This time of year I’ll make pretty much any excuse to consume chai spice flavors. Nothing says warm & cozy quite like a chai spice latte, chai scones, chai spiced apple crisp, or a sprinkle of chai spice in a big bowl of oatmeal. It’s my most favorite spice to bake with & I’m always looking for another way to use it.
Homemade Cashew Butter with Coffee & Chai Spice
Case in point. We’re making the creamiest homemade cashew butter laced with warm chai spice flavor & an extra jolt of whole coffee beans. Is there anything in the world that sounds better?
Nope. Didn’t think so.
Homemade cashew butter is kind of having a moment right now – so much so that I never intended to share my recipe for coffee chai cashew butter here on PWWB. There are a lot of cashew butter recipes/tutorials out there & I really just wanted to try out a flavor combination I adore so much, but in cashew butter form.
But the very second I finished blending it up, I knew I absolutely had to post it.
Guys. It is SO good.
Homemade Cashew Butter Recipe Highlights
You’re going to love this cashew butter recipe because it’s…
- EASY. Cashew butter is super easy to make & I have step-by-step pics for you below!
- AFFORDABLE. It’s so much, SO MUCH cheaper than buying cashew butter at the store. Meaning we can spend our $$ on fun things, like new fall boots. Plus! Store-bought cashew butter often has so much crap added to it. When you make it at home you can control exactly what goes in it. Double win.
- COMPLETELY CUSTOMIZABLE. I encourage you to make this cashew butter your own. Leave it unsweetened! Make it extra salty! Use pure maple syrup instead of sugar or honey! Add in any extra flavors you love… like chai spice AND coffee! It sounds so extra, & maybe it is, but it’s so good.
Fall snacking has never looked (or tasted!) so good! ♡ Read on to learn more about this Coffee Chai Cashew Butter, or jump straight to the recipe & get cookin’!
How to Make Homemade Cashew Butter: Step-by-Step Photos!
The first time I made homemade nut butter was a total & complete disaster, so if the idea of giving this a try at home scares you, I completely get it. I really do.
BUT! You need to try anyway.
Once you know what to look for, homemade cashew butter is so ridiculously easy to make.
My #1 Tip for Homemade Cashew Butter
A food processor! Because a food processor is wider & shallower than something like a high-speed blender, it grinds & blends the nuts evenly – key for a smooth & creamy homemade cashew butter.
Remember when I said my first time making homemade nut butter was a disaster? It was because I used my Vitamix. The nuts would NOT blend, even after 20 minutes of processing. My nut butter was grainy & smelled HORRIBLE for some reason, my Vitamix practically started to smoke because it overheated, & I kind of died inside because I wasted $12 worth of almonds. Not fun.
So yes, I really do believe a food processor is a must when it comes to making homemade nut butter. This is the one I use & love. It’s my little sidekick in the kitchen – I use it almost daily & it’s held up really well to heavy use! Highly recommend! If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option, this is another option by the same brand that has great reviews.
I like to take a couple extra minutes to toast the cashews before using them in homemade cashew butter. All you have to do is add unsalted cashews to a skillet over medium-low heat & toss/stir them occasionally – just until they’re slightly golden & fragrant. It’s an easy step that wakes up the oils in the cashews, making your homemade cashew butter easier to blend & a little bit tastier!
To keep things really easy, you can always buy roasted unsalted cashews and skip roasting them yourself.
Add these toasted cashews to the bowl of your food processor (& since we’re making coffee chai cashew butter, add whole coffee beans at this point, too).
Next, grind the cashews into a coarse meal (below).
Let the food processor run just until the cashews break down & turn into a coarse flour-like consistency.
At this point, add your flavorings – some kosher salt to season & anything else you’d like to add to flavor your homemade cashew butter, like a little pure maple syrup for sweetness & a sprinkle of chai spice.
My chai spice mix is something I keep on my spice rack all year round. It is ginger- & cardamom-forward, which is exactly how I like chai flavors to taste. You can make it with 6 ingredients in only 5 minutes. If you’re a chai lover, be sure to check it out!
Let the food processor run again, for about 7-10 minutes. The mixture will get to a point where you’ll think you ruined it & your homemade cashew butter will never become creamy, but just as you think all hope is lost, your homemade cashew butter will ball up. This is a good sign!
