Food and Recipes Nuts 23 Sweet And Savory Peanut Recipes By Zoe Denenberg Zoe Denenberg Zoe is a professional baker and writer. Zoe has written 300+ stories for Southern Living print and digital, focusing on food, travel, and culture. She draws on her own culinary knowledge to translate complicated techniques into easily digestible terms for home cooks. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on October 20, 2023 Fact checked by Khara Scheppmann Fact checked by Khara Scheppmann Khara Scheppmann has 12 years of marketing and advertising experience, including proofreading and fact-checking. She previously worked at one of the largest advertising agencies in the southwest. brand's fact checking process Close Photo: Alison Miksch The peanut: a humble Southern-grown crop that can be used and transformed in oh-so-many ways. Whether you love to add peanuts to main-course dishes or bake peanuts into your favorite cakes, cookies, and pies, we have a recipe for you. Peanuts seamlessly slide between sweet and savory, adding a bit of salt and crunch to entrées and desserts alike. Throughout the South, peanuts are beloved not only for their versatility but also for their history and nostalgia. In an age-old tradition, some Southerners drop peanuts right into their glass bottles of Coca-Cola for a refreshing, salty treat. If this doesn't sound like your cup of tea, we've got the next best thing: our Georgia Peanut Pie with a Coca-Cola glaze. Peanut pie is one of those foods that's just distinctly Southern. While the verdict's still out on whether it can rival a heavenly slice of pecan pie, there's no denying that peanut pie is steeped in rich history and, of course, nostalgia. 01 of 23 Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies Caitlin Bensel We've made these classic cookies for every holiday meal we can remember, and we're not planning on breaking the tradition any time soon. 02 of 23 Hot-and-Sweet Fried Peanuts Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Sweet, spicy, and a little salty, these Hot-and-Sweet Fried Peanuts will be your new favorite snack. 03 of 23 Classic Peanut Brittle Charles Walton Use broken-up pieces of this Classic Peanut Brittle to top a scoop of ice cream or garnish a frosted cake, or just enjoy it all on its own. 04 of 23 Easiest Peanut Butter Cookies Hannah Zimmerman / Southern Living Peanut butter, sugar, egg, vanilla. That's all you need to make these cookies, which certainly live up to their title as the easiest cookies ever. 05 of 23 No-Bake Peanut Butter-Fudge Ice-Cream Pie Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely If you're crazy for peanuts, this recipe is for you. This no-bake ice cream pie has a crust made entirely of the South's two favorite ingredients: salted peanuts and butter. Could it get any better? 06 of 23 Georgia Peanut Pie with Peanut Butter Crust and Brown Sugar-Bourbon Whipped Cream Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox With a sweet, tangy Coca-Cola Glaze, this peanut pie evokes all the flavors of your childhood. 07 of 23 Chewy Chocolate-Peanut Butter Bars Hector Manuel Sanchez This simple dessert can be made entirely in the microwave, so you can sign us up to bring a batch of these bars to the next potluck. 08 of 23 Chocolate Peanut Butter-Fudge Bars Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer A layer of creamy peanut butter filling is sandwiched between a chocolate brownie and chocolate ganache to form these triple-decker bars. 09 of 23 Peanut Butter-Banana Icebox Pie Photo: Jennifer Davick A fusion of an icebox cake and a no-bake summer pie, this ice cream pie might just take the cake as our new favorite summertime dessert. 10 of 23 Georgia-Style Boiled Peanuts Alison Miksch Take me out to the ballgame, take me out with the crowd. These boiled peanuts will make you feel like you're in the stadium stands, munching on your favorite ballpark snack. 11 of 23 Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Cookies There's nothing like a classic chocolate chip cookie, but with a little added peanut butter, you can take the American staple to the next level. 12 of 23 Peanut Butter Bars Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox These bars contain peanut butter-coated cornflakes, need we say more? 13 of 23 Chicken Noodle Bowl with Peanut-Ginger Sauce Greg DuPree Lime juice, soy sauce, and honey are blended with peanut butter for a Thai-inspired noodle dish perfect for a weeknight dinner. 14 of 23 Peanut Butter Cake Photography: Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Peanut butter is folded not just into the frosting, but also the batter of this ultra-moist cake. Topped with chopped lightly salted peanuts, this cake is stuffed to the brim with nutty flavor. 15 of 23 Candied Peanuts Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford If you don’t count the water, this recipe requires only two ingredients: sugar and peanuts. Although you can customize this recipe with all sorts of add-ins like cayenne pepper for heat, or cinnamon for a warm, sweet note. 16 of 23 Peanut Butter Pie Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Far be it from us to tell you chocolate and peanuts are a perfect pair, but this salty and sweet pie is a great example of why the flavor pairing is an enduring combination. 17 of 23 Classic Boiled Peanuts Jessica Furniss You might think of boiled peanuts as only a roadside staple, but they're super easy to make at home, so you can enjoy them whether or not you have a trip planned. 18 of 23 Chocolate-Peanut Butter Icebox Pie Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist Christine Keely Nutter Butters make the perfect crust for this easy icebox pie that will wow guests at your next summer party. 19 of 23 Chile-Lime-Honey Roasted Peanuts Johnny Autry; Prop and Food Styling: Charlotte L. Autry Say hello to the perfect bar snack. Salty, spicy, and tangy, all they're missing is your favorite cocktail to sip alongside. 20 of 23 Peanut Butter-Coconut Cookies Micah A. Leal Make these flourless cookies for your gluten-free friends and you're sure to receive a round of applause. 21 of 23 Peanut Butter-Banana Bites Micah A. Leal Satisfy your snack cravings with a peanut butter and banana treat that you can feel good about eating. 22 of 23 Sweet Pepper-Peanut Sauce Robbie Caponetto, Laurey W. Glenn, Hector Sanchez; Stylist: Buffy Hargett This is the perfect dipping sauce for everything from chicken nuggets to spring rolls. 23 of 23 Fluffernutter The South may not have invented this classic, but that doesn't mean that the peanut butter and marshmallow crème sandwich isn't a welcomed addition on our tables. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit