Homemade Cashew Butter is easy and a very versatile spread - you can substitute it for peanut butter in almost anything. It's a 5 minute how to make cashew butter recipe that is so delicious and naturally vegan.
Homemade Cashew Butter is more of a how-to than a recipe but I really wanted to share with you how easy it is to make. Being a very versatile spread - you can substitute it for peanut butter in almost any recipe.
So if you are on a paleo (keto) diet you can use cashew instead of peanut butter.
Cashews have a naturally rich and buttery taste which makes them perfect for a homemade spread.
Also, it is a great butter for additions to ice cream, sauces, candy and so much more. Spread on toast and have a great breakfast.
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💭 Interesting cashew facts
- Google a photo of cashew seeds on a cashew apple. It will blow your mind.
- That brings us to the fact that cashews are not technically nuts but seeds.
- They grow on trees that are 30-50 feet tall.
- West Africa and India are the major producers of the seeds/nuts.
- They are high in starch. That is why they work so well in thickening sauces.
- Cashews are nutritious with lots of protein.
- They are green before they are roasted.
🥘 Ingredients
- Cashews - 🙂 - that's it! Cashews will naturally release their own oils.
🔪 Instructions
Here ya go. Exact instructions and then a pictorial.
- This is such a simple process but I think the photos will help you visually.
- Add the cashews to your food processor, or as I used, the Ninja.
- Turn on the Ninja and process for about 10 seconds.
- You will have a coarse meal as in the photo below.
- All of these steps will take longer for a regular food processor but you will get there.
- Whir another 20 seconds and you will see it starting to clump together.
- Scrap down the sides to the center near the blades.
- Whir another 20 seconds and scrape again.
- This time hold it for about a minute. You will see the blades (through the plastic bowl on the outside of the Ninja) catch something once in a while so it is blending.
- If you don't see the blades working, turn off and scrape again.
- This time you will see the cashews blending for sure.
- It is starting to look like cashew butter but is not quite there yet.
- Hold for another 30 seconds to one minute and you will actually see the creamy cashew butter showing oil and creaming around the edges.
💭 How to make cashew butter
A great way to buy cashews, especially in pieces, is in bulk. You can save a few pennies and make affordable nut butters.
Drop the cashews into the food processor.
I have been asked since this recipe has come out which Ninja machine I used. It is the Ninja Master Prep and I use the smallest unit for this recipe.
I've been making cashew butter for over seven years now and they have come out with more models but I still love mine.
You can see the coarsely ground seeds and how it all begins.
More and more oils are being released as the processing goes and you can see in the photo below that it is almost there.
I probably have been going about a minute in the photo above.
Give the machine a rest every 30 seconds and the clumps begin to form. It really is fast work though.
Just keep going until you have a creamy spread.
That is it! You have a beautiful, homemade, natural, healthy, creamy nut butter.
Store in the refrigerator with a tight-fitting lid for up to 2 weeks.
📖 Cashew butter recipes
- Cashew Butter Chocolate Truffles would probably be your favorite if they came in a store-bought mixed truffles mix.
- Thinly spread maple cashew butter on puff pastry and sliced carrots for an amazing Carrot Bundles Appetizer.
- Cashew Pralines are sweet sweet sweet and irresistible.
If you take a photo of your homemade cashew butter I would love to see it. Follow me over on Instagram and tag me on your photo @vegan_in_the_freezer.
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Your opinion means a lot to me and if you'd like to leave a comment and possibly a star rating I'd love to hear your thoughts.
📋 Recipe
Homemade Cashew Butter
Ingredients
- 2 cups cashew pieces
- no other ingredient needed
Instructions
- This is such a simple process but I think the photos will help you visually.
- Add the cashews to your food processor, or as I used, the Ninja.
- Turn on the Ninja and process for about 10 seconds.
- You will have a coarse meal as in the photo below.
- All of these steps will take longer for a regular food processor but you will get there.
