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    Eat Love Eat » Breakfast & Brunch

    How to Make Cashew Butter

    Published: Jan 19, 2022, Last Modified: January 19, 2022, By Sasha Hooper · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    This homemade cashew butter is super creamy, rich and luxurious. It comes together in no time and is perfect to spread on toast or use as an ingredient in many other recipes!

    Cashew butter in a jar on a plate with raw cashews and a spoon lifting up a big drip.

    I love using various nut butters (especially cashew butter) in the recipes we make at home. Making your own nut butter is a 'nice to do'; it's not necessary, but if you do consume a lot of it then it may work out a lot cheaper for you if you do the homemade version. This cashew butter is like liquid blonde gold and is very easy to make, providing you have access to some specific equipment. We’ll go through the ins and outs of the stages of creating this delicious spread below.

    This cashew butter is completely natural, with only one other ingredient added in; salt. That’s all you need. It’s that simple. So let’s get to it and also show you what you can use it in - like these Almond Butter Cups for a variation.

    Jump to:
    • Why make it?
    • What do I need?
    • What equipment to use?
    • How to make it
    • Ways to use it
    • Customisations
    • FAQs
    • More recipes you’ll love
    • How to Make Cashew Butter
    Cashew butter in a jar with a swirl on the top, sitting on a plate with raw cashew nuts and a spoon to the side.

    Why make it?

    Some reasons to consider before making it:

    Fun - if you are here reading this, you are probably like me and my husband; foodies. My husband is often learning how to create stuff from scratch, it really makes him tick. The eternal question is why make it when you can buy it? Well, there's absolutely nothing wrong with purchasing ready made - we often do! But it’s also fun to make your own. It can often be cheaper to do so if you get the nuts at a good price.

    Ingredients - making cashew butter yourself is simple and requires limited ingredients. You can do various adaptations, but what I am trying to say is you get to choose what to put in. This is naturally expressed cashew butter which doesn’t have any additional fat added (such as palm oil) to set it, like I said you get to choose what to add.

    Equipment - To make cashew butter you need some fairly powerful equipment. This doesn’t necessarily mean expensive, just that you will need a food processor OR a VERY good blender. Review the equipment notes below before starting!

    What do I need?

    There are only a few things you’ll need for this recipe:

    A bowl of raw cashew nuts and a smaller dish of flaky sea salt.

    Cashews - cashews are cashews, what else is there to say? The only considerations nowadays are where they are produced and how, but basically they are usually graded. Cheaper ones are usually broken and smaller, whereas more expensive ones are whole and large. Both work the exact same here.

    Salt - you’ll need a little salt, this just enhances the flavour of the nuts as they cream and brings out that super roasted flavour.

    What equipment to use?

    There are two ways you can make cashew butter:

    Food processor - we currently have a magimix 4200XL food processor, it processes things wonderfully well and I would recommend it, but you can also use pretty much any food processor as long as it has a fairly powerful motor. I would not recommend a mini chopper; if you are going to make nut butter, you need enough space for the amount of nuts used and it will need to run constantly for about 5-8 minutes.

    Blender - it is absolutely possible to use a blender to make cashew butter or any nut butter. BUT there is a limitation, it usually requires a very powerful motor as blenders usually require liquid to blend successfully. I would only recommend this option if you have something as powerful as a Vitamix. I would not recommend using a stick blender either for the same reason, you need to blend for a longer period of time and this may burn out your motor.

    Pros - The good thing about Vitamix is you can start it chopping slowly and gradually increase the speed.

    Cons - It’s definitely more of a pain to get the cashew butter out of a blender jug with the blades at the bottom; at least with the processor they are removable and there's a wider area to scrape.

    How to make it

    Follow these simple steps and see the stages of how cashews are made into cashew butter:

    Roasting stage

    Process steps of cashews on baking sheet before and after roasting.
    1. Lay all your raw cashew nuts on a baking sheet.
    2. Roast them in the oven preheated to 180C/350F for 5 minutes, remove them, toss them around and return for another 5 minutes until they are golden brown.

    Stages of making cashew butter

    Process steps of blending roasted cashew nuts into a fine flour.
    1. Add the roasted cashews into the processor bowl with the salt.
    2. Processing first creates a cashew flour.
    Process steps showing the cashew flour starting to release oils and clumping up.
    1. As the cashews break down they start to release more of their natural oils.
    2. The natural oils start to clump it all together, it can often create a ball, don’t stop here.
    Process steps of final stages of making cashew butter creamy.
    1. The stuck together lump keeps getting blended and as the paste heats up with the blades of the processor, more oils are released. Don’t stop here.
    2. Keep processing until it becomes a smooth liquid and flows around the processor bowl, it will have a glossy sheen to it. That’s it!

    Ways to use it

    Here are some suggestions for how to use cashew butter. It is really quite versatile and can be used in both sweet and savoury recipes.

