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Rich, creamy, and bursting with nutty flavor, homemade pistachio butter is simply amazing! With its vibrant green hue and silky texture, it’s a delicious, nutritious, and versatile spread you’ll want to use on everything.
Pistachio nut butter is the kind of thing you try once and wonder where it’s been all your life! It’s rich, creamy, and naturally sweet with that irresistible pistachio flavor—way better than store-bought. Plus, it takes just minutes to make with one ingredient. Yep, just pistachios! OK, and a pinch of salt if you want.
Spread it on toast, swirl it into baked goods, drizzle it over oatmeal, or grab a spoon and go straight in – no judgment here! 😍 Plus, you can gift it to a fellow pistachio lover!
This nut butter really does stand out from the crowd. It’s packed with protein, healthy fats, and antioxidants. Plus, its naturally vibrant green color, smooth texture, and subtly sweet, nutty flavor make it a luxurious treat for everyone.
Making pistachio butter yourself is more cost-effective than store-bought versions, especially when you buy pistachios in bulk. I always keep a large bag of raw shelled pistachios on hand because I use them all the time—for my baklava recipe, homemade pistachio milk, and vegan tart bases. Buying in bulk not only saves money but also makes recipes like this even more accessible.
You can also make other nut butters at home. Two of my favorites are walnut butter and hazelnut butter—just as quick, easy, and delicious!
Watch how to make it
Ingredients
- Raw pistachios: For convenience, use shelled pistachios. But if you don’t mind a bit extra work, unshelled pistachios give the freshest, most delicious flavor! Don’t forget, it’s best to buy in bulk.
- Salt: This is optional, but even just a pinch of salt will help enhance the natural flavor of pistachios.
See the printable recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make homemade pistachio butter
Toast the pistachios: First, roast the shelled pistachios in the oven at 325º/165ºC (fan-assisted) for 10 minutes, turning them halfway. This will give the pistachio butter a delicious, toasty, roasted taste. Roasting them will also help release their natural oils and make them easier to blend.
Let the pistachios cool and transfer to a food processor: Set the roasted pistachios aside and let them cool entirely (about 10 minutes). Optionally, you can remove the pistachio skins after roasting by rubbing them in between a cloth like I did in this peanut butter recipe.
Then, transfer them to your food processor or blender.
Blend until smooth: Next, blend the pistachios until you achieve your desired consistency. The longer you blend, the runnier the nut butter will be.
Make sure to give your machine a break every few minutes and scrape down the sides with a spatula.
Once you achieve your desired consistency, add salt (optionally) and blitz one last time.
The pistachio butter is now ready to enjoy! Transfer it to a glass jar and keep it in the cupboard or fridge.
The color of pistachio butter can vary depending on the type of pistachios used and whether or not the skins are removed. It can range from a vibrant green to a more muted, earthy tone. Either way, it’s delicious!
Pistachio butter serving suggestions
Here are some of my favorite ways to use homemade pistachio butter:
- Spread on toast, stir into oatmeal, or blend into smoothies.
- Use in baking and desserts, like Almond Pistachio Thumbprint Cookies, Avocado Ice Cream, and more.
- Spread crostini or pancakes, or add to vegan tart bases.
- You can also use a couple of spoonfuls of pistachio water and blend them with water to quickly make homemade pistachio milk.
More favorite nut butters
If you try this pistachio butter recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
Homemade Pistachio Butter
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups pistachios raw shelled
- 1/2 tsp salt
This will yield about 1.5 cups of pistachio butter.
Instructions
- Roast the shelled pistachios in the oven at 325º/165ºC (fan-assisted) for 10 minutes, turning them halfway.
- Leave them to cool entirely (about 10 minutes). Optionally, remove the skins.
- Transfer the roasted pistachios to a blender or food processor and blend them until the nut butter is smooth and creamy. The longer you blend, the smoother and runnier the nut butter will become. Scrape down the sides with a spatula as needed, and give your machine a break every few minutes to avoid overheating.
- Once you've reached your desired consistency, add the salt and blitz again to combine. Transfer the pistachio butter to a jar and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi! How many grams of pistacho do you need? Thanks ☺️
Hi Vanessa!
You need about 400 grams of pistachios (3 cups) to make the butter. Enjoy! 🙂
Hi,
The butter keeps getting stuck on the bottom, used three machines. Any idea what helps?
Hi Reinier,
Make sure you use enough pistachios to cover the blades of the machine – this will help with blending it into a smooth and runny consistency. Then you can pour it out more easily.
Loved the recipe! Just made this for Xmas gifts. THANK YOU!
Glad you liked it!
Roasting the pistachios IS NOT a necessity and a matter of preference when making pistachio butter. Raw pistachio have a sweeter and stronger pistachio flavour profile to their roasted variety. And raw pistachios have higher nutritional value than roasted. And the shelf life of pistachio butter like all nut butters is 6 to 9 months provided their are refrigerated.
Thank you for your tips!
I tried this recipe to use up a bag of nuts I had on my shelf for a year. I could not get it to be a buttery consistency (more like paste) even with adding some maple syrup and finally a tablespoon of grape seed oil. I wonder if it it was because the nuts were old, because my Ninja blender was not powerful enough, or if I just was too impatient and did not blend for long enough.
Hi Kate,
Blending takes time. I also recommend giving the machine a break every couple of minutes. Overall, it can take up to 20-30 minutes to blend. And yes, if the nuts are older or the blender is not too strong, it can take even longer. If they are stuck at the paste stage for long, adding a bit of oil (like you’ve done) can help move things along.
I was wondering if this mixes well in hot liquids. I was wanting to use it in my coffee.
Thanks
Hi Rachel,
Yes, you can mix the pistachio butter in hot liquids, but keep in mind that it may not fully dissolve and may clump together. You can try blending it in a blender with the liquid to make a smooth mixture. I hope this helps.