Vanilla Bean Pecan Butter

This Vanilla Bean Pecan Butter is incredibly smooth and easy to make. The buttery pecans blend up quickly into a creamy nut butter that you’ll want to spread on everything! Cinnamon and vanilla beans complement the pecans wonderfully.

Back atcha with another nut butter! I’m both excited to share this with you, and a little bit sad, because I’m sitting here looking at the bottom of my empty jar of this vanilla bean pecan butter.

My last couple tablespoons were drizzled all over my breakfast this morning and it tasted so good, but using up the last of something so delicious is always bittersweet. No worries though – I can have another batch ready to be devoured in no time because it’s so easy to make.

I recently shared this cinnamon raisin almond butter and this banana bread pecan almond butter – they were both so delicious, but it’s time for the pecans to shine on their own.

I haven’t ever encountered pecan butter in a store, I don’t think, probably because pecan butter would be prohibitively expensive, like so many nut butters are. That’s one of the main reasons I love making my own – it’s so much cheaper when I can get a big bag of nuts at Costco to whirl into nut butter.

The other reason why I’m so obsessed with making them myself is being able to flavor them however my heart desires, even when I’m keeping it simple like I did here.

Pecans are pretty much a nut butter making dream. They have a higher fat content than almonds do, which is why pecans always taste so buttery and delicious, and that helps them whirl into a super smooth and creamy nut butter in NO time.

It took about 30 seconds, no exaggeration, from my pecans to go from whole nuts to drippy pecan butter in my Vitamix. If you’re using a food processor, it will take you a bit longer because you’ll have to scrape down the sides of the processor, which isn’t required in a high-powered blender.

Either way you make it though, you can be spreading pecan butter on everything in a snap. Because I really wanted the flavor of the roasted pecans to shine though, I kept the add-ins simple this time. All it needs are a touch of cinnamon for warmth, a little bit of salt, and vanilla bean powder.

I opted for vanilla bean powder because I made this while I was on my Whole30 and vanilla extract isn’t allowed, but vanilla bean powder is my favorite thing that I haven’t really shared with you guys. I actually learned about it in my senior thesis class in college – it was a consulting class where we provided consulting with real businesses. Lafaza was one of the businesses my class worked with and my classmates who were working directly with them told them about my site, so they sent me some product to try – among it was a jar of ground vanilla bean powder.

That little jar has lasted me a LONG time, and it’s super amazing. It adds the vanilla bean flecks I love without dealing with seeding a vanilla bean. If you choose to invest in a bit of it, it’ll go a loooong way and help you make LOTS of vanilla bean treats. Lafaza is pretty expensive on Amazon, but this is a great vanilla bean powder as well.

By keeping it simple, the toasted pecan flavor really shines. If you love pecans like I do, you’re going to go nuts for this stuff. It’s naturally sweet and tastes as good on a spoon as it does on an apple, or banana, or drizzle over oatmeal. I doubt you’ll be hardpressed finding ways to use it – more likely, you’ll be like me and get sad when you reach the end of the jar. Off to make another batch – enjoy! :)

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Vanilla Bean Pecan Butter

Save Print Prep time 10 mins Cook time 8 mins Total time 18 mins Author: Rachel Conners Serves: 1½ cups Ingredients

2 cups raw pecans
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon vanilla bean powder or ½ vanilla bean, scraped for seeds
¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the pecans on a lined baking sheet and bake in the heated for about 8 minutes, or until fragrant and lightly toasted. Let cool for a few minutes on the counter top.
When the pecans are cool, add them to your food processor or high-powered blender (I used my Vitamix). Process until it breaks down into a nut butter - in my Vitamix, it only took about 30-45 seconds. In a food processor, it will probably take anywhere from 3-8 minutes and you’ll have to scrape down the sides a few times, or as necessary.
When the pecans have broken down into a smooth, creamy butter, add the cinnamon, vanilla bean powder, and kosher salt. Process to incorporate, and taste. Adjust add-ins as desired.
Transfer to a glass jar (like a mason or Weck jar) and store at room temperature for up to a month or in the refrigerator for 2-3 months.

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