When the new hazelnut crop arrives in homes, one of the first questions people ask is: how do I roast these hazelnuts at home? The good news is that you don't need any special equipment. An oven or a heavy-based pan, a little patience and a watchful eye are all it takes. In this guide we walk you step by step through roasting hazelnuts in the oven and in a pan, removing the skins easily and how long you can keep roasted hazelnuts.
Let's make one thing clear from the start: the temperatures and times given below are based on recommendations from cookery websites and an academic. Every oven heats differently and every pan holds heat differently. So think of the figures not as hard rules but as starting settings. Your real guide should be the colour of the hazelnuts and the aroma filling the kitchen.
If you have bought hazelnuts in the shell, crack the shells first. Then pick out any empty, rotten or darkened kernels and any broken bits of shell. Yemek.com and Lezzet.com.tr also recommend this sorting as the first step. A single bad kernel can spoil the flavour of the whole tray, so don't begrudge these few minutes.
Even if you have bought shelled hazelnuts, it is still worth giving the kernels a quick look. Once you have finished sorting, don't wash the hazelnuts; damp hazelnuts steam rather than roast and won't cook evenly.
The oven is the easiest method, especially if you are roasting a lot of hazelnuts in one go. Lezzet.com.tr and Yemek.com recommend preheating the oven to 170 degrees. According to Lezzet.com.tr, at this temperature hazelnuts roast in roughly 15 to 20 minutes and should be stirred with a wooden spoon every 5 minutes.
The most important tip here is to spread the hazelnuts on the tray in a single layer. The recipe in Yeni Malatya Gazetesi also stresses this point. If the kernels pile up, those underneath stay raw while those on top or at the edges can burn. If you have a lot of hazelnuts, splitting them between two trays or roasting them in two batches gives better results.
As the time draws to an end, take one kernel and break it in half. If the inside has turned a light pink or pale golden colour and the aroma has become noticeable, the hazelnuts are done. Remember too that they carry on cooking a little from the heat of the tray after coming out of the oven.
Some people prefer to roast hazelnuts slowly at a lower temperature. Nefis Yemek Tarifleri recommends roasting shelled hazelnuts in an oven at 100 degrees, stirring every 5 minutes, until the skins start to come away and the inside turns pink. This method takes longer but makes it easier to stay in control.
Still, be careful: once hazelnuts turn pink they can burn very quickly. At this stage you need to stay by the oven. Even a few minutes spent looking at your phone can make a difference to the colour.
According to a report in Hürriyet, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Fatih Kılıçlı recommends roasting hazelnuts at 140 degrees for no more than 15 minutes. So the range used at home varies between 100 and 170 degrees. As you get to know your own oven, you'll easily find the setting that suits you.
If you are roasting a small amount of hazelnuts, a pan is a practical choice. Yemek.com and Lezzet.com.tr recommend preheating the pan and roasting the hazelnuts over a low heat, stirring now and then. Yemek.com particularly recommends a cast-iron pan because it distributes heat evenly.
There's no need to add oil to the pan; hazelnuts roast in their own oil. Another tip from Yemek.com is not to stir too often. The kernels take on colour as they touch the base of the pan; if you keep moving them, that contact is reduced. As soon as the outsides of the kernels start turning dark brown, take the hazelnuts off the heat straight away and don't leave them in the pan, because a hot pan keeps on roasting.
The secret to removing the skins lies in the heat. As soon as the hazelnuts come out of the oven or pan, spread them on a clean tea towel. Fold the other end of the towel over the top and rub so that the kernels rub against each other. According to Yemek.com and Lezzet.com.tr, the heat helps the skins come off easily.
Nefis Yemek Tarifleri, on the other hand, suggests rubbing the cooled kernels between your palms. We recommend doing this over the worktop or the sink, as the skin dust is very light and can fly everywhere. Some kernels may keep part of their skin; this is perfectly normal and there's no need to peel them completely.
Only store your roasted hazelnuts once they have cooled completely. In a container closed while they are still warm, steam forms and the hazelnuts go soft. Nefis Yemek Tarifleri recommends storing roasted hazelnuts in a tightly sealed glass jar.
As for how long, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Fatih Kılıçlı recommends eating roasted hazelnuts within 3 days. So rather than roasting more than you need, it makes more sense to roast small amounts often. For details on storing raw hazelnuts, take a look at our article How to Store Hazelnuts: 6 Rules for a Longer Shelf Life.
Roasted, skinned hazelnuts can be used in cakes, biscuits and desserts. Nefis Yemek Tarifleri notes that they go beautifully with güllaç. At this time of year they are also a great start for sprinkling over a kadayıf dessert or grinding into hazelnut flour. We cover these topics in detail in our articles Giresun Kadayıf Dessert with Hazelnut Paste and How to Make Hazelnut Flour.
If you are curious about what roasting changes in hazelnuts, our articles How Roasting Temperature Changes Hazelnuts and Raw or Roasted? complete this guide. Enjoy the new crop, but don't leave the oven unattended.
Hürriyet Aile: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Fatih Kılıçlı's recommendations on roasting temperature, time and consumption period
Yemek.com: How to roast hazelnuts, pan and oven methods, removing skins with a towel
Lezzet.com.tr: Hazelnut roasting methods, 170 degrees in the oven and pan roasting
Nefis Yemek Tarifleri: Oven roasting at 100 degrees, removing skins and storing in a jar
Yeni Malatya Gazetesi: How to roast hazelnuts, spreading in a single layer
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