Air Fryer Roasted Chestnuts

Roasted chestnuts falling out of a paper bags.

5 from 10 votes

Try these EASY to PEEL air fryer roasted chestnuts for a toasty warm snack. They are festive, sweet, nutty, creamy, and simply delicious.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Soak Time10

Total Time30

Course: Appetizers/ Snacks

Cuisine: American, Italian

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 82kcal

Author: HWC Magazine

Equipment

air fryer
serrated knife

Ingredients

20 chestnuts
water (warm just enough to cover chestnuts)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Wash and soak raw chestnuts for 10 to 15 minutes in warm water - this makes the chestnuts easier to peel. Drain water and pat dry. (Pitch any nuts with blemishes, holes, or rattle inside their shell. Chestnuts should be firm or give only slightly when you squeeze them. If you feel a large movement between the skin and the flesh, this is an indication that chestnut may be rotten. Assess any that float as they may be rotten.)
Preheat Air fryer to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C)
Lay chestnut on cutting board with the flat side down and rounded side up. Score an "X" on the rounded side of the chestnut with a serrated knife. Be careful! Using a serrated knife makes this process easier. (Some like to just make one large slash across the chestnut but we find the "X" scoring makes it easier to peel.) The purpose behind creating a score on the chestnut is to allow steam to escape during the cooking process. If you do not do this, they might explode in the air fryer- and who wants to clean up that mess?
Place chestnuts "X" scored side up in the air fryer basket and place in the air fryer. Toss or shake air fryer basket halfway during the cooking process. Chestnuts are perfectly roasted when the shell and skin of the chestnut pulls back and curls up to show the bright yellow flesh of the chestnut. Keep a close eye on them as they can go from raw to fully cooked in just minutes.
Small chestnuts can as little as 4 minutes in the air fryer.
Medium ones take round 10 minutes.
Large ones up to 15 minutes or as needed for the skin to pull back and show the yellow flesh of the chestnut.
Many factors determine how long to cook chestnuts such as brand of air fryer, age and size of chestnuts and length of soak time. Don't leave your cooking nuts unattended.
Immediately, place air fried roasted chestnuts in either a dry tea towel or paper bag and tie tightly. You may even hear them crackle. Allow to rest in the tea towel or paper sack for 1 to 2 minutes. The internal hot steam that builds up in the bag or tea towel helps the peeling process. (We like to serve plain roasted chestnut in a paper lunch sack as this way your guests can close up the bag in between peeling and eating and keep the chestnuts warm.)
Peel chestnuts straight away. We know they are still warm so use a tea towel or kitchen gloves as needed. The sooner you peel them, the easier it is. Do not allow them to get cold before attempting to peel.
Use your fingers to peel the hard outer shell and the skin of the chestnut. Warm roasted chestnuts are easy to peel and the outer shell and skin come out together. Once they are cold, the skin has a tendency to stick and it is more difficult to remove.
We love to eat chestnuts warm right after peeling, one right after the other. You can try tossing them in brown butter and adding a little salt or use in your favorite recipe. Enjoy!
Oven and boiled chestnut directions in the recipe notes below.

Notes

How to choose the best chestnuts?

Choose chestnuts that feel heavy for size and firm. They should be dark brown with light tan edges. You may notice that they have a light sheen to them when you hold them to the light. They should not have any holes, blemishes, or rattle inside their shell. In addition, they should be firm or slight give when you squeeze them. If you feel a large movement between the skin and the flesh, this is an indication of a problem. They may be rotten.

How to store raw chestnuts?

It is best to use them 2 to 3 weeks of purchase for optimal results. Store them in a covered container in the refrigerator until ready to roast. Do not wash the raw chestnuts until you are ready to cook or roast them.

How to store roasted peeled chestnuts?

Roasted and peeled, they can be kept for 3 to 4 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator or up to 2 months frozen. Thawed, previously frozen chestnuts, need to be consumed right after thawing due to the high sugar content

How to make boiled chestnuts?

Wash chestnuts and dry with towel. Score an “x” on the rounded side of the chestnut using a serrated knife. Place them in a medium pot and enough water to cover plus 2 inches. Add orange zest or bay leaves if desired. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for up to 45 minutes or until the shells of the chestnuts start to curl up and show the yellow flesh underneath. Remove chestnuts from the water and wrap up in a tea towel for 2 minutes. Peel and enjoy. Many times, they are so soft that you can just press out the flesh of the chestnut out of the shell.

How to roast chestnuts in the oven?

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C). Wash nuts and dry with towel. We like to soak chestnuts for 10 to 15 minutes in warm water first. Score an “x” on the rounded side of the chestnut using a serrated knife. Place on a baking rack on a baking sheet with the “x “side facing up. Roast chestnuts in the oven from 20 to 25 minutes or until the skins start to peel back and the yellow skin of the chestnut is showing. Remove from the oven and wrap up in a tea towel for 2 minutes. Peel and enjoy.

Nutrition