How to Make Nut Butter

This a simple recipe for homemade nut butter that can be swapped for any nut you have on hand. Make this into a PB&J and pair it with no-cook freezer strawberry jam and homemade sandwich bread!

Let me preface this post with this statement:

I am not a make-your-own-peanut butter type of gal.

Oh no.  I buy my all-natural peanut butter in bulk from Costco and don’t mess with the commotion that comes with making your own.

However, I also do not like to waste food. So when I found a nearly empty tub of cashews in my pantry without any plans for use, I decided it was time to try homemade nut butter.

Homemade Nut Butter

We always have nuts in the pantry. They are a great protein with healthy fats to add to Smoothies, Granola Bars, on top of Oatmeal, and in Trail Mix.

Sometimes I just don’t have those items on the meal plan. Making nut butter is a perfect solution for using up stray nuts and adding some variety to our meals!

When making nut butter, big nuts get smashed and creamed up, so why not throw in the smaller pieces too? We’d not waste them, save the larger pieces for snacking or recipes that need them, AND have a fresh batch to smear on our sandwiches and toast.

Sounded like a win-win to me! Plus, I loved the idea of making my own because I could use natural flavors and no added sugar. And I could make any combination I wanted, from pecan butter to pistachio butter; the options were endless!

Ingredients for Homemade Nut Butter

• 2 cups nuts
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
• Pinch of salt (optional, to taste)

Psst! If you’re going to add salt, I highly recommend Ava Jane’s Kitchen. You may think all salt is created equal, but unfortunately, 90% of the salt produced around the world contains microplastics (gross, right?). Ava Jane’s Kitchen is an exception. Their salt is 100% microplastic-free, and it’s SO GOOD! Plus, you can get a bag for just 1¢!! (Get your penny bag of salt on this page.)

How to Make Nut Butter

Here are my easy instructions.

Step 1. Using a large food processor or a high-speed blender, grind nuts into a fine powder, for approximately 2-10 minutes.

Step 2. Add the melted coconut oil and continue processing, scraping down the sides as needed, until the nuts have released their natural oils and the butter is smooth and creamy approximately 5-10 minutes.

Step 3. Add optional salt and any other additional flavors once the butter is finished, and process for 1 minute to incorporate well.

Nut Butter Recipe Notes

• I use a Blendtec with the twister jar for homemade nut butter, but most blenders and food processors will also work. Depending on your equipment, it might take less time, or more time, to get creamy nut butter.
• 2 cups of nuts make approximately 1 ½ cups of nut butter. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Type of Nuts

When it comes to making nut butter, you can pretty much use whatever nut you want, in whatever size you want.

• If you have money to burn and have a craving for roasted pine nut butter, then by all means, go for it! For those with meager budgets, I encourage you to use the nuts you already have on hand and buy regularly, or the small pieces left behind after the husband demolishes a few containers of whole cashews.

Combinations

Homemade nut butter doesn’t have to be boring. In fact, one of the first popular flavors I tried was honey cinnamon cashew butter and OH.MY.GOODNESS, it was AMAZING! I may or may not have eaten the entire batch with a spoon.

• Remember that you don’t need one single nut to make nut butter either. Combination butter like cashew-almond, almond-pecan, or peanut-macadamia would all be excellent. Just use whatever you have!
• Sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, molasses, or brown sugar can curb your sweet tooth and practically eliminate the need (or desire) for jelly. Or consider adding another puree like coconut butter for a rich, coconut-y flavor.
• Think of spices like vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. When fall rolls around, maybe add a tablespoon of Pumpkin Puree along with traditional fall spices. Maple pumpkin almond butter anyone?
• Put a twist on traditional nut butter with chocolate. Cocoa powder, semi-sweet chips, milk chocolate, and dark chocolate would all be divine with any nut in my opinion. What about almond butter with a bit of milk and dark chocolate and coconut butter mixed in? Or, what about hazelnut butter mixed with chocolate for a chocolate hazelnut spread, aka your own homemade Nutella!

While rabbit trailing on Pinterest, I found a reader who takes leftover gourmet nut mix from Christmas, adds 1 tablespoon of sweetener, a dash of salt, and adds curry, cayenne, or paprika. She then spreads it on figs, dates, or crackers with pepper jelly. Talk about a genius way to re-purpose random holiday leftovers!

Do the math before committing to making your own nut butter indefinitely. However, if you’re just looking for a way to use up those random leftover pieces of nuts and are in the mood for a little something that’s a cross between honey and coconut and chocolate and peanut butter, well then by all means, make some nut butter!!

Questions about Homemade Nut Butter

More Easy Recipes for Sauces & Condiments

• Homemade Apple Butter
• Carrot Top Pesto
• Homemade Mayo
• Easy No Cook Freezer Strawberry Jam

Homemade Nut Butter

Get ready to spread the best nut butter you’ve ever had over any and everything! Say goodbye to store-bought nut butter with artificial ingredients. This nut butter will become your new favorite way to enjoy it on bread, in oatmeal, or even by the spoonful! Enjoy!

Watch How to Make Homemade Nut Butter