Homemade Cashew Butter Recipe

Nut butters can be part of a nourishing snack or meal thanks to the numerous beneficial properties of nuts. However, added sugars, oils, flavoring agents, and preservatives in some store bought options mean that these nut butters are sometimes more similar to dessert than the nuts used to make them. Even though it might seem like a time consuming task to make your own nut butter, it really isn't! If you have a high speed blender or food processor, you can make your own nut butter. You're probably familiar with peanut butter, but cashews are a delicious option to use for your nut butters. Recipe developer Susan Olayinka of The Flexible Fridge is definitely a fan. 

Quick and simple recipes are fundamental to her approach. Amidst managing her busy family life, Olayinka takes a few extra minutes to make her own nut butter. "I just love anything homemade," she said. More importantly, "also I know that no nasties have been put in it." If you want to know what goes into your nut butter and maybe add a few fun extras to spice it up, try Olayinka's homemade cashew butter recipe.

For this delicious homemade cashew butter recipe — you guessed it — you'll need cashews. Olayinka recommends using raw cashews, either whole or split pieces will work because they'll be blended. Raw cashews are a good way to avoid cashews that have been roasted in lots of oil and salt. As well, Beyond the Nut indicates that raw cashews are a good source of fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. A bit of sea salt enhances the rich flavors of the cashews and balances out the fat.

Since you're making your own cashew butter, any other add-ins are up to you! "I've tried sugar once and it was amazing! I am sure cinnamon would work well too," said Olayinka, adding that you could even try adding a tablespoon of cocoa powder if a chocolate craving strikes.

To begin, set up your high speed blender or food processor — you won't be needing any other equipment. Next, pour in the four cups of raw cashews and blend on high speed for a few seconds until they are crushed into a sand-like consistency. Using a spatula or spoon, scrape down the sides of the blender so that your mass of cashews stays together.

Continue blending the cashews for a couple more seconds, pausing to scrape down the sides of the blender. Repeat this step one more time. Olayinka explains that "the mixture will start to turn into a thick paste," so be mindful of that. At this point, blend the paste again for a couple of seconds until it starts to loosen up and become smooth. Then, move on to the next step.

Now that the nut butter has reached a desirable consistency, sprinkle in the sea salt. If you're trying any other extras, then add them in now. Blend the cashew butter for a few more seconds to combine the sea salt but avoid over blending. Olayinka cautions, "This may cause the cashew nut butter to get hot and cook." You'll know you've gone too far if the cashew butter turns "into a dough-like texture."

Your cashew butter is now ready to serve, and we bet it won't be too hard to figure out what to do with it! Olayinka loves adding cashew butter to smoothies, enjoying it by the spoonful, or spreading it over a piece of toast. The nutty flavors are a great way to add character to a bowl of plain oatmeal. 

If you're not planning to devour the cashew butter in a short time, you can store it in the refrigerator to prevent the oils from going rancid. Otherwise, keep the sealed jar in the pantry for a smooth and creamy texture.