How to cook hazelnut

Information for hazelnut in our free cooking ingredients collection.

Hazelnut

The United States produces about 9,000 tons of unshelled hazelnuts, and Oregon and Washington account for 5 percent of the entire world’s production. The grapesized nuts have a thick, woody, brownish red shell that readily separates from the kernel. Nuts grow from leafy husks that open as the nut ripens. The nuts begin to drop from the trees in August. In September or October, they are swept up, washed, and then dried. They are sorted for size and then sold for processing. Hazelnuts are referred to by a variety of names, including filbert or cobnut.

There are 10 major species of hazelnut trees. The most commonly grown are the European, the American, and the Turkish hazelnut. Various hybrids are based on these types. These hybrids include the Winkler, Duchilly, and the Barcelona, which is thought by many hazelnut fanciers to produce the finest nuts.

Nutritionally speaking, hazelnuts are an excellent source of iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and thiamin and a good source of niacin. Monounsaturated fat is the primary source of fat in hazelnuts.

How to cook hazelnut

The hazelnut kernel is sweet. It is wrapped in a thin, slightly bitter-tasting, brown skin. This skin must be removed before the nuts are used. Heat the shelled nuts in a 350 degrees F oven for 10 to 15 minutes until the skin begins to flake. Then, wrap the warm nuts in a tea towel and rub them with the towel after about 5 minutes to remove the skin.

Serving suggestions

Hazelnuts can be eaten raw or they can be roasted. Chopped hazelnuts add crunch to salads, soups, sauces, breads, cakes, and cookies. Finely ground nuts can be used as a replacement for flour. Hazelnut paste, made by grinding the nuts to a fine butter and mixing with sugar, is used for bakery fillings and toppings.

A fragrant oil made from pressed hazelnuts adds a nutty flavor to dressings, sauces, pastries, and coffee.

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