I’ve been wanting to make homemade peanut butter, cashew butter, etc. for a long time. I finally got around to it yesterday. I decided to make cashew butter first. I’ve never actually had cashew butter, but cashews are my favorite nut. I knew you could make peanut butter by just grinding peanuts, so I figured cashews would work the same way. Well, kind of. I first did just cashews. But the butter was a little dry/crumbly. I thought it needed some moisture/oil, but I wasn’t sure what kind. So then I decided I should probably actually look up how to make cashew butter 😛 Every recipe I found was identical, so I’ll post that. I didn’t follow the recipe in terms of quantities. I just added, mixed and tasted to get it how I wanted it/get it smooth. This is soooo good. I’m so glad I tried it. And now we have a full jar (plus a little extra) of good quality cashew butter. I used just a pinch of salt and a drizzle of agave nectar to add flavor. Justin says he still likes peanut butter better. Me, I’m not sure. The cashew butter is really good. Maybe I’ll have to try adding in some other flavors sometime too…chocolate, cherry, vanilla,…we’ll see. It sure made a yummy breakfast on toasted homemade wheat bread (fresh baked last night) this morning!! Can’t wait to try our cashew butter and jelly sandwiches later this week. I’ll post the before and after pictures.
Cashew Butter
2 cups unsalted roasted cashews (I used a combo of raw and roasted organic cashews)
2 to 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil (I used canola oil)
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar, optional (I used agave nectar. Honey would work too.)
In a food processor or blender, combine the nuts, 2 tablespoons of the oil, the salt, and the sugar, if desired. Process on high speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula and process to desired smoothness, adding more oil, 1 teaspoon at a time, if a smoother butter is desired. Adjust the seasoning, to taste.
Transfer to a bowl to use as a dip, spread, or in other recipes, or place in an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.
Looks great! I made some cashew butter last fall – though I don’t think I ever posted it. Cashew butter is my favorite nut butter, too. But I’ve found it’s cheaper for me to just buy it from the health food store in the tubs that they make daily than it is to buy my own organic nuts and make it. Although, I did pick up a pretty large bag of organic cashews the last time I was at Whole Foods for a really good sale – I need to run the numbers and see how they work out when I factor in the sale price and the larger quantity.
Yeah, I know it’s not really cheaper. But I wanted to try it anyway. It’s all about experimentation right now…see what is best to make from scratch and what isn’t worth the effort…based on time, cost, taste and how healthy it is.