In this easy 20-minute walnut butter recipe, your food processor does all the work.
Optional and tasty additions that I tried and liked include sea salt, honey, and coconut oil.
This homemade walnut butter is delicious, creamy, and perfect for breakfast or a filling snack.
It keeps well in the fridge for several weeks and you can also freeze it, so each batch lasts me for quite a while.
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Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
- Walnuts: I use raw, shelled walnuts in this recipe. You can use halved walnuts or walnut pieces. Both work.
- Optional ingredients: Sea salt, honey (or maple syrup), and coconut oil. These ingredients are optional, but they do enhance the butter's flavor, so they are recommended.
Variations
- I usually don't add anything because I like the natural taste of walnuts. All I want is to reproduce that taste with a creamy and spreadable consistency. But plain, raw walnut butter is very mild, and not everyone enjoys it. So, if you prefer bolder flavors, feel free to add flavoring ingredients like sea salt, honey (or maple syrup), and coconut oil (or unsalted butter). See the recipe card below for exact measurements.
- You can start by toasting the walnuts in a 350°F oven for 8 minutes, then let them cool slightly before adding them to the food processor. You can skip this step if you prefer raw butter. The raw version is creamier, while the toasted version is more flavorful.
Instructions
Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making this recipe.
Place the walnuts (raw or toasted) in the food processor. You can use walnut halves or chopped walnuts.
Process the nuts until they are very smooth and creamy. Depending on how powerful your food processor is, this should take about ten minutes. You should stop a few times to scrape the sides and bottom of the food processor bowl with a rubber spatula. Stopping a few times also allows the food processor to rest and prevents it from overheating.
At first, the mixture will be quite grainy, but eventually, it should appear very smooth, as shown in the photos below:
If using, add salt, honey, and coconut oil and process to combine. Serve the butter immediately, or keep it in the fridge, covered, for up to four weeks.
Expert Tip
Although raw walnut butter is very good without any additions, its flavor is very mild - almost bland.
So, if you want a more pronounced flavor, I recommend toasting the walnuts and using the optional ingredients - salt, honey, and coconut oil.
Recipe FAQs
This is up to you. Raw walnuts produce the creamiest result, but toasting enhances their flavor.
The raw butter is very mild. If you prefer a more pronounced flavor, toast the walnuts first by placing them on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and baking them for 7-8 minutes in a 350°F oven.
It's very tasty if you like walnuts. It's not as flavorful as peanut butter, though, or even almond butter, and the plain version (unroasted with no additions) has a very mild flavor. I like the raw version, but my family members prefer the toasted and flavored version.
Yes. Nut butters, in general, can be frozen in an airtight container for 3-4 months. Because of their high fat content, they don't freeze completely, but the freezer temperature helps them stay fresh for longer.
Serving Suggestions
I love eating this butter with a spoon! It's also excellent with any of the following:
- English muffin
- Almond flour bread
- Banana bread
- Zucchini bread
- Pumpkin bread
- Sliced fresh fruit
- Celery sticks
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to four weeks. As mentioned above, you can also freeze them for up to four months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge.
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Recipe Card
Walnut Butter Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups walnuts - raw, shelled (12 ounces)
Optional:
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
Instructions
- Add the walnuts to your food processor's bowl.
- Process them on high. Stop 3-4 times to scrape the sides with a spatula and allow the food processor to rest. Process until smooth and creamy, for 10-15 minutes.
- If using, now is the time to add the sea salt, honey, and coconut oil. Process until smooth and fully incorporated, for 1 more minute.
- Use immediately, or store in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to four weeks.
Video
Notes
- If you'd like to toast the walnuts before processing them, preheat your oven to 350°F. Spread the walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast until fragrant, 8-10 minutes. Allow them to slightly cool.
- The nutrition info assumes that salt, honey, and coconut oil were added. The nutrition for 2 tablespoons (32 grams) of the butter with no additions is basically the nutrition info for 32 grams of raw walnuts: Calories 208, Fat 21 g, Saturated Fat 2 g, Sodium 1 mg, Carbs 4 g, Fiber 2 g, Sugars 1 g, Protein 5 g.
- Although the raw butter is very good without any additions, its flavor is very mild - almost bland. So, if you want a more pronounced flavor, I recommend toasting the walnuts and using the optional ingredients - salt, honey, and coconut oil.
- You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to four weeks. You can also freeze them for up to four months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge.
Nutrition per Serving
Disclaimers
Cup measurements refer to the standard American cup, which is 240 milliliters. Most of my recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read these Terms of Use carefully before using any of my recipes.
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 
Barbara
This is so good! I love the taste of walnuts but have trouble eating them raw. This solved the problem! I eat a little bit with some chocolate, or fill Jordanian medjool dates with it! Soo delicious!
Vered DeLeeuw
I'm so glad you've been enjoying this walnut butter, Barbara! I love the idea of using it to stuff dates. Yum!
jerry
I used maple syrup instead of honey. So good! I spread it on your almond flour bread. yum.
Vered DeLeeuw
I'm so glad you like this recipe, Jerry! Thank you for the review.
Vered DeLeeuw
I'm so glad this was a success, Monica! Thank you for taking the time to write a review.
Mike
Hi, I added 1/4 tsp salt and 1 tbsp maple syrup during the process of making the walnut butter. The consistency was creamy but after transferring it into a container and it has cooled the consistency was no longer there. Is this normal?
Vered DeLeeuw
Hi Mike,
Hmm. It should remain creamy. I suggest bringing it to room temperature and stirring in a tablespoon of coconut oil. Perhaps the walnuts you used were on the dry side.
bobby
I made this, but the walnut butter is too bitter.
Vered DeLeeuw
Hi Bobby,
Thank you for the feedback! I assume you didn't add any sweetener? Walnuts can be slightly bitter, and some more so than others. If you'd like to try this recipe again, I recommend adding a sweetener, as suggested under the optional ingredients.