This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Extra walnuts can be put to good use in your kitchen, your beauty routine, your garden, and even your home décor.
If you’ve been staring at a overflowing bag of walnuts wondering what to do with extra walnuts, you’re in the right place.
Whether you cracked a huge harvest from your backyard tree or bought a few too many bags at the store, extra walnuts don’t have to go to waste.
In this post, we’ll explore what to do with extra walnuts so you can turn that surplus into something useful, tasty, and even fun.
Let’s dive in.
What to Do With Extra Walnuts in the Kitchen
The easiest and most rewarding way to deal with extra walnuts is to eat them, and there are so many ways to do that.
1. Bake Them Into Treats
Extra walnuts are a baker’s best friend.
You can fold them into banana bread, brownies, cookies, muffins, or pancakes for a satisfying crunch.
Toast them first in a dry pan for a few minutes to bring out their rich, nutty flavor before adding them to your batter.
2. Make Homemade Walnut Butter
If you have a food processor, what to do with extra walnuts becomes simple: blend them into walnut butter.
Just roast the walnuts, blend them until smooth, and add a pinch of salt or a drizzle of honey.
It’s a creamy, protein-packed spread that works on toast, in smoothies, or straight off the spoon.
3. Toss Them Into Salads and Pasta
Extra walnuts add texture and healthy fats to almost any dish.
Sprinkle them over spinach salads, roasted vegetables, pasta, or grain bowls.
You can also pulse them into a pesto or use them as a crunchy topping for casseroles.
4. Freeze Them for Later
If you’re not ready to use your extra walnuts right away, freeze them.
Walnuts stay fresh in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a year.
This is one of the smartest answers to what to do with extra walnuts when you have more than you can eat in a few weeks.
What to Do With Extra Walnuts for Beauty and Health
Extra walnuts aren’t just for eating, they’re also great for your skin and hair.
1. Make a Walnut Face Scrub
Ground walnuts make a gentle exfoliating scrub.
Mix finely crushed walnuts with honey and a little olive oil, then massage it onto your skin in circles.
The natural grit removes dead skin while the oils keep your face soft and hydrated.
2. Use Walnut Oil for Skin and Hair
You can press extra walnuts into walnut oil or buy it ready-made.
Walnut oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which makes it a great moisturizer for dry skin and a nourishing treatment for dull hair.
3. Add Them to Your Diet for Brain Health
Walnuts look like little brains for a reason, they’re packed with omega-3s that support brain function.
A handful of extra walnuts a day can help with memory, focus, and overall heart health.
So if you’re wondering what to do with extra walnuts, eating a few daily is one of the best things you can do.
What to Do With Extra Walnuts Around the House and Garden
Believe it or not, extra walnuts have plenty of uses outside the kitchen too.
1. Use Walnut Shells as Mulch
Crushed walnut shells make an excellent mulch for garden beds.
They suppress weeds, retain moisture, and add a nice rustic look to your landscaping.
Just avoid mixing them into soil where you plant tomatoes or other sensitive plants, since walnut hulls contain juglone.
2. Get Crafty With Walnut Shells
If you’re crafty, extra walnut shells can become jewelry, ornaments, or decorative bowls.
You can paint them, glue them onto picture frames, or use them as tiny planters for succulents.
3. Make Natural Dye
Walnut hulls have been used for centuries to make a rich brown dye.
Boil the hulls in water, strain the liquid, and use it to dye fabric, yarn, or even Easter eggs.
4. Use Them as a Gentle Abrasive Cleaner
Ground walnut shells are a natural, non-toxic abrasive.
You can use them to scrub stubborn pots, clean tools, or polish metal surfaces without harsh chemicals.
So, What to Do With Extra Walnuts?
What to do with extra walnuts comes down to a few simple options: bake with them, blend them into butter, freeze them, or use them for beauty and household projects.
Extra walnuts are incredibly versatile, and there’s really no reason to let them go to waste.
Whether you’re cracking shells in the kitchen or grinding them for a face scrub, extra walnuts can be turned into something delicious, useful, or beautiful.