Learn how to roast hazelnuts easily at home for that perfect golden crunch. Whether you’re using an air fryer, stovetop, or oven, this guide will show you simple methods to get delicious, toasty nuts every time, whether you’re cooking up a snack or adding a nutty flavor to your recipes.
❤️ Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Simple: No fancy equipment needed; use your air fryer, oven, or stovetop.
- Versatile: Use roasted hazelnuts in desserts, salads, or as a crunchy snack.
- Health Benefits: Hazelnuts are packed with good fats and vitamins.
- Customizable: Easily adjust the seasoning to suit your taste or dietary needs with my 5 seasoning ideas.
- Quick: It only takes a few minutes to transform raw nuts into golden brown delights.
🗝️ Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Hazelnuts: The star of the show. Make sure they’re fresh for the best flavor.
- Oil or Butter (optional): Adds a bit of richness and helps seasonings stick if you’re going that route.
- Seasoning (optional): Salt is a classic choice, but feel free to experiment with sweet spices like cinnamon or savory herbs for different twists. See below for 5 seasoning ideas.
🥣 How to Make Roasted Hazelnuts
Roasting hazelnuts is straightforward, and you can choose from several methods depending on your kitchen setup. Here’s how to do it:
If you’re seasoning the hazelnuts, go ahead and mix them with your oil or melted butter and seasonings first in a mixing bowl, making sure they are coated evenly.
In the Air Fryer
Start by preheating your air fryer to 300°F (150°C). Place the hazelnuts in a single layer in the basket, ensuring they’re not overcrowded. Air fry for about 12 minutes, giving them a stir halfway through to ensure even toasting. Let them cool before peeling off the skins.
On the Stovetop
Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the hazelnuts and toast them for 6-8 minutes, shaking the pan or stirring occasionally to roast them evenly. Once they’ve turned golden and aromatic, remove from heat and allow to cool before peeling.
In the Oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper if using oil or seasonings. Spread the hazelnuts in a single layer and roast for about 13-15 minutes, stirring halfway through. Watch closely towards the end to avoid burning them. Cool them down before peeling the skins.
How to Peel the Skin
Note: If you’ve seasoned them, this will remove the seasoning so skip this step! Once they’re cool enough to handle, rub them between your fingers or in a paper towel to remove the skins. If some skins are stubborn, wrap the hazelnuts in a clean kitchen towel and let them sit for a couple of minutes—the steam helps loosen the skins, making them easier to peel. Don’t worry if a few bits remain; they’re harmless and won’t affect the taste!
🪄 Recipe Notes & Tips
- Watch the Heat: Hazelnuts can go from perfectly roasted to burnt quickly. Keep a close eye, especially in the final minutes.
- Flavoring: If using oil and seasonings, coat the nuts evenly before roasting to maximize flavor absorption.
🖐️ 5 Tasty Seasoning Ideas
1. Cinnamon Sugar
- 1 tablespoon melted butter or oil
- 2 tablespoons sugar, coconut sugar, or brown sweetener
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
How to: Mix the sugar and cinnamon together. Toss the hazelnuts with melted butter or oil, then coat them with the cinnamon sugar mixture before roasting.
2. Spicy Chili
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt to taste
How to: Combine the spices, toss the hazelnuts in olive oil, then sprinkle with the spice mix and roast.
3. Rosemary Sea Salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
How to: Toss the hazelnuts with olive oil and rosemary. Season with sea salt before roasting.
4. Maple Vanilla
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
How to: Combine maple syrup and vanilla extract. Toss the hazelnuts in this mixture before roasting to create a sweet, aromatic treat.
5. Parmesan Garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt to taste
How to: Toss the hazelnuts in olive oil and garlic powder, then coat with grated Parmesan and a pinch of salt before roasting.
🫙 Storage Instructions
- Cool and Airtight: Make sure the hazelnuts are completely cool before storing, and use an airtight container like a mason jar or a Ziploc bag.
- Room Temperature: Store them at room temperature for up to a month for best taste and texture.
- Refrigerate or Freeze: For longer storage, refrigerate your hazelnuts for up to 6 months or freeze them in freezer bags for up to a year. This will help preserve their flavor and prevent rancidity.
