A nut free alternative to homemade nut butter, pumpkin seed butter is creamy with a nutty flavor. All you need is raw pepitas, a bit of salt for flavor and less than an hour to make this delicious spread. Try it on toast, with fruit, enjoyed by the spoonful or as a nut-free substitute to natural peanut butter in your favorite recipes.
Jump to:
If you have been following my blog for very long, you might know that peanut butter is arguably one of my favorite foods!
What you might not know is that my sister has a severe allergy to peanuts and so peanut butter was totally off limits growing up (maybe that's why I love it so much- wanting what you can't have and all).
So as a teenager, I started experimenting with making my own spreads, as alternative spreads weren't as accessible as some are now.
Fortunately, my sister is only allergic to peanuts so not all nuts were off limits.
From macadamia nut butter and walnut butter to sunflower seed butter and today's homemade version of pumpkin seed butter, I discovered that although none of them were quite my beloved peanut butter, there are actually a lot of great options for nut and seed spreads.
And pepita butter happens to be one of my favorites.
The flavor is nutty (despite being nut free) and pepitas are full of nutrients including magnesium, zinc, iron, protein and antioxidants.
The only thing about it is that it is a green spread.
Which isn't so bad when you are having it on toast or to make a PB and J.
But it can be slightly off putting when your "peanut butter" cookies come out green.
However, when having peanut butter isn't an option, I think a green cookie is better than no cookie- wouldn't you agree?
The Ingredients
- Pepitas (Hull-less Pumpkin Seeds)- You need to use pepitas for this recipe which are hull-less seeds that are found only in some varieties of pumpkins. Pumpkin seeds that you scraped out of a pumpkin when carving will not work as the fibrous shell won't become buttery. Use those to make roasted pumpkin seeds for snacking instead!
- Salt- Fine sea salt, kosher salt or table salt will all work. Or leave it out if you prefer.
The Method
1. Roast seeds. Place the raw seeds on a baking sheet and place in a 350 F oven for 5-9 minutes until some are starting to get golden brown and fragrant. I like to slightly shake the pan at around 5 minutes and then keep a very close eye on them- they can go from perfect to burnt in a hurry. And burnt seeds will make the butter taste burnt.
Baking the pumpkin seeds before turning them into butter releases their natural oils which improves the texture and flavor of the butter.
Once roasted, allow to sit at room temperature until somewhat cooled- about 10- 20 minutes. If you blend them too soon, you may overheat your processor but if you let them cool too long the oils won't release as easily and it will take longer to make.
2. Process. Add the cooled pumpkin seeds to a good quality food processor (very important! It takes a lot of time and power and a lower quality processor may not stand up to the task. Process for 5 minutes and then stop and scrape down the sides of the food processor. It will have a meal-like texture.
Process again for 5 minutes. It should start to turn into a paste.
Repeat for another 5-10 minutes until you have a buttery texture, scraping down the sides every few minutes as needed.
I find it usually takes 15 minutes in total but in order to prevent your processor from overheating, I recommend giving it breaks. Macadamia butter is ready in 2-3 minutes though if you're looking for something quicker!
3. Season. Add a pinch of salt to taste (I add ⅛ teaspoon of salt per cup of seeds) and process for 20-30 seconds just to mix in.
4. Store and use. Place in a storage container or jar and use as desired.
Leftovers and Storage
To Store: Store this your homemade pepita butter in an airtight container or a jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks (mine rarely lasts that long!).
Make it Your Own
- Use Pre-Roasted Seeds- If you want to skip the roasting, you can buy and use pepitas that have been roasted (though I found the flavor and texture better when I roasted my own). If using salted, roasted seeds, you may not need to add any salt.
- Make it Sweet- Add the additional ingredients at the same time as the salt.
- Maple- add 2 tablespoons of maple syrup and 1 teaspoon of avocado oil (it will help to prevent the butter from "breaking"
- Honey Cinnamon- Add 2 tablespoons of honey, 1 teaspoon of avocado oil and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon.
Ways to Enjoy Pumpkin Seed Butter
There are so many delicious ways to enjoy pepita butter! Try it:
- Spread on toast or a slice of fresh bread
- With fruit such as sliced apples or bananas (or use it to make Apple Nachos)
- To top pancakes or waffles
- As a nut free alternative for peanut butter in peanut sauce
- Added smoothies or drizzled over a smoothie bowl
- On top oatmeal
- In place of almond butter to make Chocolate Hummus
- Or in place of tahini to make Regular Hummus
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Pumpkin seed butter is a bit thicker than some nut butters but works well in most cases as a nut free alternative to almond butter or natural peanut butter.
No, this recipe only works with shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas) which occur naturally in some specific pumpkin varieties. The outer shell on pumpkin seeds is too fibrous to grind into a butter.
Tips for Success
- Use Enough Seeds- Depending on the size of your food processor, you may want to scale this recipe up or down. I find that it blends to the best texture when the processor is at least ⅓ full (and ideally half) and up to ⅔ full.
- Stop and Scrape- Ensure that all of the seeds gets blended to the same consistency by stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl a couple of times to incorporate any that might be stuck on the edges.
- Roast your Own Seeds- I highly recommend roasting your own pepitas for best flavor.
LET ME PLAN YOUR DINNERS! Join my email list and receive My FREE Meal Plan (Including Grocery List!) as a gift>>>
And if you liked this recipe...
...you might also like:
Recipe Card
Pumpkin Seed Butter
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
- 3 cups pumpkin seeds raw and shelled (pepitas)
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt (optional) plus additional to taste
Instructions
- Place the raw seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast at 350 °F for 5-10 minutes until slightly golden (keep a close eye on them after 5 minutes as they can burn quickly!). Remove from the oven and allow to cool at room temperature for about 10-20 minutes.
- Add the cooled pepitas to a food processor and process for 5 seconds. Stop and scrape the sides of the food processor and then repeat for 2-3 more times until smooth. It usually takes my food processor 15 minutes but it could take closer to 20 depending on your processor.
- Add salt and pulse for 20-30 seconds to mix it in.
- Enjoy and store leftovers in a jar in the refrigerator.
Comments
No Comments