Quick Read: Think Ahead and Toast Those Nuts!

I have a quick tip for you: buy nuts when they're on sale (like around Christmas for example), and, before you put them in the freezer for later use, take a second to toast them.

I can't think of a recipe where I prefer or want to use untoasted nuts. I don't like them in baking, candy making, or even for out-of-hand snacking. I suppose you could argue about having nice white almonds for marzipan, but I don't usually make those (and wouldn't object to tan marzipan if it had more flavor).

So, here's a quick tip. It's just as much work and time to toast an entire bag full of nuts as it is to toast a portion for a recipe, so when you get them home, and before you put them in the freezer, toast them.

The easiest and safest way to do it is to put them on a single layer on a cookie sheet and put them into a 350 degree oven.

You can do a skillet of course, but this means constant attention and the risk of burning them: turn your back for 30 seconds and you'll see a bunch of blackened nuts when you return.

It might take longer, but play it safe and do it in the oven.

I set a timer for 5 minutes or so and then turn the nuts with a spatula, repeating as many times as needed to get that toasty color and smell I like. The walnuts above took about 15 minutes or so to toast to that color.

When done, dump them out into a single layer on plate to stop the cooking, cool them off, and put them back in their original bag and the freezer.

One more quick tip: buy whole nuts. If you need smaller pieces, you can always cut down whole nuts but you can't put pieces back together! They are more expensive to be sure, but they're also more versatile.