- Whir another 20 seconds and you will see it starting to clump together.
- Scrap down the sides to the center near the blades.
- Whir another 20 seconds and scrape again.
- This time hold it for about a minute. You will see the blades (through the plastic bowl on the outside of the Ninja) catch something once in a while so it is blending.
- If you don't see the blades working, turn off and scrape again.
- This time you will see the cashews blending for sure.
- It is starting to look almost done but it is not quite there yet.
- Hold for another 30 seconds to one minute and you will actually see the creamy cashew butter showing oil and creaming around the edges.
Nutrition
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Ginny McMeans
Yes! Absolutely Mary!
Mary Biel
Can I freeze cashew butter?
Thanks,
Mary
Bailey
I can't believe how easy this was to make and it's so much better than store bought. The photos really helped to understand how the process works. Thanks!
Ginny McMeans
Hi Annie, nothing would make this recipe be like a butter substitute. That would be a completely different recipe with different ingredients. The 'butter' would all start with a cocoa butter base. I will have to put that recipe on here. 🙂 Thanks for the inspiration and I will tag you when I get it on the blog.
Annie
Greetings!
Is there an ingredient that I can add to this recipe, that might offer a flavor which is similar to regular butter?
I adore being vegan, but there are just a couple of omni tastes that I miss, and am always seeking wisdom from others, to see if there's a way to get those lost flavors.
If not, I'll carry on, and hopefully find something close to it.
Thanks for any advice offered :o)
Ginny McMeans
You know Tracey - you could use either. I have done it both ways and I have used raw. All have turned out wonderful. It is so easy too.
Tracey
Can't wait to try. Should I use roasted or unroasted cashew
Robin
No worries, Cheryl! Homemade nut butters last quite a long time. I typically keep mine in the cabinet and they do fine for a couple months (probably longer but we eat them quickly). I've had a cinnamon-cashew butter in the refrigerator since last October and it's now August of the next year. Enjoy!
Ginny McMeans
Not stupid at all Cheryl. I err on the side of caution. I should say several weeks and leave it to the persons discretion. The oils do cause the butter to go rancid more quickly but it still keeps very well.
Ginny McMeans
Yes, it freezes perfectly and up to 4 months.
cheryl
This may be a stupid question but why is it only good for two weeks? The nuts themselves would last a lot longer and you didn't add anything to them.
boblekoker
Is it possible to freeze this? Or will it separate? I prefer making things in bulk and putting it in the freezer 🙂
Ginny McMeans
You can still use your model - just turn it off every 30 seconds or so to be safe. My model number is QV1004 000.
Alex
Well, my blender just overheated without finishing the job. Which Ninja do you use? There are several models
Lesia
Great. Sounds like it would work. Will have to try it next time I prepare my torte. Thanks. : )
Ginny McMeans
It is just like peanut butter but I am thinking it would work as a frosting but not as light as a buttercream. Use this cashew butter, add some icing sugar and cocoa and add non dairy milk to the consistency that you want. Sorry I son't have measurements. Just thinking what I would do.
Lesia
I wonder if one could use this cashew butter in place of butter to make a butter cream icing for a torte? Do you think it would work if icing sugar and a bit of cocoa were added? I'm curious to know if the cashew butter's consistency is more buttery or peanut buttery like.
Ginny McMeans
They would be great with those cashews too. I have used salted ones and the butter is delicious.
Natasha
I know this might be redundant but .. All I have are Sea Salted cashews in hand..
Do you think that would make the butter overly salted? Should I go for raw or non-salted cashews?
Thanks!
Conny
Sounds great! Do you think it would work with a normal hand blender as well?
Bronwyn
I use a coffee grinder and that makes it super creamy
Ginny McMeans
Yes, a pinch of salt with raw cashews would be good. You don't soak? Very interesting and I will have to try that.
