In this study, the effects of different roasting techniques on the oil content, bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity, phenolic components, fatty acid and mineral contents of mahaleb seeds, which can be used instead of vanilla, were investigated spectrophotometric and chromatographic systems. The oil quantities of the mahaleb seeds were assessed to be between 30.34% (control) to 34.08% (conventional oven). The total phenolic and flavonoid quantities were assigned to be between 34.37 (control) and 46.61 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE/)/100 g (microwave) to 82.62 (conventional oven) and 94.21 mg quercetin equivalent (QE)/100 g (microwave), respectively. Antioxidant capacity values of untreated and roasted mahaleb seeds were assessed to be between 1.89 (control) and 2.03 mmol Trolox equivalent (TE) kg−1 (conventional oven). L* values of mahaleb seeds were established to be between 53.04 and 83.40, and a decrease was observed in L* values after heat treatment. Caffeic acid and rutin values of the mahaleb seeds were established between 344.84 (oven) and 641.86 (control) to 18.53 (control) and 146.52 mg/100 g (oven), respectively. The dominant fatty acids of the mahaleb oils were oleic, linoleic and palmitic acids. Phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) quantities of the mahaleb seeds were established to be between 4988.11 (control) and 5280.93 mg kg−1 (oven) to 8025.94 (oven) and 8462.66 mg kg−1 (microwave), respectively. The roasting process had an effect on the bioactive components, fatty acids and element contents of mahaleb seeds.