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    Home » Holidays » Christmas » Homemade Pistachio Butter Recipe

    Homemade Pistachio Butter Recipe

    Dec 14, 2020 · by Valentina · 32 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    Pistachio Butter is creamy and rich, unique and delicious. It's easy to learn how to make pistachio butter, and if you fill a jar with it and add a bow, it's a lovely edible holiday gift. small jar full with pistachio butter, with a red ribbon around it

    While I don't always make homemade nut butters, this one is well worth it!

    Of course, others like peanut butter and almond butter for example, are too, but those are more readily available in stores.

    Pistachio butter, on the other hand, will hardly ever -- if ever -- make an appearance at your local market.

    This is one of the most delicious nut butter recipes around!

    Homemade Pistachio Butter in an open jar with a red ribbon

    What You'll Need


    • raw, unsalted, shelled pistachios
    • granulated sugar (only a teeny tiny bit)
    • sea salt (again, a teeny tiny bit)

    How to Make Pistachio Butter


    Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375°F and add the raw pistachios to a baking sheet.  pistachios on a baking sheet

    Step 2: Roast the pistachios in the preheated 375°F oven just long enough to bring the oils to the surface -- about 7 minutes.

    They will be aromatic and might look a bit wet when they're ready. Do this even if the pistachios you buy say they've been roasted, as it will ultimately create better flavor in the finished pistachio butter.

    Step 3:  Add the roasted pistachios to a food processor fitted with the blade attachment.shelled pistachios in food processor

    Step 4:  Blend for about 7 minutes.

    As depicted in the below images, you'll see the the pistachios change from being ground into tiny pieces, to a paste, and finally to a beautiful smooth and creamy texture. 

    finely blended pistachios in food processorThe above is after about 1 minute of blending.

    pistachio paste in food processorAfter about 3 minutes.

    pistachio butter in food processorAfter about 4 minutes.

    pistachio butter in food processorAfter about 5 minutes.

    pistachio butter in food processorAnd finally, at about 7 minutes, you'll have a super creamy and smooth pistachio butter.

    Step 5:  Add the sugar and salt and blend for another couple of seconds.
    Step 6:  Let it cool down before refrigerating. (The pistachio butter will be very warm from being in the running food processor for so long.)

    And there you have it. Now you've learned how to make pistachio butter. Bravo!

    Recipe Tips and Substitutions


    • Unless you have loads of extra time, I recommend you buy pre-shelled pistachios.
    • Be patient when you're blending the nuts. This process takes time, and in the end you'll see how incredible the transformation is.
    • You can substitute maple syrup or honey for the bit of sugar if desired.
    • You can also make it in a very powerful blender like as a Vitamix.

    How long will it keep?


    Believe me, you'll want to save every last bit, so if you don't use it up all at once, below are the best ways to store it.

    • Refrigerator. Homemade nut butters will keep about a month in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
    • Freezer. You can also freeze homemade pistachio butter an airtight container. When you’re ready to use it, thaw it in the refrigerator for a day or two.

    As I mentioned above, once you've made this recipe, you can whip up my Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies!tall stack of Gluten Free Pistachio Chocolate Chip-Cookies

    Why isn't the Pistachio Butter more green?


    Something you should know . . .  your pistachio butter will not be green. It might be greenish, but not green.

    • There are three parts to pistachios, and each one is a different color.
    • The shell is beige, the skin is purpleish-brownish, and the flesh (the "meat") is greenish-yellowish.
    • Unless you painstakingly removed every bit of the skin (which I don't think you need to), some purple and brown will mix into the green, creating a brownish-greenish color.

    This is a Fantastic Edible Gift


    Your foodie and cooking friends who love pistachios will be so happy to receive a jar filled with this deliciousness.

    • It's unexpected and fun.
    • It's incredibly easy to make and takes only about 10 minutes!
    • You can print this Pistachio Butter recipe, and my recipe for Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies (this Pistachio Butter is the main ingredient!), and add them both into the card.

    FYI: This recipes is vegan and gluten-free.

