Let us show you how to make homemade walnut butter by simply roasting walnuts to bring out their natural oils and then blending them in a food processor or blender to create a buttery, silky smooth, creamy nut butter that is incredibly nutritious!
Roasting raw walnuts releases their natural oils so they are more flavorful and process very quickly. To toast the walnuts, preheat your oven or air fryer to 350°F. Spread the walnuts in a single layer in the basket or on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Toast until fragrant and slightly darker in color, approximately 8-10 minutes. Watch carefully so that they don’t burn. Allow them to cool a little before you begin blending them. If you want to skip toasting to have raw nut butter, see my notes in the article above.
Transfer the slightly cooled walnuts to your food processor or blender. If you’re using our optional ingredients now is the time to add the maple syrup, vanilla, and sea salt and process on high until smooth and creamy, approximately 1-2 minutes.
If you did not toast your walnuts, using a high-speed food processor or a high-speed blender like my Vitamix 5200 is your best option. The blending process takes much longer (approximately 15-20 minutes) with raw walnuts, and you should stop every 3-4 minutes and scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula to let your food processor or blender cool off and rest so that the motor does not overheat.
Keep in mind that different sizes and speeds of food processors/blenders can affect how quickly your nut butter blends. A smaller one will take a few minutes longer than a high-powered one. Blend until your nut butter is soft and smooth.
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Notes
Ways to serve walnut butterWalnut butter, roasted and ground into a creamy spread, is a tasty snack with fruit, spread over your favorite breakfast bread, or even as part of your favorite savory sauce!It is great on toast, bagels, and English muffins, with apple slices or celery sticks. Try it in smoothies and granola, oatmeal, or overnight oats. Drizzle over pancakes or waffles. Make nice-cream or stuffed dates. More great ideas are listed in the article above.Storing LeftoversYou can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 4 weeks. Nut butter can even be frozen for up to 4-6 months. You might want to portion it into individual servings that can easily thawed as needed.