Nut butter is a magical addition to your favorite breakfast smoothie. Or you can drizzle it over sliced apples/bananas for a quick afternoon snack. Or you can add a dollop to your baked sweet potato at dinnertime. Or use it to make a spicy satay dipping sauce! Need I go on, and on, about all the ways you can use creamy nut butter? No? Then how ’bout I just tell you how quick and easy it is to make this Creamy Almond Pecan Butter!
The key to this recipe is starting with beautiful, raw (un-roasted), organic almonds and pecans (these are the brands that I use). You could buy your nuts already roasted but I prefer to dry roast/toast them myself because most store bought roasted nuts are processed in low quality oil (palm or canola) that I prefer to avoid.
To save time, I roast the almonds in the oven while I toast the pecans on the stove top. I found that the pecans burn more quickly and I like to be able to watch them, smell them and take them out of the pan as soon as they are fragrant.
Once the nuts are roasted and toasted, I let them cool a bit…and don’t be scared if you hear the almonds sizzling and popping a bit as they cool. It’s totally normal.
Once the nuts are cool, add them and a touch of salt to your food process (I love my Cuisinart, but any food processor will do) and let the magic begin!
At some point you may have to stop the food processor to scrape down the sides or to break up any large clumps that form. But after about 9 mins you will have rich Creamy Almond Cashew Butter!
Just so you know, the food processor will get hot running for that long which makes the butter thin out a bit. Be sure to put the warm butter into a storage container before it cools or you will have a tough time getting it out of the food processor bowl!!
PS – Be sure to lick the spatula to tastes your success!
- 1½ cups raw, organic almonds, skins on is fine
- 1½ cups raw, organic pecans
- A touch of salt
- Place almonds on a parchment paper lined baking sheet
- Bake at 375F for 10 mins
- While the almonds bake, dry roast the pecans in a skillet over medium heat for 4-6 mins. They should be fragrant…be carful not to burn them!!
- Allow the nuts to cool.
- Place the almonds, pecans and a touch of salt in the food processor bowl with the chopping blade.
- Mix for about 2 mins and then stop and scrape the sides. Also take a min or two to allow the processes to cool. This will prevent the oil from breaking.
- Mix for another 5-7 mins…be patient!! The oils in the nuts will break down. Don’t panic! It will work!!!