Roasted Cashew Butter

I always feel good about snacking when any nut butter is involved. I think peanut butter is great, but it's always nice to try something new. I was into almond butter for a while, but I found it to be too rich and intense to eat on a regular basis.  So, recently I decided to try some store-bought cashew butter.  I was amazed. It sits right between peanut and almond butter in terms of flavor intensity. More interesting than peanut, but not as rich as almond.  Though unfortunately, it is pretty pricey. The 11.5 oz jar I bought at Fred Meyers was $6. It's not financially sustainable, at least for me, so I thought I'd try making it at home to save a few buckaroos.

Turns out, it's quite easy to make as long as you have a decent blender or food processor. And, I actually found the homemade butter to be much tastier. It has a strong roasted flavor, but the honey and the salt balance everything really well. It ends up pretty thick after storing in the fridge, so let it sit out for a bit if spreading on fragile bread.

You don't need to add a lot of oil to make a nut butter. But if you don't like it really thick, try adding a couple more teaspoons of oil when pureeing. Or for an even smoother butter, after the first puree of one minute, let the mixture cool for almost an hour. Then puree for another minute before adding the oil. This allows the fat in the cashew paste to cool completely before blending again.

Roasted Cashew Butter

adapted from Alton Brown

makes about 11 oz

2 cups raw cashews
1 Tbsp plus about 2 tsp neutral oil (I use safflower), divided
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp kosher or coarse salt (or a little more than 1/4 teaspoon sea salt)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lay cashews in a single layer on a large cookie sheet. Toss with 1 teaspoon of oil. Roasted for about 10 minutes or until the cashews are golden brown. Let cool.

I roasted these for 12 minutes.  I think it was a wee bit too long.

In a blender or food processor, throw in cashews, salt, and honey.  Puree for about 1 minute. Scrape sides of bowl.  Puree again and slowly add 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon oil. Blend for about 2 minutes. The mixture should be a thick, even paste. Store in a jar in the fridge for several months.