We had a ton of roasted cashews that we weren’t eating, so I decided to turn them into something we would eat.
Most cashew cream or cheese recipes I’ve been wanting to try call for raw cashews, so I couldn’t make any of these. Trail mix left me with kind of the same problem, and granola bars seemed kind of a blah idea. I know, I know– everybody loves granola bars except me. It’s not that I don’t like them, I just don’t love them.
I started thinking about how I’ve been meaning to make a dairy free version of Nutella, and then it occurred to me: I bet roasted cashews would make a really delicious chocolate cashew butter. Go!
First I pulverized the roasted cashews in my food processor, then added vegetable oil, white sugar, and cocoa powder. You can definitely add a sweeter oil to yours, like a nut oil. I just like to use what I have in my kitchen already. I did have a little trouble getting this to be low sugar and still taste like chocolate, but with some experimenting and taste testing, I eventually got a good flavor balance.
It’s sweet but not too sweet, with a buttery, chocolate flavor. YUM.
I suppose I could have kept processing it to make it smoother, but I’m impatient. My food processor is not the greatest and it was taking a long time. Feel free to make yours into a smooth-and-shiny-as-Nutella-butter….or mix in some bigger cashew pieces to make a crunchy butter!
This is great for spreading and dipping. Spread on graham crackers or croissants, or make a cashew butter and jelly sandwich. I ate most of this batch as a dip with salted pretzels, which was so addicting. It was one of those snacks where you eat a few and you’re like, okay, just one more, then that one more turns into an empty bag of pretzels and a need to buy more cashews.
I hope you enjoy this simple chocolate cashew butter as much as I did!
- 1 cup roasted cashews (salted is okay)
- 3 tablespoons oil of your choice
- 2 tablespoons, plus 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
- 1/8 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/8 cup sugar
- dash of sea salt
- In a food processor, grind your cashews until finely chopped.
- Add oil and process until smooth.
- Add vanilla, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt, then process until well combined. Taste, and add more sugar or cocoa powder to your liking.
I agree being lactose intolerant is not any easy transition. My Husband and I over the past two years have had to move quickly to no dairy, no gluten , no process sugar and low sodium due to health issues. It has been a journey but have found ways to make it through. We do not eat out a lot and when do are limited unless we are going for salads. Love the Blog — making the Italian Wedding soup today for the first time. Bon Apetit!
Hi Laura, I’m sorry to hear about you and your husband’s dietary restrictions. I hope it has become easier to find and enjoy recipes you love while still maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Thanks so much for your kind words. I hope you enjoyed the wedding soup, it’s one of my favorites!
I just wanted to say… this blog is awesome! Lactose intolerance is very lame and alienating – you look crazy when you order food at restaurants, there are hidden dairy ingredients in innumerable products, alternative convenience items are expensive and often disappointing, and let’s be honest: it’s just plain old disappointing watching your friends nosh on cheesy spinach artichoke dip, ordering up creamy pastas and enjoying sumptuous desserts with the full knowledge that they won’t spend an entire night camping on the bathroom floor in the fetal position.
HOWEVER, blogs like this give me hope! Thank you for sharing your yummy and fuss-free recipes with the rest of the world. 😀
Hi Nicole,
I agree! Lactose intolerance can be very alienating, especially when you’re the only one in your family or set of friends who can’t go out for ice cream or grab a slice of pizza. Dairy alternative items are often pricey and hard to find.
Thankfully there are more and more options coming forward, even in our local grocery stores, and this helps our friends and family accommodate us. It is possible to enjoy our favorite foods while being dairy free 🙂
Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement! I’m so glad you are enjoying my blog.