Roasted chestnuts are one of the best things about autumn, and you don’t need an open fire for them. This is how we do them in the air fryer: cut a cross, boil them first, roll them in a little sugar water, then roast. The boiling makes the inside soft and floury, and the sugar gives the shells a shine.
Why boil them first?
Boiling for 15 minutes cooks the chestnuts through. The air fryer then only has to roast the outside and open the shells, so they don’t dry out or turn hard.
Air Fryer Roasted Chestnuts
Chestnuts cut with a cross, boiled for 15 minutes, glazed with sugar water and air fried at 180°C for 15 minutes.
Ingredients
Method
- Wash the chestnuts.
- Make a cross cut in the middle of each one, through the shell.
- Put them in a pot of water and cook for 15 minutes.
- Lift them out and dry them.
- Put 10 g of sugar in a bowl, add a little water and stir until it dissolves.
- Pour the cooked chestnuts into the sugar water and stir so they are evenly coated.
- Put them in the air fryer and bake at 180°C (356°F) for 15 minutes.
- Peel while they are still warm.
Video
Notes
Peel them warm. Once chestnuts cool, the thin inner skin sticks to the nut.
Cut the cross all the way through the shell, or the chestnuts can burst in the heat.
Tips
- Choose heavy, shiny chestnuts with no holes in the shell.
- A sharp small knife and a towel to hold the chestnut make cutting the cross safer.
- Peel them warm. Wrap them in a towel for a few minutes after roasting and the shells come off more easily.
Questions people ask
How long do chestnuts take in the air fryer?
After 15 minutes of boiling, 15 minutes at 180°C (356°F) in the air fryer.
Do I have to use sugar?
No. The sugar water only gives the shells a glossy finish. Plain boiled chestnuts roast just as well.
