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1. Preheat & Prep: Preheat your oven to 425°F. Rinse the chestnuts under cold water and pat them dry.
2. Score the Shells: Place a chestnut flat-side down on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut a large "X" across the entire rounded "belly" of the nut.
Tip: You must cut through the hard outer shell and the thin papery skin underneath. This prevents them from exploding in the oven.
3. Roast: Place chestnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet, "X" side up. Roast for 20–25 minutes.
o How to tell they're done: The shells will curl back at the "X" and the meat inside will look golden and feel tender when squeezed (use a towel!).
4. The "Steam" Finish: Immediately after removing them from the oven, wrap the hot chestnuts in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze them slightly to "crack" the shells further. Let them sit, wrapped, for 10 minutes. This final steam makes the fuzzy inner skin slide right off.
5. Peel & Serve: Peel them while they are still warm! Once they cool completely, they become much harder to peel