Old fashioned home cooked roasted peanuts are still prepared by same recipes used for over 100 years. To be roasted in the shell, peanuts are cooked at medium heat for about 15 minutes. They may be plain roasted or seasoned. The most popular are salted in-the-shell, however the new cajun flavor is getting accolades from consumers as well. To season peanuts in the shell - prior to roasting,- the peanuts are washed and then the seasonings, which are dissolved in water, are forced through the shells by a pressure process. When dried during the roasting process, the seasonings remain inside the shells.

Most often, snack peanuts are shelled, blanched, roasted and salted, (although Spanish peanuts are usually roasted with their skins on.) Peanuts may be roasted in oil or by a dry-roasting process. Peanuts are oil-roasted in continuous cookers that take a steady stream of peanuts through hot oil for about five minutes. After draining, the kernels may be salted.

Dry-roasted peanuts are cooked in a large oven by dry, hot forced air after which spicy seasonings are applied. The roasted peanuts are then packed in containers ranging in size from bags holding a handful, to large cans and jars. Frequently, peanuts are mixed with other nuts and dried fruits for “health-food” snacks.