I’m a sucker for a good baking booster, and toasting nuts and seeds before adding them to baked goods is one of the simplest. Even if you’ve got access to really fresh nuts and seeds, the flavor can still be a bit lacking. Toasting nuts allows their earthy, flavorful oils to be released and permeate a batter or dough, and it also makes the nuts or seeds crunchier for a nice added textural element. Sample two oatmeal cookies, one with toasted walnuts and one with untoasted, and you’ll never go untoasted again.
Nuts and seeds can be toasted in a dry skillet on the stovetop, but you have to babysit them, watching and stirring often to prevent them from burning. Since I’m often doing a dozen things at once in the kitchen, as long as my oven is already preheating for a recipe I avoid the stovetop method (inevitably some small person comes wandering in, needing a snack and playing 20 Questions, while I’m measuring other ingredients and the mixer is whirring).
Instead, I like to toast nuts and seeds in the oven while it’s preheating. It takes a little more time—8 to 10 minutes for nuts, 4 to 6 minutes for seeds, depending on the size of the pieces and the temperature of the oven—but it’s a gentler approach than the stove and puts the heat of the oven to good use while it’s waiting. Any metal baking pan and oven temperature from 350 to 400˚F works fine for toasting; make sure to shake the pan every few minutes and check the progress. While they’re still warm and a bit glossy with their oils, season the pieces with a pinch of fine sea salt, if you like—this makes a great crunchy, salty-sweet garnish for ice creams and puddings.
Just about any treat that calls for nuts and seeds to be mixed in can benefit from a pretoasting, but there are a couple of exceptions. If a streusel or other exterior topping involves nuts, I leave them untoasted, as they tend to burn while being exposed to heat during a long bake. I also don’t toast nuts and seeds that will be incorporated into high-heat candy like toffees and brittles. For that, I tend to use raw nuts, as the screaming-hot sugar will roast the nuts on contact, and if they’re preroasted, they can become overcooked and bitter.