Shortly after the ball forms, the cashew butter will break down into the creamy, dreamy consistency we’re looking for when making homemade cashew butter.
At this point, your homemade cashew butter is pretty much ready to go! If you want it to be SUPER creamy & smooth, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of coconut oil. I find this adds a little bit of extra moisture, but it’s totally optional.
If you do add a little extra oil, let the food processor run again. The cashew butter will take 3-4 minutes to ball up & break down again.
How freaking dreamy is that?!
Serving Ideas for Homemade Cashew Butter
Needless to say, this coffee chai cashew butter has been my go-to snack. Try it…
- With sliced apples & an extra sprinkling of cinnamon,
- Blended into a smoothie,
- Spread onto a thick slice of toast topped with banana slices,
- Stirred into a cozy bowl of oatmeal,
- On top of pancakes,
- With pretzels or graham crackers,
- Or, just eat it by the spoonful. That’s totally acceptable, too!
It’s flavorful enough to keep hangry cravings at bay, satisfying enough to keep you full ‘til dinner, & the extra little kick of coffee is enough to help you get through the rest of the day without keeping you up ‘til midnight.
I can’t wait for you to try this Homemade Coffee & Chai Cashew Butter! It’s the perfect fall snack – I know you’ll love it as much as we do! If you do give it a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your PWWB creations!
Love easy, healthy snacks? You’re in the right place! Try this Superfood Dark Chocolate Bark, 5-Ingredient Chocolate Coconut Bliss Balls, or these Frozen Yogurt Bites next. Happy cooking! ♡
Print
Homemade Coffee Chai Cashew Butter
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
- Category: Snack Recipes
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
An easy & totally natural recipe for Homemade Cashew Butter, made extra special with a hint of coffee & the warming flavors of chai spice. The perfect healthy snack, especially for an afternoon pick-me-up!
Ingredients
- 2 cups unsalted roasted cashews (see Recipe Notes)
- 2 tablespoons whole coffee beans
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons chai spice
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- optional: 1-2 tablespoons coconut oil
Instructions
- Toast the cashews (optional): Add the cashews to a large skillet over medium-low heat. Toast, stirring & tossing the cashews occasionally, until the cashews become golden & fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. The line between perfectly toasted cashews & burnt cashews is a thin one, so be sure to stir the cashews regularly, & keep a close eye on them. Remove from the heat.
- Add the cashews and whole coffee beans to a food processor. Let the food processor run for 1-2 minutes, until the cashews are broken down into a coarse meal. See photos, above, for reference. Add in the maple syrup, chai spice, & kosher salt. Let the food processor run for 5-7 minutes. The cashew butter will look coarse & clumpy, and eventually it will form into a ball just before it smooths back out into a creamy cashew butter. Be patient – it’ll work!
- At this point, your cashew butter is ready. If you’d like your cashew butter to be extra smooth and creamy, add in 1-2 tablespoons of coconut oil, then let the processor run. The cashew butter will take 3-4 minutes to ball up again, then break down again into a smooth & creamy cashew butter.
- Transfer the cashew butter to an airtight container or jar and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Enjoy!
Equipment
Buy Now → Notes
- Food processor: You really need a food processor to make homemade cashew butter, or any nut butter for that matter. Because a food processor is wider & shallower than something like a high-speed blender, it grinds & blends the nuts evenly, which is key for a smooth & creamy homemade cashew butter. This is the one I use & love. It’s my little sidekick in the kitchen – I use it almost daily & it’s held up really well to heavy use! Highly recommend! If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option, this is another option by the same brand that has great reviews.
- Cashews: If you use roasted cashews, there’s no need to toast, as detailed in the optional Step 1. (I still do like to take the extra 2 minutes to give roasted cashews a fresh toast.) It’s an easy step that wakes up the oils in the cashews, which makes your homemade cashew butter easier to blend up & a little bit tastier. Either way, choose unsalted cashews so you can control the salt levels in your homemade cashew butter. These are the roasted cashews I love most, & they are a great value!
Follow along with Plays Well With Butter on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Pinterest for more unfussy recipes that pack a big punch of flavor!
Holy cow lady!!! As if nut butter couldn’t get anymore divine. Send some of this creamy goodness my way. Now I’ll go pick my tongue up off the floor.