    More pistachio recipes:

    • Chocolate Tart with Pistachio Crust
    • Pistachio Mint-Crusted Rack of Lamb
    • Pistachio Ice Cream
    small jar full with pistachio butter, with a red ribbon around it

    Pistachio Butter Recipe

    Valentina K. Wein
    This recipe is creamy and rich, unique and delicious -- and a jar of homemade pistachio butter is a lovely edible gift.
    *Makes 2 cups
    5 from 5 votes
    Print
    Prep Time 7 mins
    Cook Time 7 mins
    Total Time 14 mins
    Course Snack, Ingredient
    Cuisine American
    Servings 16
    Calories 131 kcal

    Equipment

    • food processor

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 3 cups raw unsalted, shelled pistachios
    • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
    • ¾ teaspoon sea salt

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 375°F and add the pistachios to a baking sheet.
    • Roast the Pistachios. Roast the pistachios in the preheated 375°F oven just long enough to bring the oils to the surface -- about 7 minutes. They will be aromatic and might look a bit wet when they're ready. (Do this even if the pistachios you buy say they've been roasted.)
    • Grind the pistachios. Add the roasted pistachios to a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Blend for about 7 minutes. Add the sugar and salt and blend for another couple of seconds.
    • Cool. Let it cool down before refrigerating. (It should last at least a month in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.)

    Notes

    Calorie count is only an estimate.
    Keywords gifts of food, foodie gifts
    Have you tried this recipe?I'd love to see it on Instagram! Tag me at @cookingontheweekends or leave a comment & rating below.

    Cooking On The Weekends is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.


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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Marsha | Marsha's Baking Addiction

      December 10, 2015 at 6:02 am

      This pistachio butter sounds and looks absolutely delicious! Yum!!

      Reply
      • valentina

        December 10, 2015 at 8:34 pm

        Thanks so much, Marsha! Enjoy!

        Reply
    2. sippitysup

      December 10, 2015 at 3:17 pm

      Wow hardly a thing but nuts. You gotta love something so pure. GREG

      Reply
      • valentina

        December 10, 2015 at 8:34 pm

        I love pure! 🙂

        Reply
    3. Maureen

      December 11, 2015 at 12:59 pm

      I love making my own nut butters! I think they taste so much better than store bought.

      Reply
      • valentina

        December 12, 2015 at 10:13 am

        I agree, Maureen. 🙂 Thanks for visiting.

        Reply
    4. Nagi@RecipeTinEats

      December 11, 2015 at 7:53 pm

      What a nice idea for a holiday gift! I find it wonderful when someone gives me a home-made gift. It makes the gift even more special.

      Reply
      • valentina

        December 12, 2015 at 10:12 am

        Thank you, Nagi! Yes, homemade gifts are the most heartwarming. 🙂

        Reply
    5. David

      December 13, 2015 at 10:52 am

      How fun to make your own pistachio butter! And I love knowing that there's a recipe coming with which you use the pistachio butter…pistachios are grown locally in Tucson, so this is going to be a no-brainer!

      Reply
      • valentina

        December 15, 2015 at 5:20 pm

        So cool they're grown close by. Hope you enjoy, David! 🙂

        Reply
    6. Willow

      December 17, 2015 at 9:51 am

      I have tried most nut butters, but I don't think I have tried pistachio butter. Definitely going to try this!

      Reply
      • valentina

        December 17, 2015 at 9:19 pm

        I hope you give it a go. Enjoy!

        Reply
    7. Vicky @ Avocdo Pesto

      December 17, 2015 at 9:56 am

      I looooooooooove pistachios but have never made my own pistachio butter and have never seen it sold in stores so I seriously need to mkae my own! Think the sugar can be omitted, or is it necessary for balance of flavors?

      Reply
      • valentina

        December 17, 2015 at 9:21 pm

        Hi Vicky, I liked the touch of sweetness, but you can absolutely omit the sugar. It's a preference thing. Hope you try it and enjoy! 🙂 Happy Holidays!

        Reply
    8. Nancy Schermer

      April 13, 2017 at 12:50 pm

      Sounds wonderful.

      Reply
      • valentina

        April 13, 2017 at 3:58 pm

        Thank you, Nancy. It's so simple -- hope you give it a try. 🙂

        Reply
    9. Jill Roberts @ WellnessGeeky

      January 04, 2018 at 11:11 am

      What a gorgeous pictures. This homemade pistachio butter is something new for me! Thx for sharing!

