These brownies are awesome because they’re just full of everything good.  Picture a really good brownie recipe.  Then picture a ton of chocolate chips and chopped walnuts being sprinkled on top before baking.  Those chocolate chips and walnuts bake into the top of these brownies, giving them a visually appealing look and a pretty good all-around tasty brownie in the end. These are the kind of brownies that are good for sharing.  Bring them to a party.  Put them on the dessert table.  And watch them disappear!

How to store brownies:

Store cut brownie squares in an airtight container at room temperature; they’re best eaten within 1 to 2 days. You can wrap the whole pan, uncut and well wrapped in plastic, and that will help them stay fresher longer.  A wrapped pan of brownies will keep at room temperature for up to 4 days, or in the freezer up to 3 months. Cut into squares before serving.

Substitutions for walnuts:

You can leave the walnuts out of this recipe, if you’d like.  They’ll be thinner and a little more dense.  But they’ll still taste good!  You can also substitute almonds, pistachios, macadamia nuts, pecans or peanuts in these brownies.  All will add crunch and flavor and make these brownies taste great!

How long do walnuts last?

I make a habit of storing any kind of nuts in the freezer, where they’ll last the longest.  Generally, if you plan to use the walnuts you’ve just purchased from the store right away then you can store them at room temperature and use them in 2 to 4 weeks.  If you’d like your walnuts to last for 6 months or longer, store them in the refrigerator (usually good for 6 to 9 months).  Walnuts that are properly stored in the freezer can last for about 18 months.

How to tell if walnuts are rancid:

Taste and smell a shelled walnut before using.  If it tastes sour or bitter, it has become rancid and should be thrown out.  If it smells fishy, toss it.  Some stores have bulk bins of walnuts so you can dish out what you need and just buy a needed amount.  Do the taste test on one of the walnuts in the bin before buying.

If you are looking for more recipes to use up your walnuts, try some of these:

Apple- Endive Salad with Sugared Walnuts Honey- Walnut Shrimp Apple- Walnut Cheesecake Muffins Maple- Walnut Shortbread Cookies Banana- Toasted Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies Pine Nut and Walnut Pesto Sauce