I would suggest that you keep one hand available to monitor thrust lever movement at any time your aircraft autopilot/autothrottle is out of steady cruise mode. If you make this an automatic and instinctive backup to any autopilot pitch or speed demand, you will have feedback and reassurance that you are getting what you want from the automatics.( not necessarily applicable to Airbus pilots, unfortunately) In any aircraft with active autothrottles, they provide an instant cue throughout the flight regime of aircraft reaction to autopilot input, gust response, turbulence and windshear. If you do not appreciate it already, you should learn what a fantastic feedback mechanism the autothrottle response is.
It is completely inappropriate , when landing in strong and gusty wind conditions, to keep both hands on the control wheel. The stick forces involved, even in limiting conditions, should only require one hand on the control column. The other should be on the throttles, monitoring what the speed control is doing, ready to override or correct if required. Even the best auto systems struggle if you transit a huge gust or big hole in the air on approach. A hand on the throttles might have prevented the Turkish 737 accident recently, by detecting the lack of engine spool up. You should always be expecting the throttles to move up, under your fingers, by 1000 AAL at the latest.