Scoring and Soaking
Cut an X through the shell of each unpeeled chestnut. Lay a damp towel on your work surface and put 2 pounds (0.91 kg) of fresh chestnuts on it. Arrange the nuts so the flat side is facing down. Then take a serrated knife and cut an X through the shell of the rounded side of the chestnut. Repeat this for each chestnut. Scoring the chestnut will help you determine when the nut has finished roasting since it will begin to curl up in the oven. Scoring will also make it easier to peel away the shell.
Soak the chestnuts in hot water for 1 minute. Pour hot water from the tap into the bowl with the chestnuts so they're submerged. Leave the chestnuts to soak for 1 minute. Soaking the chestnuts will add moisture to the nuts which will become steam when they roast in the oven. If you're short on time, you can skip the soak but the chestnuts will have a more concentrated flavor.
Drain the chestnuts and pat them dry. Set a colander in the sink and pour the chestnuts into it so the water drains. Then spread the nuts on a clean towel and pat them dry.
Roasting
Preheat the oven to 425 °F (218 °C) and line a baking sheet. Get out a rimmed baking sheet and tear off a large piece of aluminum foil. Lay the foil on the sheet. It doesn't matter if you place it shiny-side up or dull-side up.
Toss the chestnuts with the optional seasonings. If you'd like to give the chestnuts extra flavor, add 2 to 3 sprigs of rosemary, 1/2 cup (113 g) of melted butter, 2 teaspoons (11 g) of kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon (0.5 g) of freshly grated nutmeg, and pepper to taste. Stir until the chestnuts are coated. You could also combine 1/4 cup (56 g) of melted butter, 1 cinnamon stick, 1/8 teaspoon (0.7 g) of salt, 1/8 teaspoon (0.5 g) of sugar, and 1 pinch of freshly grated nutmeg and toss the chestnuts in the seasoning mixture.
Place the chestnuts on the foil and gather up the sides. Spread the seasoned or plain chestnuts on the foil-lined baking sheet so they're in a single layer. Bring the sides of the foil up around the chestnuts so they're in the center. Instead of bunching the foil together near the top, leave a big opening.
Bake the chestnuts for 30 to 45 minutes. Put the baking sheet with the chestnuts in foil into the preheated oven. Roast the nuts until you can see the peels starting to curl up. If you have small or fresh chestnuts, they may cook faster. Begin checking them after 20 minutes of roasting time.
Peeling
Remove the chestnuts from the oven. Turn off the oven and take the sheet with the chestnuts out. Keep your oven mitts on so you can carefully peel away the foil and pour the hot chestnuts into a bowl. Avoid touching the hot chestnuts with your bare hands since they can burn you.
Cover and leave the chestnuts for 15 minutes. Put a clean kitchen towel over the bowl with the chestnuts. The towel will trap the heat so the chestnuts steam. This will make them easier to peel.
Uncover the chestnuts and pull off the shells. Remove the kitchen towel and find the curling slit on a chestnut. Peel the shell away so the roasted chestnut falls out. Since you soaked and scored the chestnuts before roasting them, they should be easier to peel. If you find stubborn spots of the peel that you can't pull off, use a paring knife to cut the peel away. If you see any chestnuts that are gooey or disintegrating, throw them away.
Eat the warm roasted chestnuts. If you seasoned the chestnuts, pour the leftover seasoning in the foil over the peeled chestnuts just before serving. To cook with plain roasted chestnuts, add them to stuffing, soup, pasta, or cake. To store leftover roasted chestnuts, put them in an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 3 days.
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