We recommend freezing both nuts and nut flours if you don't plan to use them right away. To freeze peanuts, walnuts, pecans, cashews, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts and almonds (shelled or unshelled), simply wrap them tightly in plastic and place them in a resealable freezer bag. Yes, you can freeze hazelnuts for up to 12 months as long as you have kept them airtight. You won't be able to eat raw walnuts the same way, but if you want to bake them or add them to your recipes, they'll be fine for this.
Once again, let's start with cold storage. Hazelnuts retain quality for at least one year in the fridge and up to two years in the freezer (UOC). The Hazelnut Council has considered hazelnuts to be an additional source of beneficial nutrition in the daily diet. The shelf life of hazelnuts depends on their storage and condition.
Shelled hazelnuts, if stored in an airtight container in the freezer, can stay tasty and fresh and last up to a year. While in the pantry walnuts can last 4 to 6 months if stored in an airtight container. Refrigerating or freezing hazelnuts can lead to a much longer shelf life. You can expect both shelled and shelled hazelnuts to last up to a year in the fridge.
When frozen, hazelnuts will last up to 2 years. With or without shell? You can freeze nuts in any way. Shelled walnuts are faster to cook, bake, garnish dishes, or eat as a snack. Leaving them shelled does not increase shelf life in the freezer.
To make sure you're getting all of the valuable nutrients found in hazelnuts, you'll want to make sure they haven't had their best time. Smell hazelnuts to see if there is any rancid smell, which is often similar to soap, paint, or sour butter. One thing you'll notice when you take frozen hazelnuts out of the freezer is that they have changed slightly in texture. Pre-chop hazelnuts for freezingIf you know that you are going to use chopped hazelnuts in your recipes, you can chop them before freezing them.
Although the Oregon State University (OSU) Extension suggests keeping hazelnuts in shell in a closed container, I don't think that's necessary. There are many ways to roast hazelnuts, and each produces slightly different results, both in terms of flavor and shelf life after roasting. The best way to defrost hazelnuts is to take them out of the freezer and put them in a bowl in the fridge. All of these dates are not exactly set in stone; the important thing to remember is to always check the hazelnuts before using them for any signs that they have broken down.
Take a rolling pin and gently grind the hazelnuts until you are the right size for your recipe. Ground to a finer consistency, they can be made into delicious cocoa hazelnut spreads and can also be used to flavor beverages and treats. If that sounds good to you, it's time to learn how long hazelnuts last, how you should store them, and how to tell if hazelnuts go bad. It doesn't matter if they are peeled or not, make sure the hazelnuts are in a cool, dark place, away from heat sources.
For shelled hazelnuts, you could probably leave them as is on the fridge shelf, but it's still better to package them. When you're ready to eat or use those hazelnuts, take a bunch out of the bag and let them heat up on the counter for about half an hour.
