My children are spoiled. At any given moment, we have at least 4 different nut/seed butters in our refrigerator and they get to choose which nut butter they would like on their piece of toast or in their sandwich or on their rice cake or with their apple slices etc. Only once or twice, have they requested the same nut butter for the same meal/snack. I knew for sure I had created monsters, when my seven year old started asking for homemade cashew butter instead of the store bought kind. I had made cashew butter a few times, usually just as a base for a different recipe, such as several types of nut butter balls or cashew sauce. The girls are often in and out of the kitchen and want tastes of what is being whipped up in the food processor. My seven year old got a taste and that was the end of store bought cashew butter for her. My five year old, of course, prefers store bought cashew butter, so that remains on our grocery list. I thought for the next few posts, I would share my quick and easy cashew butter recipe and then a few different posts on what to do with it.

Cashew Butter

3 cups raw cashews

2-3 medjool dates, pitted

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon celtic sea salt

Directions.

Place all ingredients into the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth, about 3 minutes.

Notes:

Cashew pieces are less expensive than whole cashews, so use those if they are available for this recipe.

I like the flavor of olive oil and its many health benefits so that is the oil I use. It definitely adds its own flavor though, so if you do not prefer the taste of olive oil, use avocado oil which is still healthy but has a milder flavor.

This makes a thick cashew butter. Feel free to add a little more oil if you prefer it thinner. Do not add water as it will significantly decrease the shelf life.