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    Home » How to » Chestnut Puree Recipe -only 4 Ingredients!

    Chestnut Puree Recipe -only 4 Ingredients!

    December 15, 2020 , Updated November 27, 2021 Maria 12 Comments

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    A bowl of chestnut puree.

    This Chestnut Puree recipe is made by slowly simmering cooked chestnuts in lightly sweetened milk, aromatized with vanilla. Blending this mixture creates a delicious chestnut spread. 

    A bowl of pureed chestnuts with a spoon.

    Chestnuts are one of those unique foods often associated with holiday celebrations.

    This is especially true if you grew up in an Italian household. It just doesn’t feel like Christmas without chestnuts.

    In Italian, they are known as castagne or marroni, and although this subtly sweet-tasting nut is simply enjoyed oven-roasted, they are the source of inspiration for so many appetizing and delicious dishes and desserts. 

    They are a great ingredient to use in savory dishes like soups, stews, stuffings or pies. They are equally enjoyed in sweet dishes and yeast bread like this Christmas star bread.

    Making this pastelike spread from chestnuts is easier than you think. It makes a tasty breakfast condiment and it is a delicious ingredient in so many Italian desserts. 

    Fresh chestnuts on a wooden board next to blenderized marrons.

    Mise en place

    In order to make this pureed chestnut mixture, we need about 12 ounces or 350 grams of cooked chestnuts.

    You have a couple of choices. You can cook your own chestnuts or buy a commercial brand. 

    Fresh chestnuts on a wooden board.

    If you are planning to make your own, you need a little over 1 pound (500 grams) of fresh chestnuts. 

    You have the option of boiling or roasting them. For this recipe, I used boiled chestnuts. 

    If purchasing peeled, buy precooked, canned, jarred or vacuum-packed. Drain off any liquid. 

    Instructions

    In a medium saucepan, over medium heat whisk together 2 cups of milk (or water) with 1-2 tablespoons of sugar.

    Chestnuts in a saucepan, simmering in milk.

    Dissolve the sugar, then add the cooked chestnuts and half a vanilla bean (scraped seeds and pod) and bring to a low simmer.

    Chestnuts being simmered with milk in a saucepan.

    Simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes or until there are ½-⅔ cups of liquid left. Stir occasionally, especially towards the end of the cooking time to prevent scorching. 

    Remove the vanilla pod and discard.

    Transfer the nuts, without the liquid, to a food processor and blend until smooth. If necessary, stop and scrape down the sides. Add some of the cooking liquid until the desired consistency is achieved. 

    Once the mixture has cooled down, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days or frozen for up to 2 months.

    The total yield for this recipe is approximately 2½ cups. 

    A close up photo of a spoonful of pureed chestnuts.

    How to use chestnut puree

    • Spread on toast, pancakes, crepes and sweet bread.
    • Use as a star bread filling when it is combined with other ingredients like chocolate, honey and evaporated milk.  
    • Swirl into yogurts, ricotta, breakfast bowls or oatmeal. 
    • Makes a great addition to a cheeseboard. 
    • A delicious ingredient to use in desserts, creams, custards and so much more! 

    Substitutions

    • For a dairy-free option, replace the milk with water.
    • If more convenient, replace the vanilla bean with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

    Variations

    • To make a simple chocolate chestnut puree, simply add 30-40 grams (1-1.5 ounces) of roughly chopped chocolate and blenderize with the warm chestnuts. The residual heat of the cooked chestnuts will melt the chocolate.

    How many chestnuts in one pound?

    There are approximately 36 fresh chestnuts in one pound. Once cooked, this will yield 2½ cups of peeled chestnuts.

    A close up photo of pureed chestnuts.

    Recipe inspiration

    If you have visited here before, you know that I have a few food obsessions, Biscotti is definitely in the number one spot, I would say that chestnuts are a close second. 

    The truth is that my whole family went nuts for this nut!  As a result, we would enjoy them throughout the fall season.

    My mom would often have boiled chestnuts ready for us as an afterschool snack.

    She would also use her food mill to grind them up, combine them with other spices and chocolate to make chestnut caveciuni, sweet fritters with a chestnut filling. 

    As I got older, I began researching recipes to make with chestnuts.

    Needless to say, this is just one of many recipes I’ve been making and enjoying for decades.  In comparison to similar recipes, I add a minimal amount of sugar to highlight the natural sweetness of chestnuts. Let’s just say I was listening to my inner dietitian,

    Do you enjoy chestnut recipes?

    Do you have a favorite? I would love to hear about it! 

    THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.

    I have just created the perfect printable baking checklist to help you keep track of all your baking needs. If you love to bake, this is for you!
     
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    Ciao for now,

    Maria 

    ★★★★★ If you try this recipe for homemade pureed chestnuts, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!

    Recipe

    A bowl of chestnut puree.

