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This Walnut Butter is an easy nut butter that can be made with any kind of nuts. Peanut butter is great, but switch up your breakfast spread with and use walnuts instead. This recipe has just 3 ingredients and takes about 5 minutes to make!
Homemade Nut Butter
Sure you can spend a fortune to buy walnut butter (or cashew butter) at the store, but why? You can make it at home SO easily with just 3 ingredients. This same method can be used to make almond butter or pecan butter too – or even peanut butter!
Ingredients Needed
- Walnuts: Walnuts are a perfect option, but you could substitute your favorite nut.
- Maple Syrup: Acts as a sweetener for the butter – you can also use honey or agave.
- Salt: Adds some extra needed flavor – don’t add too much – a little bit at a time so you don’t over power the butter. You can use table, kosher, or sea salt.
- You could also add in some flavoring – like a bit of cinnamon, if you want.
How to Make Nut Butter
- I like to toast my walnuts before making nut butter. Place the raw walnuts in a single layer in a frying pan and heat over medium-low heat for a few minutes, stirring often, until you smell them. Don’t walk away from the stove! Learn all about how to toast nuts.
- You’ll need a food processor or high-speed blender. Just add the walnuts and blend until smooth – use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the food processor occasionally. Once it becomes thick, keep running the processor and it will smooth out into a natural nut butter consistency.
Ways to use Walnut Butter
Homemade nut butter is great on bagels or toast for breakfast, as a topping for pancakes or waffles, crackers or even on banana slices. I also add it to oatmeal to add some extra protein and omega-3 fats to my breakfast – or swirl it into ice cream!
Expert Tips
- I toast my nuts because raw walnuts bother my mouth – but if you don’t have that problem you can skip that step.
- Depending on the power and speed of your blender or processor, it could take up to 8-10 minutes to fully blend and make a creamy nut butter.
- Walnuts can get a sort of bitterness to them, which is why I like to add some sweetness and a bit of salt. Drizzle just a bit of honey or your desired sweetener into the mixer and taste as you go so you don’t add too much.
- How much nut butter does this recipe make? 2 cups of walnuts make approximately 1 cup of walnut butter.
- Store the walnut butter in a jar or airtight container in the refrigerator.
Walnut Butter Recipe
Ingredients
Walnut Butter
- 2 cups (217g) walnuts
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup (see note)
- ¼ teaspoon salt (to taste, see note)
Instructions
- To toast walnuts (this is optional, but I like my walnuts toasted), place them in a frying pan over low heat. Cook for a few minutes, stirring almost constantly. As soon as you notice little brown spots and/or smell the walnuts, remove from heat and place on a plate to cool. Make sure they are almost completely cool before continuing.
- Place walnuts in a food processor. Process for about 1 minute, then stir and add a bit of salt and maple syrup. Continue processing until the mixture becomes thick then thins out (the oils in the nuts magically thin the butter). Scrape the sides of the processor during mixing. Taste and add more salt and/or maple syrup to taste.
- Store in refrigerator; makes 1 cup.
Recipe Notes
- Salt is subjective – and you don’t want it to be too salty. Start with a bit and add more to taste.
- Same goes for the maple syrup (or honey) – start with 1 tablespoon and add more as desired.
- If your nut butter ends up too salty – add a bit more syrup. Same goes vice versa – too sweet? Add a bit more salt.
Recipe Nutrition
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Great post, Dorothy! I love the fact that you got to go on an adult field trip….and that you shared your experience with all of us! The walnut butter looks awesome….and so easy. Who knew!?
Totally easy! Thanks Cathy!
Wow, that’s such a wonderful experience! I’ve never thought of making nut butter out of walnuts but it sounds wonderful!
Thanks Faith!
I’m from central California, and your pictures made me so homesick! The recipe for maple walnut butter looks lovely. I’ll have to try that this summer!
Enjoy Beth! And I’m sorry I made you homesick! I feel that way every time I see a pic of the Golden Gate Bridge. 🙂
So we call this a total foodie experience! Only foodies appreciate something like this!!! So cool! Never seen a walnut growing on a tree before!!!
When we went to Hawaii, we went to a macadamia nut processing plant!! We were in heaven!!
Dont know if we told you but we are leaving to Paris on Wednesday and are sooo excited about a croissant class we are taking.. Everyone has looked at us and said you go to paris to eat croissants not make them!! lol Cant wait to share our story!
this nut butter looks delicious…I never thought about using walnuts, but maple and walnut is a fantastic combo! and pie chips…YUMMY
Thanks Heather!
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