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I have always loved peanut butter, but other nut butters—walnut, cashew, and almond—have never been my favorite. They tend to be less sweet, and I have the sweetest tooth ever, as you may have guessed.
Pecans are one nut I truly adore. I love them candied, in pie, folded into ice cream, or simply toasted and tossed in a salad. They shine in both sweet and savory dishes and add richness and depth whether used whole, chopped, or ground.
What I like most about this pecan butter is that I know exactly what’s in it. Even when labels claim “only nuts,” I remain skeptical, so I prefer making my own at home.
I used my large food processor for this batch — the biggest one I have — and it turned the pecans into a creamy butter in about 1–2 minutes.
To the ground pecans I added vanilla extract, cinnamon, a pinch of sea salt, and a very small drip of canola oil—less than a teaspoon—to help with the texture. The aroma was irresistible, and the flavor was even better. I couldn’t help but taste it straight from the food processor.
The result was silky and fragrant, with a gentle warmth from the cinnamon and a comforting vanilla note.
This pecan butter is wonderful stirred into oatmeal, swirled into yogurt or ice cream, or enjoyed with fresh fruit. It’s also delicious on toast or used as a dip for sliced bananas. I’ll admit I’m not the household vegetable taster—no veggies allowed here—but it would likely pair nicely with some savory applications as well.
Vanilla Cinnamon Pecan Butter
Makes about 3/4 cup
- 10 oz whole pecans
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon (adjust to taste)
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon canola oil
Instructions: Add the pecans to a food processor and grind until they form a paste. Add the vanilla, cinnamon, sea salt, and canola oil, then process until smooth and creamy, about 1–2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.
Serve the pecan butter on toast, with fruit, stirred into yogurt or oatmeal, or as a sweet spread for ice cream. This pecan butter tastes like dessert—rich, nutty, and perfectly spiced. Give it a try and let me know how you like it!