    Chestnut Puree Recipe

    This Chestnut Puree recipe is made by slowly simmering cooked chestnuts in lightly sweetened milk, aromatized with vanilla. Blending this mixture creates a delicious chestnut spread. 
    4.80 from 5 votes
    Print Save RecipeSaved! Pin Rate
    Course: Condiments
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Servings: 40 servings
    Calories: 26kcal
    Author: Maria Vannelli RD
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    Ingredients

    • 350 grams boiled chestnuts cooked
    • 2 cups water or milk
    • 1-2 tablespoons sugar granulated
    • ½ vanilla bean seeds scraped
    • pinch salt optional

    Instructions

    • In a medium saucepan, over medium heat whisk together the milk with the sugar.
    • Dissolve the sugar, then add the cooked chestnuts and vanilla bean (scraped seeds and pod) and bring to a low simmer.
    • Simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes or until there are  ½-⅔ cups of liquid left. Stir occasionally, especially towards the end of the cooking time to prevent scorching. 
    • Remove the vanilla pod and discard.
    • Transfer the chestnuts, without the liquid, to a food processor and puree until smooth. If necessary, stop and scrape down the sides. Add some of the liquid until the desired consistency is achieved. 
    • Once the mixture has cooled down, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
    Enhance Your Cooking Experience!SCROLL UP for essential step-by-step photos embedded in the article above. When available, videos can be found in the next section. These visuals are designed to help you achieve perfect results every time. Happy cooking!

    Notes

    Substitutions:
    • For a dairy-free option, replace the milk with water.
    • If more convenient, replace the vanilla bean with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
    Variations: To make a chocolate chestnut puree, simply add 30-40 grams (1-1.5 ounces) of roughly chopped chocolate and blenderize with the warm chestnuts. The residual heat of the cooked chestnuts will melt the chocolate, 
    How many chestnuts in one pound? There are approximately 36 fresh chestnuts in one pound. Once cooked, this will yield 2½ cups of peeled chestnuts.
    How much is 1 serving? One serving is equivalent to 1 tablespoon.
    Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 26kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 58mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 22IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg
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    Filed Under: Christmas, Condiments and Sauces, How to, Vegetarian

    About Maria

    Maria Vannelli is a retired dietitian who lives in a suburb just outside Montreal, Canada. She's the founder of the food blog She Loves Biscotti. Maria hopes to inspire you and bring you and your loved ones closer together at meal times enabling you to create some memorable moments.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Cecile

      March 21, 2025 at 7:59 pm

      4 stars
      I used to buy pureed chestnuts from France and they were good but last year I could only find one from Eastern Europe. It was pricy and my family thought it was too sweet and they didn’t care for the taste of alcohol.
      I recently tried this recipe. I used vacuum packed chestnuts and simmered until there was a bit more than 1/2C. During pureeing I added more milk on top of all of the cooking liquid to get it to the spreadable consistency I needed for my chestnut cream cake.
      This will be my go-to recipe now for chestnut puree and will no longer buy canned. Thanks.

      Reply
      • Maria

        March 22, 2025 at 8:31 am

        Thank you so much for sharing your experience Cecile! I’m thrilled to hear that this recipe worked so well for your chestnut cream cake and that it’s now your go-to for chestnut purée. Using vacuum-packed chestnuts and adjusting the consistency sounds like a great approach. I’m so glad you won’t have to rely on canned versions anymore!

        Reply
    2. Natasha

      September 30, 2024 at 3:46 pm

      5 stars
      I really enjoy this recipe. Can I use oven-roasted chestnuts instead of boiled chestnuts?

      Reply
      • Maria

        October 16, 2024 at 10:57 am

        Thanks Natasha. Great question. You can, bit I find the texture is not as smooth. Thanks for stopping by.

        Reply
    3. Karen

      April 05, 2023 at 6:19 pm

      Thanks for some wonderful recipes using chestnuts! I plan on trying quite a few, if not all of them!!!

      Reply
      • Maria

        April 05, 2023 at 11:51 pm

        My pleasure Karen, enjoy!

        Reply
    4. Kay

      September 29, 2022 at 11:25 pm

      5 stars
      Maria, I have a question. If you have fresh chestnuts, what is the best way to preserve them to use later?

      Reply
      • Maria

        September 30, 2022 at 5:17 pm

        Great question Kay. I have a neighbor that freezes her chestnuts. I have never tried, but I do plan on testing this out. Stay tuned.

        Reply
      • Selvihan

        December 14, 2022 at 5:04 am

        5 stars
        Maria tarife bayıldım emeğinize sağlık sevgiler…

        Reply
        • Maria

          December 14, 2022 at 7:59 pm

          çok teşekkür ederim Selvihan ♥

    5. val

      March 05, 2021 at 2:13 pm

      5 stars
      This looks amazing! I can’t wait to try this when chestnuts are back in season.

      Reply
      • Maria

        March 05, 2021 at 2:25 pm

        Thanks Val. It’s great to use in so many delicious recipes. Enjoy!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Maria! a dietitian (retired) and full-time content creator. Join me as I share traditional Italian recipes from my youth to modern twists on classics using fresh and seasonal ingredients.

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