01
Coconut Meat
7.5best for raw1 cup : 1 cup
Rich and fatty nut, chop coarsely
7.5
macadamia nuts substitute
for raw.
Raw macadamia use — in salads, energy bars, cheese boards — depends on their clean buttery finish at room temperature and a crisp snap at 65-72°F. No cooking means no rescue: off-flavors from rancid oils (common once whole nuts sit past 3 months shelled) transfer directly to the dish. Subs here are ranked on shelf-stable freshness, room-temp texture (crisp vs chalky), and neutrality — anything bitter or tannic shows up unmasked without heat.
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adjustment for raw
Fresh raw coconut meat at 1:1 cup shaves into 2-3mm curls that hold crisp texture at 65-72°F for up to 4 hours before hydrating and softening. Food-safety note: buy whole unopened coconuts and use within 2 days of cracking — pre-packaged grated coconut oxidizes inside 48 hours and carries rancid notes raw.
02
Chestnuts
2.5best for raw1 cup : 1 cup
Mild sweet nut, softer texture
2.5
adjustment for raw
Raw chestnuts are rarely eaten uncooked due to tannic astringency and 45% starch that tastes raw-green. If substituting in cold applications, use pre-cooked vacuum-packed chestnuts at 1:1 cup, broken into 8-10mm pieces. Room-temp texture is soft and crumbly — more like a cooked bean than a crunchy nut.
03
Cashews
10.01 cup : 1 cup
Mild and buttery; closest creamy texture match for cookies, crusts, and nut butter
10.0
adjustment for raw
Raw cashews at 1:1 cup bring a softer, creamier bite at 70°F than macadamia's snap — their 44% fat and lower density give them a waxy chew. Soak 2-4 hours if targeting a softer texture for energy bars. Check freshness: raw cashews stored past 4 months develop a stale cardboard note that's unmistakable cold.
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04
Pine Nuts
10.01 cup : 1 cup
Small and soft; toast lightly for pesto and salads, similar delicate buttery flavor
10.0
adjustment for this dish
Raw pine nuts at 1:1 cup stay soft and oily at room temperature — closer to butter than crunch. They're prone to a bitter metallic aftertaste called pine-mouth in some varieties; taste one before committing a whole cup. Best in salads where their texture isn't asked to provide contrast against cooked elements.
05
Almonds
10.01 cup : 1 cup
Blanched almonds for mild flavor
10.0
adjustment for this dish
Raw blanched almonds at 1:1 cup deliver the crispest snap of any nut on this list at 65-72°F — denser cell walls than macadamia give a harder bite. Unblanched almonds carry a faint bitter-almond compound (amygdalin) that reads raw; blanched skins remove it cleanly for uncooked applications.
06
Hazelnuts
10.01 cup : 1 cup
Buttery nut, works in spreads
10.0
adjustment for this dish
Raw hazelnuts at 1:1 cup need skin removal first — the skin tannins are aggressive uncooked. Blanch in boiling water 2 minutes, rub skins off cold, pat dry. Room-temp texture is denser than macadamia; chop to 4-5mm so the buttery interior reads clean rather than waxy in cold applications.
07
Pistachios
10.01 cup : 1 cup
Chop pistachios for crunch; mild sweet flavor with green color, works in biscotti and ice cream
10.0
adjustment for this dish
Raw pistachios at 1:1 cup bring the cleanest green color and brightest flavor of any raw nut here. Remove shells; the thin inner skin can stay or go depending on visual goal. At 45% fat they read less oily cold than macadamia, with a clean slightly sweet finish that suits fruit salads.
08
Pecans
10.01 cup : 1 cup
Toast and chop pecans; sweet and buttery, great in cookies, brownies, and pralines
10.0
adjustment for this dish
Raw pecans at 1:1 cup go rancid faster than macadamia — 2-3 months shelf life unshelled versus 6 — so smell before using. Uncooked, their 72% fat reads richer and softer than macadamia's firmer snap. Chop to 6mm so the buttery interior distributes without clumping cold.
09
Walnuts
7.51 cup : 1 cup
Buttery rich, great in cookies and brownies
7.5
10
Peanuts
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Buttery and rich; more expensive swap
6.7
11
Coconut
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Shred dried coconut or dice fresh; rich and fatty, adds tropical note to baked goods
6.7
12
Lotus Seeds
3.31 cup : 1 cup
Mild creamy nut, similar in desserts
3.3
13
Brazil Nuts
3.31 cup : 1 cup
Large and creamy; chop to hazelnut size for baking and snacking, very high in selenium
3.3