In the UK, sweet chestnuts are in season from October! They are a versatile autumn ingredient. Knowing how to cook chestnuts safely is essential, and there are many ways to prepare them creatively.

🧭 Identifying Edible Sweet Chestnuts vs Poisonous Horse Chestnuts

It is crucial to know the difference between sweet chestnuts (edible) and horse chestnuts (also called conkers, poisonous).

Sweet chestnuts: shiny, brown, flat on one side, with a pointed tip. Perfect for roasting, soups, salads, and baking.

Horse chestnuts (conkers): rounder, paler, slightly spiky on the shell. Never eat — toxic!

❗ Always check the shape and shell before cooking. Knowing the difference between horse chestnuts and sweet chestnuts is the first step in safe chestnut preparation.

Braised Chicken With Water Chestnuts Recipe by Natalie Marten (Windsor__Foodie)
This is a wonderfully fragrant and comforting dish. I like to make this often for the family as it’s quite quick to make and my son is a big fan of this one. Succulent chunks of chicken with a gentle spike of ginger and garlic plus the exotic aniseed of star anise. Perfect served over steamed fluffy…
CookpadNatalie Marten (Windsor__Foodie)

🔥 Roasting Chestnuts

Roasted chestnuts are a classic autumn treat. Make a small incision in each shell to avoid explosions, then roast in the oven. Enjoy them alone, in salads, stews, pasta, or stir fry.

Tips: Peel hot roasted chestnuts to make removal easier.
Simple Oven Roasted Chestnuts Recipe by Sonia
The key to cooking chestnuts at home is to ensure you slit the skins prior to roasting so that they don’t explode in your oven ..... I’ve learnt this from bitter experience, trying to clean exploded chestnuts off your oven is NOT EASY! Plus the sound is terrifying! Peel your chestnuts as soon as the…
CookpadSonia

💧 Boiling Chestnuts

Boiling chestnuts softens the nut, making them ideal for soups, purées, or as a smooth snack.

Cleanly Peeled Chestnuts Recipe by cookpad.japan
When September rolls around, I get busy cooking with chestnuts. I wanted to share my method of peeling them. Cut right through with the knife and what you have left will look clean. If you’re afraid of being wasteful or worried that you’ll cut off too much flesh, you’ll end up with rough and dirtied…
Cookpadcookpad.japan

🌬️ Steaming Chestnuts

Steaming allows you to cook chestnuts evenly while keeping them tender and easy to peel.

💦 Soaking Chestnuts

Soaking chestnuts for 30–60 minutes helps loosen the skin and speeds up cooking.

Chestnuts Cooked In Syrup Recipe by cookpad.japan
The biggest concern when making chestnuts in syrup is preventing from falling apart while cooking, but if the cooking time is too short, they’ll be hard. I finally found the right cooking time that works for me after making them several times, so I uploaded the recipe so I could remember it. By addi…
Cookpadcookpad.japan

⚠️ Chestnut Cooking Tips

  • Always cut an "X" or "Y" into the shell before cooking.
  • Peel while hot — cold chestnuts are harder to peel.
  • Never eat raw chestnuts — they contain tannic acid.
  • These safe chestnut tips are essential for enjoyable autumn cooking.
Sweet Potato And Chestnut Doria Recipe by cookpad.japan
I wanted to make a hot and sweet doria combining sweet potatoes and chestnuts. For the chestnuts, I used preboiled ones for steaming with rice. Recipe by kigiri
Cookpadcookpad.japan

🥗 Creative Chestnut Ideas

  • Salads: Add roasted or boiled chestnuts for a nutty twist.
  • Ragu & Stews: Chestnuts thicken sauces and enhance flavor.
  • Bacon-Wrapped Snacks: Ideal for parties or as starters.
  • Baking & Desserts: Chestnut cream (crème de marron) can be used in tarts, cakes, or muffins.
Warm beet salad with dried plums and chestnuts Recipe by ALEX xx ✈🇬🇧🇱🇹
A delicious salad of baked or boiled beets. Prunes and chestnuts make its taste interesting and unusual. Prepare chestnuts according to this recipe. It will be very tasty. https://cookpad.com/uk/r/17165461 #GlobalApron
CookpadALEX xx ✈🇬🇧🇱🇹
Bacon wrapped chestnuts Recipe by Miss Fluffy’s Cooking (Angie’s Italian Cooking)
After going chestnut picking last weekend and roasting some on the BBQ (check my recipe if you’re interested) I had some left over and made these tasty morsels as a starter for Sunday lunch. I must say, they were absolutely delicious! #chestnut #bacon #autumn #seasonalcooking #seasonalingredient
CookpadMiss Fluffy’s Cooking (Angie’s Italian Cooking)
Sweet Chestnuts And Walnuts Tart, Crumble Topping Recipe by Fumie’s Recipe
Great recipe for Sweet Chestnuts and Walnuts Tart, Crumble Topping.
CookpadFumie’s Recipe
Oven Roasted Chestnut 烤板栗,轻松去壳 Recipe by Eat Whole 2 Thrive
It’s not easy to shell fresh chestnut if you have not learned how to pull the trigger. For best results, leave freshly harvested chestnuts in a baking sheet monolayer and air dry them for 3~7 days depending on your room humidity.
CookpadEat Whole 2 Thrive

❓ FAQs About Chestnuts

How do you cook fresh chestnuts?
Roasting, boiling, steaming, and soaking are all simple and tasty methods.

Can chestnuts be eaten raw?
No — raw chestnuts contain tannic acid and should always be cooked.

How to peel roasted chestnuts easily?
Make an incision in the shell and peel while hot for the easiest removal.

What’s the difference between horse chestnuts and sweet chestnuts?
Sweet chestnuts are edible and pointed; horse chestnuts (conkers) are round and poisonous.

Do you know any great recipes for cooking chestnuts? 😃 Share them with us on Cookpad!

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