Roasted Pine Nuts (Pinyon Nuts)

5 from 3 votes

Roasting pine nuts is super easy and the results are incredible! They can be enjoyed as a snack or included in a variety of tasty dishes!

Cook Time5

Total Time5

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 227kcal

Sort through pine nuts, if necessary, to remove debris and pine needles. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat, then add pine nuts. Shake pan or stir continuously to keep them from burning. Roast for approximately 5-8 minutes, or until the shell begins to char and the pine nuts become fragrant and golden brown.
Remove roasted pine nuts from the pan to avoid further roasting. Once cool enough to handle, shell and enjoy as a snack or use in your favorite pine nut recipe!

Arrange the pine nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes. Stir the nuts every 5 minutes to ensure they roast evenly.

The steam created inside the shells can cause the seeds to pop and explode. For this reason, you'll want to keep a close eye on them and cover the pan with a lid during the last few minutes of roasting.
Roast the pine nuts in a single layer. Overcrowding the pan will keep the pine nuts from roasting evenly.
To enjoy roasted pine nuts, simply crack open the shell, much like eating sunflower seeds, and savor the nut while discarding the shell.
Store roasted and cooled pine nuts in an airtight container, such as a mason jar, preferrably in the fridge for about a week or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
No matter how hard you try, the pine nuts don't always roast evenly. If you find some are not as toasted as you prefer, you can toast them in a pan once shelled.