Maple Bourbon Chestnuts & Dates

I live for chestnuts every winter season, and with their subtly sweet flavor and amazing heartiness, I knew they would be the perfect match for sticky sweet dates and an easy maple bourbon glaze. This recipe is like Christmas in a bowl, and it’s one of my absolute favorite things to make seasonally.

I had my first chestnut from a cone in Rome, where it was quite literally roasted over an open fire by a food cart near the Spanish Steps. I had no idea what chestnuts tasted like, but they smelled AMAZING and I impulse bought a bag immediately…well a cone-bag-thing.

The chestnuts were starchy, soft, slightly sweet and nutty, almost like a starchier, firmer sweet potato. And after my first taste, I was hooked. When I came home I immediately taught myself how to roast chestnuts in the oven, how to find a good chestnut and how to make them into something special. So here’s how to make my favorite chestnut recipe out there.

What are chestnuts?

Chestnuts are formally part of the nut family, but I like to think of them as the nutritional equivalent of brown rice or sweet potato. They have less fat and more starch than most nuts, and are almost impossible to eat raw.

Chestnuts are most commonly found in Northern regions due to climate and growing conditions, which is why you find them popularized in Europe and south eastern Asia. Each region has a different way of preparing chestnuts, but they all play off of the nut’s subtle sweetness.

And of course, chestnuts are only really available in November and December, which is why you see such a craze for them around the holidays!

How can I tell if a chestnut is good or rotten?

Unfortunately, grocery stores have no shame in selling old or rotted chestnuts. It’s really difficult to decipher between the two, so it’s largely up to the consumer to make sure you get the good ones!

The best way to tell if a chestnut is good is by squeezing the nut. If you can make any sort of indent with your finger, or if the skin feels soft, that chestnut has slightly molded. If the chestnut rattles, it is most definitely bad and not good for roasting.

A good chestnut has a rich brown color, is slightly shiny on the outside and is firm to the touch. Those are the ones you want!

How do you prepare chestnuts to roast in the oven?

I like to do two things when preparing chestnuts:

1. Make a slit across the top called a “clam shell cut.” This is the easiest way to cut and peel a chestnut, so although many blogs tell you to make a criss-cross on the top, I suggest swapping for the clam shell cut!
2. Soak them in water for 15 minutes up to an hour before roasting – this helps the nut separate from the the shell and makes peeling even easier after roasting.

How long to roast chestnuts in the oven?

The short answer to this is 15-20 minutes at 400F!

The beauty of chestnuts is you don’t need to prepare them or toss them in anything before baking. Just look for the shells to pop open and expand, that means the chestnuts are soft and ready for eating!

Ingredients you will need to make maple bourbon chestnuts

• 1 & 1/2 lbs chestnuts
• 3/4 cup bourbon
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 tbsp butter
• 4-5 sprigs thyme plus more for topping
• 1/2 lb fresh pitted dates

How to make maple bourbon chestnuts

After the roasting is finished, here’s how I like to make these maple bourbon chestnuts!

• Put a saucepan or skillet on low heat.
• When the skillet has warmed up, add the bourbon, then thyme and maple syrup. Stir constantly and reduce this mixture until the alcohol has cooked off and the mix is thick and syrupy. This should take about 7-9 minutes.
• Add the butter to the sticky syrup and stir again until combined. The mixture should be smooth and thick. Remove the skillet from the heat.
• Add in the chestnuts and dates to the skillet and toss in the mix. Plate and sprinkle more thyme on top before serving!

And that’s it for this maple bourbon chestnut recipe!

If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.

And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3