Can You Freeze Pine Nuts?

How to Freeze Pine Nuts

There really is nothing difficult about freezing pine nuts. If you’ve bought them in bulk to save yourself some money, transfer the nuts you plan on freezing into a freezer-safe bag.

Press out as much air as possible, seal, label and freeze. You will then be able to dip in and out of the bag when you want to add pine recipes to various meals that you prepare at home.

How to Freeze Cooked Pine Nuts

Some people like to cook pine nuts, and for a good reason. They’re absolutely delicious when lightly baked! They add an awesome crunch to a salad and are healthy, too.

Freezing cooked pine nuts is almost exactly the same as freezing raw nuts; you just need to allow them to cool first. You should never try and place anything warm in the freezer, as this can wreak havoc with its texture.

When you’re satisfied your pine nuts have cooled to room temperature, bag them up and get them in the freezer as quickly as you can.

3 Tips for Freezing Pine Nuts

Now you know how to freeze them, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing pine nuts to have the best results:

• Buy in Bulk – Pine nuts are super expensive; there’s no getting away from it. If you can, always buy them in bulk. When you get them home, transfer some to the fridge that you plan on using within a month or so, and get the rest straight in the freezer. This will save them from going rancid and will ensure you have a store of pine nuts all year-round. 
• Bake Before Freezing – Baking your pine nuts before freezing them should extend the time you can preserve them. You will find that baked pine nuts will remain good in the freezer for between 9-12 months, so it’s a great way to extend their shelf life. 
• Don’t Mix With Other Nuts – Pine nuts don’t last as long as other nuts like cashews and peanuts, so if you’re planning on a mixed nut combo, it’s best to freeze them separately. You don’t want to ruin your pre-dinner snacks with a rancid collection of pine nuts!

How Long Can You Freeze Pine Nuts?

You can freeze pine nuts for around six months. 

If you want to preserve them for longer (up to twelve months), consider baking them before freezing them. This is a simple process; you will just need to leave them on the counter until they’ve cooled to room temperature.

It will also save you time when preparing various recipes, as you won’t have to wait for your nuts to cook. 

You Can Freeze Pine Nuts for up to 6 Months

How Do You Defrost Pine Nuts?

Raw frozen pine nuts can be cooked straight from frozen. If you’re planning to cook your pine nuts before you freeze them, you should defrost them in the fridge before you add them to your recipe.

If you’re only taking out a small quantity, you will find that your pine nuts defrost quickly and will be ready to add to your recipe in a matter of hours. 

Can You Refreeze Pine Nuts?

It’s best not to refreeze pine nuts after you’ve already defrosted them. Nuts tend to soften ever so slightly in the freezer, and they will become softer the more times you freeze and refreeze them.

As such, be mindful of how many nuts you take out of the freezer at any given time, so you only remove what you need for your chosen recipe. 

Do Pine Nuts Freeze Well?

Freezing pine nuts is an excellent way to prevent them from going rancid, something that can happen if you leave them at room temperature for too long.

Lots of people keep their nuts in the fridge as soon as they’ve bought them, which helps to preserve them for slightly longer. But the freezer is your best bet if you buy in bulk.

You might notice that they go a little softer than you would like, but a soft pine nut is much better than a rancid one! 

Related FAQs

If you’ve still got questions about freezing pine nuts or pine nuts in general, then these may help:

Can Raw Pine Nuts Be Frozen?

Raw pine nuts can be frozen using the method above. Pour them into a freezer bag, seal and freeze. You can give them a shake after 30 minutes or so to try and prevent them from clumping together in the freezer. 

Can Pine Nuts Be Frozen In Shells?

You can but there isn’t a huge point in doing so as you’ll need to remove the shells to enjoy them. If you do choose to freeze them in their shells then simply place them into an airtight container, seal and freeze.