
Jack Frost nipping on your nose,
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir,
And folks dressed up like Eskimos.”
While roasting them on an open fire would be lovely, it’s easy and fun to learn how to roast chestnuts in the oven.
What are chestnuts?
- Chestnuts are a group of eight or nine species of deciduous trees and shrubs. Oak trees are in the same family, which is why the nuts look similar to acorns.
- The trees are native to temperate areas of the Northern Hemisphere.
- Chestnuts are considered to be an ancient nut, and are said to be one of the first foods consumed by mankind.
- Uncooked, chestnuts are covered in a hard shell and are about the size of a walnut in its shell. They are referred to as “true nuts” which means they must be cooked before using.
- In stores — mostly during the holiday season — you can find chestnuts steamed and jarred, or puréed and canned, and shelled and roasted in the refrigerated, produce section of most markets.
- You can also buy chestnut flour which does not rise, but is delicious in various baked goods, like these Chestnut Chocolate Chip Cookies.
- Chestnuts are one of the lowest fat nuts, with less than 2% fat!
What do chestnuts taste like?
Chestnuts are different from most nuts in that they are unexpectedly soft and slightly chewy. Some people think the texture is similar to a baked potato.
When chestnuts are cooked, they’re flavor is rich, buttery, subtly sweet and earthy. (Do not eat them raw!)
Their texture and flavor makes them delicious in both sweet and savory recipes.
How to Use Roasted Chestnuts
In addition to being fabulous to munch on as they are, roasted chestnuts can be used in all sorts of both sweet and savory recipes. You make soups, stews, stuffings, cakes, cookies, and then some.
How long can you store them?
To eat them on their own, roasted chestnuts are at their best right after they’re roasted. If you’re planning to use them in recipes, they can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days.
Recipes with chestnuts:
- Chestnut Butter
- Chocolate Chip Chestnut Cookies
- Braised Chestnuts and Pearl Onions
- Cream of Chestnut Potato Soup
Tips for Roasting Chestnuts
- I’ve had my Italian chestnut knife for over ten years, and though it doesn’t get used but a few times a year, I love having it in my knife drawer. Ideally, you will use one for your chestnuts, but if you don’t have one, a sharp paring knife works too.
- Chestnuts have an outer shell and inner skin. When you’re scoring them with the knife, they idea is to only cut through both of these, but if you cut into the actual nut a bit, that’s okay!
- Many people find they’re even easier to peel if they’re soaked in hot water for a minute or so, and patted dry, before they’re roasted.
- They must still be warm when you peel them. The cooler they become, the harder they’ll be to peel.
Once you know how to roast and peel chestnuts, they’re the perfect winter afternoon, weekend cooking project.
And it will lead you to many wonderful chestnut-filled dishes!

How To Roast And Peel Chestnuts
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound whole, raw chestnuts
Instructions
- Set oven and prepare nuts. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Use a chestnut knife (or sharp paring knife) to make a large X through the shell and inner skin on the round side of the chestnuts. Place them, flat side down, on a baking sheet as you go.
- Roast. Roast them in the preheated 425°F oven until all of the skins have peeled back, away from the chestnut, about 25 minutes. (There will always be a few that don’t cooperate.) Remove them from the oven and cover them with a kitchen towel for about 5 minutes before peeling. (They must still be warm to peel them.)
- Peel. Use your hands to peel the shell and skin off each nut, away from the X. (If the inner skin doesn’t come off with the shell, use the tip of your knife to help work it off the nut.) If some of the nuts become too cool before you’re able to peel them, simply pop them back in oven for a couple of minutes to loosen the skins again.
Notes
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Jennifer says
After seeing your easy directions, I’m ready to give these a try (I’ve been eyeing them at the grocery store for weeks!). But I’ve never eaten roasted chestnuts, are they similar in taste to almonds or cashews? Are they sweet? I’m wondering how many I should buy per person and whether or not you think kids would like them too.
Thanks for the great directions, I’m going to buy and roast some whether or not the kiddos like them, I’m sure I’ll like them : )!
valentina says
Hi, Jennifer! Oh, I’m so happy you’re going to give these a go! It’ll be fun! They are different from most nuts in that they are unexpectedly soft and slightly chewy. They are mildly sweet and have an earthy, nutty flavor. Happy holiday season!
Christina's Cucina says
My mother LOVES roasted chestnuts, but they’re not the top of my list. However, I did discover that I like them as is! When I was in England in October, I tasted them fresh and really liked them! What can I say? I have strange taste buds! haha!
valentina says
That’s awesome, Christina. Ha! As long as there’s no cilantro. 😉 xo ~Valentina
Marissa says
I’m so excited to try your method, Valentina! We love chestnuts, but have had mixed results peeling them ourselves and typically buy them in jars already peeled **ahem**. I’d much rather do it your way!
valentina says
Thanks, Marissa. I hope this method works for you. Happy Holidays! 🙂 ~Valentina
angiesrecipes says
They are my favourite fall treat!
valentina says
Yay! 🙂
Kelly | Foodtasia says
What great information on roasting chestnuts! I’ve known about them since forever but we’ve never tried it. A fun project for the family!
valentina says
I hope you love doing this, Kelly. It’s fun, smells delicious and they’re so tasty! 🙂 ~Valentina
David Scott Allen says
This kind of tutorial is always so useful! I, now wondering where I will be able to find chestnuts in Arizona!
valentina says
What about Whole Foods? Is there one in Tucson? Here’s hoping. Thanks for checking out my tutorial. 🙂 ~Valentina
Ron says
You know just today we were at a Christmas market and the first thing I went for was the roasted chestnuts. And yes, they still serve them here in a paper cone and they make Christmas, Christmas for me. Well, that and smell and taste of burnt almonds…
Have a great Holiday Season.
valentina says
Yes!! I love it. Especially in the newspaper “cones!” Thanks for sharing, Ron. Enjoy the season. 🙂 ~Valentina
David @ Spiced says
We roasted chestnuts several years ago in the fireplace, and it was a fun activity. I agree that chestnuts taste like a baked potato. I didn’t realize that before we embarked on that activity, so I was quite surprised at the flavor/texture. Either way, it was a fun holiday project! Great guide here, Valentina!
valentina says
Thanks, David. Love that you roasted them in your fireplace. So awesome! 🙂 ~Valentina
Liz says
Ooh, if I could have my sisters over for the holidays, it would be fun to roast some chestnuts! Not sure I could sell them to the hubby and kids—but I did make a Dorie Greenspan cake with chestnut filling. I think it’s buried deep in my blog….going to see if I can find it!! Thanks for all your tips 🙂
valentina says
Hi Liz. I really like Dori Greenspan’s recipes — I will have to look for that on your site too. 🙂 I hope you can spend the holidays with your sisters, and roast chestnuts, of course. ~Valentina
Jeff the Chef @ Make It Like a Man! says
What a great post! I agree with you about the texture seeming sort of like a potato, but denser. The texture is my favorite thing about them. I love them in a turkey stuffing! I bought some in the shells, years ago, and figured that I could just intuit how to work with them … what a distaster. Wish I’d had your post back then!
valentina says
Hi Jeff! I love their texture too — so unique for a nut, and their subtly sweet flavor. I was thinking about using them in stuffing, and now I will. Thanks so much. 🙂 ~Valentina