g of fibre per serving.
Wildway’s grain-free Dark Chocolate Strawberry Granola also incorporates cashews alongside walnuts and pecans to create a premium texture-led breakfast product.
Cashews are also increasingly appearing in chilli-lime, curry and tamari snack mixes as brands push more globally inspired savoury flavours.
Hazelnuts
Hazelnuts are benefiting from growing interest in nutrient-dense indulgence, while their rich roasted flavour and strong association with European confectionery continue to attract product developers across snacks and bakery.
Tony’s Chocolonely recently launched its first-ever Filled range, including the creamy milk chocolate hazelnut crunch bar. Available exclusively through Waitrose, Oxfam and Tony’s online store in the UK for £3.85, the SKU combines hazelnut praline with roasted hazelnut pieces to create a layered creamy-crunchy texture.
Nutella is also continuing to expand beyond spreads and into bakery formats, including Tesco-exclusive Nutella-filled doughnuts sold in UK bakery aisles for £2.65 per two-pack.
McVitie’s recently expanded its premium Signature range with the new Signature Crispy Wafer bar, layering hazelnut cream and crisp wafer beneath a thick milk chocolate coating. The product launched into UK convenience channels.
Peanuts
Peanuts remain one of the most protein-rich and accessible nuts in global snacking, while their familiarity, affordability and strong flavour profile continue to make them a versatile ingredient for cereals, spreads, sauces and frozen desserts.
US breakfast brand Seven Sundays has expanded into Target with its new PB Puffs cereal line, available in Peanut Butter and Chocolate Peanut Butter. Designed as a modern take on classic peanut butter puff cereals, the products deliver 10g of plant protein per serving and are naturally sweetened with dates and maple syrup.
Savoury peanut applications are also gaining momentum. A-Sha Foods recently partnered with chef Andrew Zimmern to launch Peanut Butter Chili Crisp exclusively in Target stores across the US, combining peanut butter with the booming chilli crisp trend as consumers increasingly seek globally inspired condiments and bold umami flavours.
Peanuts are also increasingly appearing in Asian-style snack mixes, satay-inspired products and hot honey applications as brands push further into globally influenced savoury snacking.
Meanwhile, Nutella recently unveiled Nutella Peanut in the US – the brand’s first major flavour extension in decades – blending its signature cocoa-hazelnut base with roasted peanut flavours.
Frozen desserts are also leaning further into peanut indulgence. SNICKERS Ice Cream recently launched its new Crunchy Peanut Butter Ice Cream bar in the US, combining peanut butter ice cream, caramel and crunchy peanuts beneath a milk chocolate coating.
Macadamias
Macadamias are increasingly appearing in premium snack and confectionery launches thanks to their healthy monounsaturated fats and growing association with better-for-you indulgence, while their buttery texture and luxury positioning continue to appeal to premium product developers.
Läderach recently expanded its FrischSchoggi range with macadamia-studded chocolate bark varieties across Europe and the UK, combining roasted macadamias with milk chocolate and caramel inclusions.
Meanwhile, Hawaiian Host continues to grow distribution of its chocolate-covered macadamia products across US retail and travel channels, capitalising on demand for nostalgic holiday-style indulgence and premium gifting.
Ice cream and cookie brands are also leaning into macadamia flavours. Ben & Jerry’s has continued rolling out iterations of its white chocolate macadamia dessert formats in selected international markets, while bakery brands are increasingly pairing macadamias with white chocolate, coconut and tropical fruit flavours to create more premium sensory experiences.