Kate Goodrich
I make my own cashew butter using raw cashew pieces and a pinch of salt. Nothing else.I do use my food processor, 3 1/2 cups raw pieces. I've never soaked my cashews.
Ginny McMeans
Yes, same process. It won't be like nutella but it will be great!
Ginny McMeans
Yes, you can used roasted cashews. I have done than too.
Cori Pepe
What about making hazelnut butter? Same process?
Cori Pepe
What about roasting them first? I saw another recipe that said to use roasted ones. ? Can't wait to try it. Thank you.
Ginny
No, see answer above. 🙂
Ginny
Oh, no. I just saw this. I am on the west coast. You are doing right. This is what happens. Scrape the sides, go, stop, scrapes the sides, go, stop, scrape the sides, go, stop. Do not add water. Oil and water don't mix. Don't add any oil. Not necessary. It will eventually start releasing it's own oils. The longer you go the creamier it gets. Give your processor a rest every once in a while. I hope you kept going and you saw how it worked. If you put it in the fridge before it finished - take it out and keep going. You are not working in vain. It will work. So worth it. Let me know.
Joy
Should I try adding a dash of water?
Joy
I'm not having much luck with this. I'm using raw cashew pieces (with nothing added). I've blended them in a food processor and now they've just formed a huge tough lump like clay. I reluctantly added a little olive oil and a little grapeseed oil but it hasn't helped. I keep flattening it down with a spatula but it just balls up again and the blade spins fruitlessly around... Help!
Coles
Thank you much.
Ginny McMeans
You are very welcome. Thank you so much for letting me know you are so happy with the recipe. 🙂
ashlyn wheeler
Thank you for posting this recipe, all of the others that I have found wanted you to add oil of some sort & sugar or honey. It came out really good!
Ginny McMeans
That sounds great Mayca! They do make some really good sauces. 🙂
Mayca
I love cashew nuts . I made cashew nuts cream to use as a dairy-free sauce last week. Gorgeous and goes with any food !
Ginny McMeans
No nothing special. Just soak as usual. I almost always use raw cashews. The longer you process them the creamer they become. If your blender heats up just make sure you let it cool down every minute or so.
Reinelle
Do I have to do anything special to raw cashews before using them? I can't use regular cashews cause they have peanut oil on them.
Ginny McMeans
Alright! You won't believe how fast it makes butters. Love the thing. Thanks for your support too!!! 🙂
Susan
Yeah Ninja! Just got one for my birthday from my family. This recipe is definitely on my list. Always have cooked everything from scratch. Love your site.
Ginny McMeans
Isn’t that the truth Melissa!!!
Ginny McMeans
How great! One step less.
Melissa
I used organic raw cashews and didn't soak. Came out great!
Melissa
Thank you for sharing! So simple, I will never buy nut butter again.
Ginny McMeans
Yes, that is what I meant. You can make the butter with any kind of cashew. It would be cleaner/healthier with raw cashews but I know they are hard to find sometimes.
Andrea
Im going to buy some cashews to make this weekend! By "ready to bake" do you mean dry roasted cashews? Like the kind you can buy in the store already roasted?
Anonymous
THANKS!
Ginny McMeans
No, no soaking necessary. In fact I used ready to bake with cashew pieces. Not raw. Very easy. If you want to use raw I would soak for a few hours first.
Lj
Do you soak your cashews first? If so, do you dehydrate them before making the butter?
Ginny McMeans
Homemade Cashew Butter lasts up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
Jolynn
How long does this last?
Ginny McMeans
It makes 1-1/4cups. 🙂
Mooinca
How much cashew butter does 2c of cashew make?
Ginny McMeans
You are so welcome Becky! I hope you get to try it. It is very important to let your machine run long enough to get the cashews creamy. All machines are a bit different and may need cooling down every once in a while. Not my Ninja though. Ha! You'd think I had stock in them.
Becky Marie
So easy! Thanks for posting the pictures, they really help me see a cooking process. This is on my list to try.