A delicious ONE ingredient homemade cashew butter recipe with uses and flavoured cashew butter options! An absolute staple for any plant-based kitchen!
This homemade cashew butter recipe is both creamy and rich and an ingredient that is a staple for any plant-based kitchen! When asked the question of how to use cashew butter, the options are limitless! (I’ve included some below!) I’ve even included some flavoured cashew butter options. Plus this recipe uses only one ingredient- Cashews, it is oil-free and takes around 20 minutes.
Like all nut butter recipes, it is possible to buy cashew butter from a store, but you’ll find that when making it from home it is both more cost-efficient AND you’re in charge of exactly what ingredients you include in the recipe. Just like with pistachios, I buy raw cashew nuts in bulk because I’m regularly using them.
This year, mainly, I’ve been on a Vegan Tart making craze. If you’ve ever tried any raw vegan tart or cheesecake, then you’ll find that the filling is usually made from soaked and blended cashews. That’s what gives them their super-rich, sumptuous flavour and texture.
Also, I know it’s only November, but I think that a large jar of this homemade cashew butter, along with some recipe suggestions, would be a perfect edible Christmas gift. Or, you could go completely wild and make someone a nut butter bouquet! (but remember to take note of their use-by dates!) I suggest using the homemade cashew butter to make other baked goods and sweet treats for delicious DIY holiday gifts.
How To Use Cashew Butter/ Cashew Butter Uses
I wasn’t kidding when I said above that I think cashew butter is a kitchen staple. If you haven’t baked with it before or used it in recipes, you might be surprised to know just how often you can utilise it. Here are various cashew butter uses to help inspire you!
Cashew butter is a delicious spread for toast, works as a creamy drizzle over your morning porridge, is lovely in smoothies and can be used in homemade popsicle and ice-cream recipes. However, cashew butter is also the perfect ingredient for so many homemade goodies, for example:
- Delicious fat balls/ energy balls
- Protein bars and granola bars
- For a fun take on these homemade Vegan peanut butter cups
- To make delicious creamy vegan fudge.
- I even used it once, mixed with some maple syrup, to make delicious ‘Rice Krispie treat’ style snacks.
Homemade cashew butter is also fantastic for homemade baked goods including cookies, baked into brownies, for more luxurious cakes, for baked vegan cheesecakes and more.
What about how to use cashew butter for savoury recipes, you ask? – Homemade cashew butter can work amazingly with just a couple spoonfuls in ‘creamy’ vegan sauces (think a delicious vegan alfredo), as a basis to make super simple, addictive cashew butter cheese sauce and dipping sauces.
Honestly, I could write an entire blog post on cashew butter recipes and uses! If you have some more uses for it that I haven’t listed here, please let me know down in the comments below.
How to make homemade Cashew butter
To begin, you need to roast the raw cashews in the oven at 165ºC (fan assisted) for 10-15 minutes. This will give the cashew butter a delicious, roasted taste. Leave these to cool before the next step (they can be slightly warm when blending but not hot to touch).
Next, blend the cashews in a high-speed processor or blender. Depending on how powerful your blender is, this is best done in intervals. This way the nuts (and machine) won’t overheat. The longer you blend them, the runnier in consistency your butter will be.
Store this homemade cashew butter in an airtight glass container in the fridge for up to 2 months (it’s never lasted that long in my apartment so I don’t know for sure) or frozen for up to 3 months.
Some Flavoured Cashew Butter combinations you could try include
Whenever I make large batches of any nut butter, I tend to avoid adding any additional ingredients, and they will affect the shelf-life. If I want to flavour any, I will make sure only to flavour a small portion of it, so none goes to waste. If you want some flavoured cashew butter inspiration:
- For a simple, delicious twist. Pop in some homemade Vanilla extract or Vanilla Powder.
- For a creamy, sweet version then add a dollop of your favourite natural sweetener. I add maple syrup because that’s what lots of my raw vegan treats are made with, so I’m now in love with the cashew/maple syrup combination.
- Add some cocoa powder and your favourite natural liquid sweetener of choice for a chocolate version (Cocoa powder will dry the mix, so the liquid is needed to avoid having to add oil.)
- I definitely wouldn’t be opposed to adding some white or dark chocolate chunks to the blender and seeing what happens.
- This isn’t one I’ve tried, but you can always experiment with flavours such as pumpkin spice with some maple syrup. If you try it, let me know how it goes!
- A dash of Cinnamon could be lovely too!
- Espresso/ coffee flavoured or ‘Mocha’ cashew butter would work exceptionally well!
- Add some desiccated coconut for texture! (or blend coconut flakes into it for a more incorporated coconut flavour. You could also add a spoonful or two of homemade coconut butter.
- I’ve seen some people use cashew butter to make a ‘cookie dough’ style spread with maple syrup, vanilla powder and chocolate chips. This isn’t something I’ve tried but certainly sounds interesting!
As always, if you give this recipe a go then let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Also, feel free to tag me in your recreations @AlphaFoodie.
Homemade Cashew Butter
Ingredients
- 3 cups cashews raw
Instructions
- To begin, you need to roast the cashews in the oven at 165ºC (fan assisted) for 10-15 minutes, turning them halfway.
- Leave them to cool entirely before the next step.
- Next, you simply blend the cashews in a high-speed processor or blender. This is best done in intervals so the nuts (or the machine) don't overheat. The longer you blend them, the runnier in consistency your butter will be. For a smooth, creamy cashew butter, blend for around 10 minutes with a break every 2-3.
- Store this homemade cashew butter in an airtight glass container in the fridge for up to 2 months (it's never lasted that long in my apartment so I don't know for sure) or frozen for up to 3 months.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Tashawna
I love your recipes. What brand of food processor do you use?
Support @ Alphafoodie
Thank you so much, Tashawna.
The food processor is from NutraMilk. The model is linked on the Shop page of the blog. I hope this helps.