Homemade Pecan Butter
Homemade pecan butter requires only 10 minutes of time and 4 simple ingredients—who knew it was so easy?! You’ll never get store-bought again.
There are some homemade versions of store-bought foods that you make once, enjoy a sense of accomplishment, but realize you will never make again because it was TOO much work. Pecan butter (and almond butter) is not one of them.
Friends, this recipe is easy as can be and this homemade pecan butter is worth it in every single way. I’m kind of obsessed with how delicious it is. I’ve been putting it in my oatmeal, on toast, and using it in pretty much everything I possibly can.
Why You’ll Love Homemade Pecan Butter
- Budget-friendly. Nut butters are so expensive at the grocery store! While nuts are pricy too, it’s still more economical to buy your own and grind them into nut butter vs. buying a jar at the supermarket. (You’ll also love making your own peanut butter, granola butter, and coconut butter.)
- Customizable. When you make your own pecan butter, you have complete control over the ingredients. Want it a little sweeter? Add a touch more sugar. Prefer it saltier? Sprinkle in some extra sea salt.
- Easy to make. There’s really nothing to this recipe! Just toast the nuts and toss them in your food processor.
Notes on Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Pecans – You’ll be grinding them up anyway, so pecan pieces are fine.
- Coconut sugar or cane sugar – While you could skip this, I like to add just enough sugar for a touch of sweetness.
- Cinnamon – I love adding cinnamon for cozy flavour.
- Salt – Just a bit to bring it all together.
How to Make Homemade Pecan Butter
- Toast the pecans. Place the pecans on a parchment-lined baking sheet and toast in a 350ºF oven for about 5 minutes.
- Process. Transfer the toasted pecans to a food processor with the rest of the ingredients. Process until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Store. Transfer to a jar and refrigerate.
Tips for Success
- Keep a close eye on the pecans as they toast. They can go from perfectly toasted to burnt very fast, and there’s no way to salvage burnt nuts—you just have to throw them out.
- Be patient. Some food processors do better than others when it comes to nut butters! Just keep it running until it is smooth. Your food processor may get a bit warm depending on how long it takes, so just turn it off for about a minute to prevent overheating if this happens. You may also need to stop to stir and scrape down the sides a few times.
- Add oil if needed. If your pecan butter isn’t coming together as smoothly as you’d like, you can add a small amount of a neutral oil, like grapeseed oil, to help achieve that perfect, creamy consistency. Just add it gradually to avoid making the mixture too runny.
Variations
- Add another spice. I love adding pumpkin spice in the fall, and cozy cardamom would also be delicious.
- Make it chocolatey. Blend cocoa powder in with the pecan butter for a rich, Nutella-inspired spread.
- Mix in other nuts. For a more complex flavor, try adding in some almonds, walnuts, or macadamia nuts along with the pecans.
- Add a touch of vanilla extract. A splash of vanilla extract adds another layer of flavor to homemade pecan butter.
My Favourite Ways to Use Pecan Butter
You can use this pecan butter anywhere you’d use peanut or almond butter, including in recipes like peanut butter energy balls and peanut butter banana oatmeal cookies. It’s also great as a topping for vegan waffles, high-protein overnight oats, and sliced apples.
How to Store
Store your homemade pecan butter in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to 2 weeks. Make sure to give it a good stir before each use.
Can I Freeze This Recipe?
Yes, for longer storage, you can freeze pecan butter in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before using it again.
More Recipes With Pecans
- Maple Brussels Sprouts with Apples and Pecans
- Vegan Pecan Pie Recipe
- Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole with Maple Pecan Topping
- Maple Pecan Sugar Cookies
- Pecan Banana Bread (Vegan & Gluten Free)
- Easy Stovetop Candied Pecans (Vegan)
Enjoy friends! If you make this pecan butter recipe, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
Homemade Pecan Butter
Ingredients
- 2 cups pecans
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar or cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Add the pecans to the baking sheet and toast for 5 minutes. This helps to give the pecans a fragrant smell and to warm up the oils in the pecans.
- Remove the pecans and add to a food processor with all the other ingredients. Pulse on low or high until combined into a nut butter. My food processor is brand new and take only two minutes, but just keep it running until it is smooth. Your food processor may get a bit warm depending on how long it takes, so just turn it off for about a minute to prevent overheating if this happens. You may also need to stir everything together.
- When liquified into pecan butter, scrape into a jar with a cover and place in the fridge. You can use this pecan butter anywhere you’d use peanut or almond butter, or to top your favourite oatmeal, cupcakes, cookies, anything!
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Toasting the nuts helps to release the natural oils in them and helps with the blending process. You could also toast these in a pan over medium high heat until fragrant.
- A good quality food processor will go a long way with these. If you have an old food processor, ensure that you don’t let it overheat. If it begins to overheat, turn it off for a little, stir everything together, and turn it back on again. It can take up to 8 minutes.
- You can add it any additional flavourings if you want: pumpkin spice, nutmeg, more cinnamon.
- You can use any kind of sugar I just prefer to keep it refined sugar free. You can use unrefined brown sugar or sucanat if you don’t have coconut or cane sugar.
- I prefer to use a solid sweetener instead of a liquid sweetener because maple syrup or agave nectar actually will thicken this up a bit. If you want a thicker nut butter, feel free to use that instead.
- Nut Butters will last in your fridge for several weeks, but if you’re like me it won’t last that long anyway.
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
This looks absolutely divine! My whole family is into nut butters, would love to try this at home.
Thanks so much Balvinder! If you try it let me know! 🙂
Hi Nancy,
I haven’t tried it so I can’t be sure but you should be able to! I would still toast it to get the oil flowing and try it out. Let me know how it turns out! Thanks!
My daughter grows pecans. I make MANY pecan treats. Would suggest using broken pieces for pecan butter. Also, I’m making some today – going to try honey instead of sugar. What you think ?
Hi Dee, that’s so cool! You can definitely use broken pieces. I wouldn’t necessary recommend honey because it can get very thick when it gets too hot. I hope that helps!
This is EXCELLENT! We tried it on oven-roasted pears for a dinner party dessert with a small scoop of cinnamon ice cream, although other flavors would be fine.
Everyone loved it!
Oh that sounds so divine – I need to try that!! Thanks Jackie!!
I love pecans and thought of making nut butter with them when I came upon your recipe. I love it! Delicious! I have only tried it on toast but like the of using it as a topping. Have you ever tried making it without adding the sugar?