    • Spread it on toast/english muffins for breakfast or a light snack with banana slices and honey.
    • Use it in smoothies instead of peanut butter for an extra creamy touch.
    • Use it in pancake batter instead of tahini in these Chocolate Pancakes.
    • Use in stir fry sauces.
    • Add it to dressings for salads.
    • Add it to a curry to bring out a nutty creamy flavour.
    • Make snacks like these soft and chewy Cashew Butter Granola Bars.
    • Make a sweet snack like these Dark Chocolate Cashew Butter Cups.
    • Make a breakfast like this Coconut Tahini Pistachio Granola.
    • Make a baked oatmeal such as this Tahini Cherry Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal.
    a spoon laying across the top of a jar of cashew butter with raw cashews scattered around.

    Customisations

    Nuts - You can use this same method to make any nut into nut butter. Some nuts such as almonds can be a little unwilling to give up their oils and as such you may find it useful to add a little neutral oil to get them going.

    Make it crunchy - If you like crunchy nut butter you can reserve some of the roasted cashew nuts before processing the rest. Chop them into small bits and stir throughout the finished cashew butter to make a crunchy version. Or you can just add the chopped cashews to the processor and pulse them into the finished nut butter.

    Flavourings - There are countless add ins you can use to make your nut butter your own. Try adding spices like cinnamon or cardamom, or a pumpkin spice mix. You can also add vanilla or any other extract you like. Or make it extra luxurious and add some cocoa powder for an ultra-chocolatey cashew butter. Or why not try this Chocolate Almond Pecan Butter instead.

    FAQs

    How much does this make?

    For 3 cups (400g) of cashew nuts the yield will be at least 1 ½ cups of smooth nut butter. Enough to fit inside a 454g (1lb) mason jar.

    How long does it last?

    You can keep this in the cupboard for 2-3 months, once opened, it’s at its best to use within 4 weeks. Just as with any natural nut butter, it will separate with time and just needs stirring together to bring it back together.
    You can keep the cashew butter in the fridge once opened but I find that it sets up. It’s far easier to just stir as needed and store it at room temperature. Beyond this time the oils that separates off potentially can go rancid, it won’t kill you, but it isn’t very nice to taste. If you live in a warm climate it may be advisable to store in the fridge anyway.

    More recipes you’ll love

    A few more options to tempt you. In these recipes you can easily switch out the peanut or almond butter for cashew butter.

    • Dark Chocolate Cashew Butter Cups
    • Healthy No Bake Granola Bars (Gluten Free)
    • Maple Almond Butter Snack Mix
    • Strawberry Blueberry Smoothie

    I hope you love this healthy creamy chicken sausage skillet as much as we do. If you make it, be sure to leave a comment, rate the recipe and tag #eatloveeats on Instagram! I love to see your creations!

    Cashew butter in a jar on a plate with raw cashews around it and a spoon lifting the cashew butter out of the jar in a big drip.

    How to Make Cashew Butter

    A simple, delicious and creamy homemade cashew butter which is the perfect addition to your store cupboard.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe ⭐️ Rate Recipe
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Processing time: 5 minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes
    Servings: 24 tablespoons
    Author: Sasha Hooper

    Equipment

    • Food Processor
    • Baking Sheet

    Ingredients 

    • 3 cups raw cashew nuts, roasted, 400g
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Place your cashews on a baking sheet, and roast in the oven for 5 minutes, remove and toss the nuts and return to the oven for another 5 minutes until golden brown. Let them cool for a few minutes before processing.
      3 cups raw cashew nuts
    • Add the slightly cooled nuts and sea salt to the food processor and process until smooth, about 5-7 minutes depending on the power of your processor. Store in a clean mason jar.
      ½ teaspoon sea salt, 3 cups raw cashew nuts
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    Notes

    Nuts - You can use this same method to make any nut into nut butter. Some nuts such as almonds can be a little unwilling to give up their oils and as such you may find it useful to add a little neutral oil to get them going.
    Make it crunchy - If you like crunchy nut butter you can reserve some of the roasted cashew nuts before processing the rest. Chop them into small bits and stir throughout the finished cashew butter to make a crunchy version. Or you can just add the chopped cashews to the processor and pulse them into the finished nut butter.
    Flavourings - There are countless add ins you can use to make your nut butter your own. Try adding spices like cinnamon or cardamom, or a pumpkin spice mix. You can also add vanilla or any other extract you like. Or make it extra luxurious and add some cocoa powder for an ultra-chocolatey cashew butter. Or why not try this Chocolate Almond Pecan Butter instead.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 tablespoon | Calories: 92kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7.3g | Saturated Fat: 1.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 34.5mg | Potassium: 110mg | Fiber: 0.6g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 6.2mg | Iron: 1.1mg
    Course Sauce, Snack
    Cuisine Gluten free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Did you make this recipe?Leave a comment below with how you got on and don't forget to give the recipe a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. You can also tag @eatloveeats on Instagram - we love to see your creations!
    « Healthy Creamy Chicken Sausage Skillet
    Healthy No Bake Granola Bars (Gluten Free) »
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    Comments

    1. Jessica says

      February 01, 2022 at 8:53 pm

      5 stars
      I've made my own peanut butter before but not cashew butter. I really love the flavour! I roasted them a little longer than you said as I forgot about them and it just made it deeper in flavor.

      Reply

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