There’s a “pent-up consumer demand for new retail bakery products,” according to bakers who shared their thoughts with Baking Business. That’s good news for product developers looking to shine with innovation. It’s also good news for the walnut industry as this versatile tree nut provides everything a product developer wants: flavor, functionality, nutrition and familiarity.
Developing a new bakery food requires a combination of food science, creativity and knowledge of what consumers want. Fortunately, they’ve spoken loud and clear.
- Consumers want cookies, muffins and brownies: Despite the maturity of these categories, they are hotter than ever thanks to a return to comfort food.
- Consumers want convenience: Back at work, back in the car and back to snacking on food bars and single-serve packaged goods.
- Consumers want to indulge responsibly: Give them the cookie, but make it with whole ingredients and a clean label.
Cargill’s Bakery Boom report noted that although consumers were at the height of indulgence during the pandemic, they’re finding that even in the baked good category this isn’t sustainable. There’s more of a desire to indulge “sensibly,” and walnuts are the perfect inclusion to make that happen. Here’s why:
- Walnuts are amazingly familiar: Everyone loves Grandma’s walnut brownies, walnut fudge and walnut chocolate chip cookies. Walnuts just seem to belong in bakery foods.
- Walnuts have the perfect bite: Neither too hard nor too soft, they are the ideal inclusion in everything from cakes and cookies to artisan breads and pastries.
- Walnuts are nutritious: Walnuts are also the only nut that offers an excellent source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), the plant-based omega-3. One ounce of walnuts also offers 18 grams of total fat, 2.5 grams of monounsaturated fat and 13 grams of polyunsaturated fat.
Walnuts have always had a home in the bakery food aisle, adding texture to chocolate chip cookies or an extra crunch to a soft, gooey brownie. However, we’re seeing even more cookie and brownie products hit store shelves with walnuts, evidence that the ingredient is on trend with what consumers want.
Check out some of these amazing baked goods with walnuts that we have recently been grabbing from grocery store shelves.
Grain-Free Chai Spice Cookies, The Greater Goods Snacking Co.
This clean label food company made its debut earlier this year, releasing Grain-Free Chai Spice Cookies with a better-for-you halo, thanks to walnuts, tapioca flour, coconut oil and chai tea spice. These cookies are paleo-friendly, gluten- and grain-free and are plant-based.
Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies, Kodiak Cakes
Kodiak joins the thin and crispy cookie trend with its new baked snack product line, which includes Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies. Each serving contains five grams of protein and is made with real butter and 100% whole grains.
Walnut Brownie, Sweet Sam’s
This Bronx, New York–based wholesale bakery is making a name for itself using whole ingredients to create truly delicious bakery foods. The company’s Walnut Brownie is studded with walnuts and is available in individually wrapped brownies or as a 24-cut bulk walnut brownie.
Ready to formulate the next great CPG walnut cookie or brownie product? Email us and request walnut samples to start testing your inspirational formula.
