Hazelnut
Edible nut of the hazel tree, used in food and confectionery.
The hazelnut is the fruit of the hazel tree, encompassing nuts from species of the genus Corylus, particularly Corylus avellana. Also known as cobnuts or filberts depending on the species, hazelnuts are used as a snack food, in baking, desserts, breakfast cereals, and confectionery, including praline, chocolate truffles, chocolate bars, and hazelnut cocoa spreads such as Nutella, as well as in Frangelico liqueur. Hazelnut oil, pressed from the nuts, is strongly flavored and high in monounsaturated fat, used as a cooking oil and salad dressing.
- Field
- Agriculture / Food
- Known for
- Edible nut of the hazel tree, major global crop
- Largest producer 2023
- Turkey (57.7% of world production)
- World production 2023
- 1.13 million tonnes (in shells)
- Nut to fruit ratio
- 33.2% to 49.5% depending on cultivar
Lore & Background
Evidence of large-scale Mesolithic hazelnut processing, some 8,000 years old, was found in a midden pit on the island of Colonsay in Scotland. The pit contained hundreds of thousands of burned hazelnut shells, radiocarbon dated to about 6000 BCE. The shells were burned from gathered nuts, not from felling trees en masse. The scale of activity and scarcity of large game on the island suggest the community may have supplemented their diet with seafood or game, though their exact diet remains uncertain.
Reader's Guide
Hazelnuts have been a significant food source since the Mesolithic period, as evidenced by the large-scale processing site on Colonsay, Scotland, dating to around 6000 BCE. This discovery highlights early communal activity and planning, with nuts harvested in a single year and all hazel trees felled simultaneously. The traditional method to increase nut production, called brutting, involves snapping but not breaking off new shoot tips to promote flower bud development. In 2023, Turkey led world production with 57.7% of the total, followed by Italy and the United States, where production is centered in Oregon's Willamette Valley. Hazelnuts are harvested annually in mid-autumn, often by waiting for nuts to drop, then using sweepers, harvesters, nut carts, and forklifts. They are used in praline, chocolate truffles, hazelnut paste, and spreads like Nutella, as well as in Frangelico liqueur. The nut's seed is edible raw, roasted, or ground into paste, and its oil is used in cooking and dressings.
Did You Know?
- In 1995, evidence of Mesolithic nut processing from about 6000 BCE was found on the island of Colonsay in Scotland.
- The traditional method to increase nut production is called brutting.
- In 2023, Turkey produced 57.7% of the world's hazelnuts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is a hazelnut?
A hazelnut is the edible seed produced by the hazel tree, specifically from species in the Corylus genus. The most widely cultivated variety is Corylus avellana, though related species yield cobnuts and filberts.
What tree does the hazelnut come from?
Hazelnuts are the fruit of the hazel tree, a member of the Corylus genus. The most commonly grown species is Corylus avellana, which produces the small round nuts you find in most grocery stores.
What are hazelnuts used for in food and cooking?
They appear in everything from pralines and chocolate truffles to breakfast cereals and cocoa spreads like Nutella. They also star in Frangelico liqueur and can be pressed into a richly flavored, monounsaturated-fat-rich cooking oil.
Which country grows the most hazelnuts?
Turkey dominates global hazelnut output, supplying roughly 57.7% of the world's total. In 2023, worldwide production reached about 1.13 million tonnes measured in shells.
What's the difference between a hazelnut, a cobnut, and a filbert?
All three are edible nuts from the Corylus genus, but they come from different species. The common hazelnut is Corylus avellana, while cobnuts and filberts refer to other related species with slightly different nut shapes and sizes.
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