Store-bought pistachio butter is ridiculously expensive, and more often than not, it has other ingredients as well. The first time I made homemade pistachio butter, I was mind-blown. It tastes even better than the expensive artisan brands, and I don’t have to take out a small loan to enjoy it on my morning toast.
Alternative nut butters are the rage (ok, so I knew that….just missed the pistachio butter memo!) right now, giving our good ol’ peanut butter a run for the money. Making your own is so simple that it is hard to go back to a traditional jarred version. The taste of natural nut butters will have you never tasting Skippy again…sorry, Skip, my old friend.
This is made by removing the outer shell of the pistachio to reveal the green nut center. Blending or grinding it releases the oils to make it super creamy. The best part of making your own is that you can add a touch of salt or a little sweetener, all to your own liking. You know exactly what went into it and you don’t have to worry about the health impacts of any mystery ingredients.
🥜 Ingredients
You won’t believe how simple it is to make your own. All you need is three ingredients, and you will be enjoying your new favorite condiment.
✅Pistachios – For the best results, purchase raw and unsalted pistachios. We will be adding some salt ourselves. This allows you to control the flavor, and it will taste better when it’s not overly salty.
I purchased in-shell pistachios as my whole family helps with the shelling. Buying shelled pistachios will save you a lot of time – they are more expensive, so choose according to your budget.
✅Salt – As I mentioned, you can add in some salt to flavor it. Don’t go too wild though.
✅Coconut oil – Use refined coconut oil. This oil enhances the overall texture and the way it spreads onto food.
🥣 Food Processor Instructions
👉Step 1: Remove the shells from the nuts if needed. This will take a bit of time, so share the task with your better half and even the kids if they’re old enough. Your fingers will probably get a little sore by the end!
👉Step 2: Roast the pistachios. While the shells are still on, place the pistachios on a sheet pan and set the oven temperature to 350°F. Roast for 6 minutes. Allow the nuts to cool until slightly warm.
📌Note: You can certainly process room-temperature pistachios, but if they are still a bit warm, the oils will release faster.
👉Step 3: Place the nuts, salt and melted coconut butter in a food processor and turn on to start to blend. This process will take 6-8 minutes. From time to time, take the lid off the food processor and scrape down the sides. Keep checking and scraping it as needed.
In a food processor, I assure you, it will take the full 6-8 minutes before the nuts are processed into a smooth and creamy consistency. It is really fascinating to watch the oils release and turn this into a creamy butter.
🥄 Vitamix Instructions
🔸Place the shelled and roasted nuts in the Vitamix along with the salt and coconut oil and turn it to a medium speed. You will need to tamp it often to keep it moving around but it will be creamy and smooth in under two minutes.
🔸The only drawback to making pistachio butter in the Vitamix for me is that it is hard to get every last bit out from under the blade. Given how expensive those nuts are, I opt for the food processor as I can scrape every last bit out.
💚 Fun Variations
The pure taste of roasted pistachios is something I heavily enjoy but it’s still fun to dress it up once in a while. Don’t forget you’re the chef so you control the sweetness and the flavor profile.
⭐Healthy sweeteners – If you want this to be a sweet spread try one of these:
- Honey
- Agave
- Maple syrup
- Stevia or monk fruit (to keep this butter low carb or keto friendly)
⭐Flavor twists – The delicate flavor of pistachios pairs beautifully with some other ingredients. Try mixing in one of these if you want to make it taste like a fancy French bakery item:
- Vanilla extract – One teaspoon is enough to give the butter a “sugar cookie” vibe.
Cocoa powder – Just one tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder added to the processed butter will make you never go back to Nutella! - Cardamom – A pinch of cardamom will give you an aromatic, baklava-style flavor.
🍲 Meal Prep
There are two steps that are perfect for prepping.
- Roast the pistachios and allow them to cool.
- Start shelling as this is the most time consuming task.
If you complete these two tasks, you will cut down the amount of time to make pistachio butter to just a couple of minutes.
❓ FAQ
Pistachio Butter can last indefinitely in the refrigerator, according to the American Pistachio Growers. You also have the option to not refrigerate it, and it will last for a couple of weeks.
When it spoils, pistachio butter will go rancid and/or grow mold. If anything smells or looks off, skip the taste test and discard it.
To get the brightest green pistachio nut butter, you can blanch the shelled nuts by adding them to a pot of boiling water for 20-30 seconds (do not blanch for longer, as that might soften the nuts too much and prevent their oil release when processed). The hot water will loosen the skin of the nut. After removing them from the water, briskly rub them between two thick paper towels to loosen the skin and remove the moisture. Dry nuts are best for processing, so you can even let them sit on the counter for a few hours, so they have time to dry up well.
I like to roast the blanched pistachios – the roasting always makes the flavor more intense (at least to me), and it solves the extra moisture problem. The nuts are dried up as they roast.
The benefit of this is that it will result in a nut butter that is even more bright green. Feel free to skip it if you don’t care about the color.
🧈 Related Recipes
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Homemade Pistachio Butter
Ingredients
- 16 oz Roasted, Unsalted Pistachios
- pinch Salt
- ½ tsp Coconut Oil
Instructions
- Remove the shells (if needed) and roast the pistachios on a sheet pan at 350°F for 6 minutes.
- Let the roasted nuts cool a bit, until they're just warm.
- Place the nuts and the coconut oil into a sturdy food processor. Put the lid on and start to blend.
- Keep blending. Periodically, open up the lid and scrape down the sides.
- Keep blending for 6-8 minutes. As you watch the sides, you will see the butter change many times until it becomes as smooth as peanut butter.
- Remove and place in jar.
Notes
Nutrition
Hi!
Ginny Collins is a passionate foodie and recipe creator of Savor and Savvy and Kitchenlaughter. Indoors she focuses on easy, quick recipes for busy families and kitchen basics. Outdoors, she focuses on backyard grilling and smoking to bring family and friends together. She is a lifelong learner who is always taking cooking classes on her travels overseas and stateside. Her work has been featured on MSN, Parade, Fox News, Yahoo, Cosmopolitan, Elle, and many local news outlets. She lives in Florida where you will find her outside on the water in her kayak, riding her bike on trails, and planning her next overseas adventure.
OMG so yum!
Beau partage merci.