Walnut Butter

Submitted by gailanng

"Use raw walnuts for a creamy and smooth texture that tastes like a just shelled walnut. Walnuts that have been soaked overnight, then toasted, offer a more textured walnut butter. Toasting unsoaked walnuts will result in a sweet, nutty-flavored, coarse-textured butter. Created by Mollie Katzen for California Walnuts."

 

• Ready In: 30mins
• Ingredients: 5
• Yields: 1 cup

ingredients

• 2 cups walnuts, shelled
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon honey (or more to taste)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional) or 1 teaspoon roasted saigon cinnamon (optional)
• 2 teaspoons walnut oil (or grapeseed or canola oil or see Walnut Oil)

directions

1. Soaked walnuts: This method will remove some of the tannin and bitterness from the walnut skin, and offer a more textured walnut butter. Soak walnuts overnight, drain and discard the water. Then, toast the walnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet at 350°F for up to 15 minutes to dry them out (don’t allow them get dark). Cool the walnuts before making them into butter.
2. Toasted walnuts: To enhance the sweet, nutty flavor of walnuts, toast them before making them into butter. Walnut butter with toasted walnuts will provide a coarse textured finished product. Toast walnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet at 350°F for 8 to 10, or until fragrant. Cool the walnuts before making them into butter.
3. To make the butter: Put the walnuts in the bowl of a food processor and grind them until they become sticky or paste-like. Add the salt. Add the oil, a little bit at a time until the walnut butter binds together. Add the honey and/or cinnamon to taste.