Cashew butter
One ingredient, one machine, one spread that costs a fraction of the jarred version. The whole recipe hinges on two things: roasting first (to release the oils) and patience while blending. And because it's ground to a paste, this is the one recipe where the cheapest grades are the smart choice.
Ingredients
Makes ~300 g
- •3 cups (420 g) LWP or SWP cashew pieces
- •Optional: 1/2 tsp salt
- •Optional: 1 tbsp neutral oil (speeds blending)
- •Optional: 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
Method
- 1 Roast. Roast cashews at 175°C (350°F) for 8-10 minutes until fragrant and golden. Roasting releases the oils and is what makes blending possible.
- 2 Blend. Transfer warm cashews to a food processor. Blend 8-12 minutes, scraping down often. It goes from crumbs → paste → smooth butter as the oils release.
- 3 Season. Add salt and optional oil/sweetener. Blend 1 more minute.
- 4 Store. Store in a sealed jar at room temperature 2 weeks, or refrigerated 1 month. Oil separation is natural — stir before use.
Which cashews for cashew butter?
This is the textbook case for buying SWP small white pieces or LWP large white pieces. The cashews are ground to a paste, so wholeness is irrelevant — you're paying for the nut, not its shape. Piece grades run roughly 30-40% cheaper than whole W320. Whole kernels in cashew butter are wasted money.
Troubleshooting
- Won't turn to butter? Keep blending — it takes a full 8-12 minutes. Add 1 tbsp oil to help a weaker processor.
- Grainy? The cashews weren't roasted enough. Roasting releases the oils that create smoothness.
- Too thick? A little neutral oil loosens it. Don't add water — it seizes.
Scaling to a product line?
Cashew butter and cashew-based spreads run on piece-grade kernels. Send an RFQ for LWP/SWP bulk pricing, or read the buyer guide for packaging and MOQ.