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. 
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!
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. 
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.
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.
The above is after about 1 minute of blending.
After about 3 minutes.
After about 4 minutes.
After about 5 minutes.
And 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!
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:
Pistachio Butter Recipe
Equipment
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
NUTRITION
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Marsha | Marsha's Baking Addiction
This pistachio butter sounds and looks absolutely delicious! Yum!!
valentina
Thanks so much, Marsha! Enjoy!
sippitysup
Wow hardly a thing but nuts. You gotta love something so pure. GREG
valentina
I love pure! 🙂
Maureen
I love making my own nut butters! I think they taste so much better than store bought.
valentina
I agree, Maureen. 🙂 Thanks for visiting.
Nagi@RecipeTinEats
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.
valentina
Thank you, Nagi! Yes, homemade gifts are the most heartwarming. 🙂
David
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!
valentina
So cool they're grown close by. Hope you enjoy, David! 🙂
Willow
I have tried most nut butters, but I don't think I have tried pistachio butter. Definitely going to try this!
valentina
I hope you give it a go. Enjoy!
Vicky @ Avocdo Pesto
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?
valentina
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!
Nancy Schermer
Sounds wonderful.
valentina
Thank you, Nancy. It's so simple -- hope you give it a try. 🙂
Jill Roberts @ WellnessGeeky
What a gorgeous pictures. This homemade pistachio butter is something new for me! Thx for sharing!
valentina
Thank you Jill! Hope you try it. Happy New Year!
Bella Hardy @ Healthnerdy
This homemade pistachio butter is very decadent, and the people in my office are happy today!
valentina
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!
Amit
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 🙂
valentina
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!
Robin Hamilton @Wellness Wires
I had a similar homemade pistachio butter at a restaurant recently and found myself craving it and wondering if I could recreate it today.
valentina
Yay! This makes me happy. I hope you love it as much as the one you had at the restaurant! 🙂
Ayanna
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!
valentina
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
Paula
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.
valentina
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
2pots2cook
Oh dear, I don't care about the colour ! Just give me a batch ! 🙂 🙂 🙂
valentina
Ha! Thank you. Hope you love it. 🙂 ~Valentina
John / Kitchen Riffs
Pistachio butter? Nope, never had it. Love the idea of it, though. Must. Make. 🙂 This looks good -- thanks. And happy holidays!
valentina
Thanks, John. I hope you do try it and love it! Happy holidays to you! 🙂 ~Valentina