Homemade Cashew Butter for Vegans

By
Ashley Adams
Ashley Adams
Ashley Adams is a restaurant professional and workshop instructor with a specialty in dairy-free cooking and baking.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 08/5/21
Cashew butter

The Spruce
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 5 mins
Servings: 16 servings
Yield: 2 cups
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
119 Calories
10g Fat
7g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories 119
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 10g 13%
Saturated Fat 2g 9%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 23mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 7g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 0mg 2%
Calcium 9mg 1%
Iron 1mg 6%
Potassium 110mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This recipe is so easy and delicious, not to mention well-suited for a variety of allergies. The success of this recipe really relies on the first step; ideally, you want to process the cashews until they are as powdery as possible—the mixture will actually begin to stick to the sides of the blender. Feel free to stir in a handful of raw cashews or other nuts for a "chunky" cashew butter variation, or add a tiny bit of maple syrup for a bit of maple flavor.

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups raw, unsalted cashews

  • 1 tablespoon canola oil (or olive oil)

  • 1/2 tablespoon orange juice (or lemon juice)

  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon agave nectar, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for cashew butter
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  2. In a blender, process cashews until they resemble a very fine, almost powdery, meal.

    Process cashews
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  3. Add oil, fresh juice, and salt, and blend for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

    Add oil
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  4. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down sides of blender, making sure that mixture is consistent and no clumps remain in the bottom. Blend for 30 seconds more.

    Scrape down side with spatula
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  5. Test cashew butter, adding agave nectar or more oil or salt, as desired.

    Test cashew butter
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  6. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.

    Transfer to container
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Storing Cashew Butter

Most people keep their peanut butter at room temperature, but cashew butter is not as thick as peanut butter and is best kept in the refrigerator to avoid the flavor of it from going rancid. It also has an abbreviated shelf life. Homemade cashew butter should not be eaten after one week. If you'd like to keep it longer, keep it portion-separated container or in ice molds in the freezer for up to 4 months. Thawing in the refrigerator overnight is sufficient to use them up as you go. Store cashew butter in a mason jar or plastic air-tight container. It spreads well even at a cold temperature, however, cashew butter does need to be mixed before each use as its solids separate from its oils easily.

Ways to Serve Cashew Butter

  • Cashew butter can replace peanut butter in most recipes and can be served with fruits, vegetables, sweetened with honey, chocolate, or coconut flakes.

  • Cashew butter can be used to add fats and protein to a vegan smoothie.

  • Cashew butter is smoother and has a milder taste than other nut butters, such as peanut or almond butter.

  • You can also eat cashew butter in vegan breakfast foods such as oatmeal or vegan pancakes.

  • Cashew butter is also a main ingredient in vanilla vegan ice cream.