All you need is two ingredients, an oven, and 15 minutes in the food processor to make the easiest, creamy Homemade Cashew Butter. You won’t believe how simple it is!
Post originally published November 2015. Updated with new photos and more instructions December 2019
(AKA liquid gold).
Every time I make homemade cashew butter, I end up talking to the cashews, not trusting they are going to make it into butter.
It does take a bit of time, but they eventually process themselves into a delicious, creamy (addicting) nut butter.
Making Homemade Cashew Butter
So to help ease your mind while you embark on this adventure that is cashew butter making, I took a few step-by-step photos. JUST TRUST IN YOUR FOOD PROCESSOR and its BA power, and all will be well.
Ingredients & equipment needed for Homemade Cashew Butter
- cashews – I started with raw organic cashews and lightly toasted them myself. I found a pretty good deal on Amazon. They came out to be $9.50/lb which is not too bad if you’re familiar with how much they can cost normally. Of course you can buy pre-roasted cashews to skip the oven step if you don’t care about what oils are being added.
- coconut oil – or another oil if sensitive to coconut. The oil can help speed up the process once the nut butter starts to get really thick.
- food processor or high powered blender – I use the Breville 12-cup Sous Chef
How to Make Cashew Butter
Spread the cashews on a baking pan evenly and toast them at 325ºF for about 15 minutes, or until just lightly golden. I suggest watching after 10 minutes just to be sure they don’t get too dark.
Let the cashews cool a little on the pan, for about 10 minutes.
Now add to the bowl of your food processor and start grinding away.
roasted cashews meal like texture forms
starting to get thicker even thicker
This is where you may have to scrape down the sides of the bowl every few minutes, depending on the size of your food processor.
I have a 12 cup, and used 4 cups of cashews.
See NOW we’re getting somewhere! Of course here I was again about 10 minutes in, getting semi-skeptical. Thinking “Okay, is this really going to work? When will it finally turn into butter? What the heck are you doing cashews?! …”
And then like magic this smooth goodness happened out of nowhere. YUHUMMMM. Ugh I can’t even. SO GOOD.
I like to add just a couple teaspoons of coconut oil here and process for another 4-5 minutes to get it really creamy. The creamier, the better. You might as well use it for frosting at this point, because seriously that is what it tastes like.
Ways to Use Homemade Cashew Butter
- On toast, bread, english muffins, bagels!
- As a sweet potato breakfast topping.
- As an oatmeal topping.
- I’ve got this amazing cashew curry sauce in this recipe here. Seriously, it’s the best.
- I use nut butter in my super popular Paleo Banana Muffins.
- Of course you can always make loads of cookies – Chocolate Dipped Cashew Butter Cookies, Turmeric Cashew Butter Cookies, or my Deep Dish Pumpkin Cookie.
- I also use cashew butter in this reader favorite dressing.
How to store Cashew Butter
Transfer cooled cashew butter to jars with lids. You can keep the cashew butter in the pantry for about 2 months. Or keep in fridge for longer, about 6 months.
(But who doesn’t go through it in less than a month with so many cashew butter recipes to make!?)
Be sure to sign up for my email list here where you’ll get all of my homemade nut butter recipes PLUS ways to use them in one eBook.
How to Make…
Homemade Cashew Butter
All you need is two ingredients, an oven, and 15 minutes in the food processor to make the easiest, creamy Homemade Cashew Butter. You won’t believe how simple it is!
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 25 mins
- Yield: 16oz Jar 1x
- Scale:
Ingredients
- 4 cups raw cashews (I used Terrasoul)
- 2 tsp extra virgin coconut oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F and place raw cashews on a medium-sized baking sheet. Spread evenly in one layer and toast for 10-15 minutes, or until lightly golden. Let cashews cool on pan for 10 minutes.
- Place slightly cooled cashews in bowl of food processor and cover with lid. Process for about 10 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl periodically if necessary. Once your cashews have turned into a slightly creamy consistency, with the motor running, add 2 tsp of coconut oil and process the cashew butter for another 5 minutes, or until desired consistency.
- Transfer cashew butter into jar with lid and store in fridge.
Recipes Notes:
I have a 12 cup Breville food processor, and 4 cups of cashews allowed me just enough to have the blades work properly while grinding down the cashews. I wouldn’t recommend using less than 4 cups in a 12 cup bowl, or you may not achieve a creamy consistency in the end. prep time refers to oven time for toasting cook time refers to time in processor serving size based on 1 tablespoon, nutrition information approximate.
Nutrition Information:
- Serving Size: 1 TBSP
- Calories: 100
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 1mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Carbohydrates: 5g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
TOOLS USED for this recipe
Standard 11×17 Baking Sheet
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Carol says
I so need to try this! I’ve always loved cashews would love to have a jar of nut butter on hand for those days when peanut butter won’t do.
Thanks for the post. 🙂
{hugs} from a fellow #bloggingboost member! 🙂
Carol
★★★★★
Ashley says
Oh Carol you will DEFINITELY be loving cashew butter, maybe even more than PB!! Thanks so much for stopping by 🙂 <3
Sam @ PancakeWarriors says
Liquid gold is right – omg I can’t make cashew butter because I can’t keep my spoon out of it. It doesn’t need anything else and it’s slightly sweet and creamy all on it’s own. Seriously addicting – thanks for reminding me I need to order a new food processor the last time I made nut butter it smelled like it was about to catch fire!
Ashley says
I am so tempted to play around with flavors but you are so right about it being perfect on its own! I loveee my breville, but it is a little pricey. Got it as a wedding gift though, so I am super thankful for that!
Christina says
WOOOOOAH NOW I can’t handle how creamy and gorgeous this looks. Amazing photos! That was so hilarious I’m sorry haha your computer shutting off. Poor thing I hate when that happens!!!!
Ashley says
lol apparently I didn’t need to say all I had already typed out :-p but ya you def need this creamy goodness in your life. xx
Megan says
Wow this looks SO much better than when I tried it. I think my problem was that I didn’t blend it long enough.. I’ll have to try this again soon!
Ashley says
Yes just be as patient as you can! 🙂
Georgie says
Love the step by step pictures. That was definitely my biggest issue when I made almond butter, I was like “is this fo reeeaaal” but that good ‘ol food processor knows how to get the job done (eventually)
Ashley says
I know right?! Total skeptic until those last few minutes.
Brie @ Lean, Clean, & Brie says
Haha I went through the same thought process when I made my first nut butter. I looked at the almonds I was using and wondered how the heck they would turn into a butter consistency… turns out they do! This looks delish!
Ashley says
It is like magic and I can’t get enough!! Officially obsessed with my food processor 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Cashew butter is the best AND was the first homemade nut butter I ever made which happened to be during Christmas time! Haha <3
Susie @ SuzLyfe says
I might have just slobbered on myself
Ashley says
lolol
Dani @ Dani California Cooks says
I am always worried that if I leave my food processor on for too long it is going to lift off like a plane. It always makes the worst noises!
Ashley says
Lol, definitely invest in a good one! I’d be worried too if I heard odd noises…
Jess @hellotofit says
I’ve always wondered what the Stages of Life of nut butter looked like – LOVE that you posted pics of what to look for as it transforms. I STILL haven’t made homemade nut butter…and I think I have a ton of roasted cashews in brown WF paper bag somewhere….YUM
Ashley says
It was definitely always my question before making nut butter and I was always too nervous to try because I was afraid it wouldn’t work! But yes, please make cashew butter with those WF babies!!