      Reply
      • valentina

        January 04, 2018 at 12:57 pm

        Thank you Jill! Hope you try it. Happy New Year!

        Reply
    10. Bella Hardy @ Healthnerdy

      July 02, 2018 at 3:26 am

      This homemade pistachio butter is very decadent, and the people in my office are happy today!

      Reply
      • valentina

        July 02, 2018 at 12:20 pm

        That's so awesome! Happy to hear it -- thanks so much for letting me know! We've been loving it on warm, crispy toast with a super light drizzle of honey. 🙂 Cheers!

        Reply
    11. Amit

      July 30, 2018 at 1:34 pm

      Is there a way to make it really really smooth, so it feels like real butter ? it appears that "blend more time" doesn't help. Would adding some liquid oils, perhaps grape seed, help?

      Thanks 🙂

      Reply
      • valentina

        July 30, 2018 at 10:30 pm

        Hi Amit, Even at it's smoothest, there will tiny, tiny bits of the nuts -- so tiny though, they it's still smooth, creamy and spreads beautifully. I have not tried adding oils to it, as the pistachios themselves are full of their own oil. You could warm it and press it through a very fine mesh strainer, which would take some time and muscle, but will likely make it even more smooth. For me though, blending it the way shown in the pictures, created a super smooth result. I hope it works for you. Enjoy!

        Reply
    12. Robin Hamilton @Wellness Wires

      September 21, 2018 at 3:13 am

      I had a similar homemade pistachio butter at a restaurant recently and found myself craving it and wondering if I could recreate it today.

      Reply
      • valentina

        September 21, 2018 at 8:07 am

        Yay! This makes me happy. I hope you love it as much as the one you had at the restaurant! 🙂

        Reply
    13. Ayanna

      February 11, 2019 at 7:12 am

      I just took a chance and googled "pistachio butter" to see if it exsisted. So glad to hear i can make my own! Wonder what the nutritional facts are? Just thinking aloud...THANK YOU for this recipe!!! I think i love u!

      Reply
      • valentina

        February 11, 2019 at 9:15 am

        Hi Ayanna, I'm so happy you found this. It's so easy and is really delicious. I typically only publish the calories per serving, but here's the entire nutritional analysis for you, based on approx. 2 tablespoons per serving: calories-131, carbohydrates-7g, protein-4g, fat-10g, Saturated fat-1g, Sodium-110mg, Potassium-232mg, Dietary Fiber-2g, Sugars-2g, Vitamin A-1.2 % Daily Value, Vitamin C-0.8 % Daily Value, Calcium-2.5 % Daily Value, Iron-5.2 % Daily Value.
        Also once you make the butter, if you're so inclined and are a true pistachio lover, you will love these Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies. Hope this helps and have fun. 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    14. Paula

      December 19, 2019 at 7:07 am

      Did you leave the skin on the pistachios? I am making this tonight for unexpected family that let us know today, they will be in town and want to spend the night 23rd.
      This will be perfect! Also, thank you for all the recipes I have used for years.
      Merry Christmas and God Bless You.

      Reply
      • valentina

        December 19, 2019 at 9:30 am

        Hi Paula, What a lovely note. Thank you! I only remove the skin on those where it's easy. If it's stuck, I leave it. That's way my butter isn't more green. It affects the color, not the flavor. Enjoy, and I hope you have a lovely time with your family and a very happy holiday season. 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    15. 2pots2cook

      December 16, 2020 at 2:48 am

      Oh dear, I don't care about the colour ! Just give me a batch ! 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Reply
      • valentina

        December 20, 2020 at 1:35 pm

        Ha! Thank you. Hope you love it. 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    16. John / Kitchen Riffs

      December 16, 2020 at 7:39 am

      Pistachio butter? Nope, never had it. Love the idea of it, though. Must. Make. 🙂 This looks good -- thanks. And happy holidays!

      Reply
      • valentina

        December 20, 2020 at 1:34 pm

        Thanks, John. I hope you do try it and love it! Happy holidays to you! 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Valentina, certified chef, owner, recipe developer and photographer at Cooking on the Weekends. I'm also a mom of two boys and a Los Angeleno. I use seasonal whole foods to create unique and comforting recipes for casual entertaining.

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