Nuts are commonly recognized as hard-shelled, nutrient-rich foods with an edible seed inside. They are valued for their healthy fats, rich flavors, and versatility in cooking, baking, and snacking. However, the word “nut” means different things depending on the context. In botanical terms, a true nut is a dry fruit that develops from a single ovary, contains one seed, and does not split open naturally when it matures. Examples of true nuts include acorns, chestnuts, and hazelnuts. These fit the strict scientific definition of a nut.

In contrast, the culinary definition of a nut is much broader. Many foods we commonly call “nuts” aren’t true nuts at all but are classified as such because they share similar textures, flavors, and uses in food.

For instance, almonds, cashews, pistachios, and macadamias are actually the seeds of drupes—fleshy fruits with a hard pit inside, like peaches. Peanuts are not nuts at all, but legumes, related to beans and lentils, and they grow underground. Brazil nuts are seeds found inside a large, woody capsule fruit, while pine nuts are the seeds of pine cones and come from gymnosperms, not flowering plants. Even the coconut, despite its name, is technically a fibrous drupe, not a true nut.

Despite these botanical differences, these foods are grouped as culinary nuts because of how they’re used. Browse our selection of the finest gourmet nuts and almonds below, whether you're cooking up a dish or grabbing a quick snack!