🍽️ How to Use Roasted Hazelnuts
- Snack: As they are, with a pinch of salt, or tossed with a mix of other nuts and dried fruits for a homemade trail mix.
- Nut Butter: Grind them into hazelnut butter or homemade nutella chocolate spread.
- Desserts: Ice cream topping, mixed into cookies or brownies, or cakes.
- Breakfast: Added to granola, pancakes or waffles topping, yogurt or parfait topping, chia pudding topping, or flaxseed pudding topping.
- Savory Dishes: As a salad topping (like Pickled Beet Salad), crushed as a soup or vegetable stew topping, mixed into roasted vegetables, in air fryer brussels sprouts or air fryer carrots.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Look for a golden-brown color and a nutty aroma. You can also taste one to ensure it’s crunchy through the center.
No, adding oil is optional. Roasting them dry is perfectly fine and brings out their natural flavors.
They will darken beyond golden brown and start to emit a bitter smell. Keep a close eye, especially towards the end of the cooking time.
😋 More Snack Recipes You Will Love
- Air Fryer Peanuts
- Air Fryer Almonds
- Air Fryer Walnuts
- Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Seeds
- Air Fryer Pumpkin Seeds
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📖 Recipe
How to Roast Hazelnuts
Ingredients
- 200 g raw hazelnuts 1.5 cups
- 1 tablespoon oil or butter optional, for seasoning
- seasoning optional, see notes for ideas
Instructions
- If you’re using oil, butter or seasonings, begin by coating the hazelnuts with the oil or butter in a mixing bowl, and then coating them with seasoning.
Roasting Hazelnuts in the Air Fryer:
- Preheat your air fryer to 300°F/150°C
- When the air fryer is ready, add the hazelnuts in a single layer to the air fryer basket, and air fry for 12 minutes.
- Halfway through the cooking time, stir the hazelnuts and check how toasted they are. Adjust the remaining time by reducing it if needed.
- Allow your roasted hazelnuts to cool before peeling them.
Roasting Hazelnuts in a Pan:
- Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat.
- When the pan is hot, add the hazelnuts to the skillet and roast them for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Allow them to cool a little before peeling.
Roasting Hazelnuts in the Oven:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C.
- Spread the hazelnuts out on a baking sheet. You can line it with parchment paper for easy cleaning if you’re using oil or seasonings.
- Roast the hazelnuts in the oven for 13-15 minutes, stirring and checking halfway through.
- Adjust the time as needed, adding or reducing by a minute or two depending on how roasted they look halfway through.
How to Remove Roasted Hazelnut Skins:
- Note: If you've seasoned them, this will remove the seasoning so skip this step!
- Once the hazelnuts have cooled to touch, rub them between your fingers to remove the skins, or rub them with a paper towel.
- Some skins may be a bit stubborn to remove. If I’m struggling with one I just let it be and move on.
- You can also wrap them in a kitchen towel and let them sit for a minute or two before rubbing them in the towel. They seem to loosen easier with the steam created in the towel.
Notes
-
- Watch the Heat: Hazelnuts can go from perfectly roasted to burnt quickly. Keep a close eye, especially in the final minutes.
Storage Instructions
-
- Cool and Airtight: Make sure the hazelnuts are completely cool before storing, and use an airtight container like a mason jar or a Ziploc bag.
-
- Room Temperature: Store them at room temperature for up to a month for best taste and texture.
- Refrigerate or Freeze: For longer storage, refrigerate your hazelnuts for up to 6 months or freeze them in freezer bags for up to a year. This will help preserve their flavor and prevent rancidity.
5 Seasoning Ideas
-
- 1 tablespoon melted butter or oil
-
- 2 tablespoons sugar, coconut sugar, or brown sweetener
-
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
-
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
-
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
-
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
-
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
-
- Salt to taste
-
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
-
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
-
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
-
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
-
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
-
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
-
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
-
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
-
- Salt to taste
I realize that most people will want to remove the hazelnut skins. However, if you are trying to being down your cholesterol numbers, the skins will help. I’ve found that the skins on the roasted hazelnuts don’t bother me.
That’s a great tip, Sandi – thanks for sharing! I find that if I’m just snacking on them they don’t bother me either, but if it’s for hazelnut butter they can be a little bitter so I remove them =]