Roasted Chestnuts
A simple, foolproof method for roasting chestnuts in the oven. Perfectly roasted chestnuts that are easy to peel—no special equipment required!
Servings: 8
Equipment
- Baking Tray
- Large Bowl
- Kitchen Towel
- Paring Knife
Ingredients
- 1 lb Chestnuts
Instructions
Score Chestnuts
- Score the shell of your chestnuts. This will prevent them from exploding in the oven.
- Chestnuts have a rounded side and a flat side. Place them flat-side down for stability, then useing a sharp paring knife to cut an “X” into the shell. Be careful and work slowly to avoid cutting yourself.
- If you’re making candied chestnuts (marrons glacés) or need your roasted chestnuts to remain whole and beautiful, score the flat side instead. This can be trickier since they’ll wobble a bit—be careful not to cut yourself!
Soak Chestnuts
- Place the scored chestnuts in a bowl of water and let them soak for around an hour. The soaking helps with the final texture and makes peeling them a breeze.
Roast
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Remove the chestnuts from the water and arrange them on a baking tray, in a single layer, scored side facing up.
- Roast for about 30 minutes. The chestnuts will split open where they’ve been scored and will smell nutty and delicious.
Steam Then Peel
- Remove the chestnuts from the oven and immediately transfer them to a clean kitchen towel. Wrap tightly in the towel and give a gentle press—this helps loosen the shells. Repeat a few times, listening for that satisfying crackling sound.
- Keep the chestnuts bundled in the towel and cover with an inverted bowl to trap steam. Let sit for about 10 minutes.
- Once steamed, the chestnuts are ready to peel. Remove the shells and skin, and then eat up!
Did You Make This Recipe?
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