Macadamia nut butter is a rich and creamy spread with a plethora of health benefits. It's incredibly easy and fast to make at home and provides a wealth of essential nutrients and healthy fats that nourish the body and support overall well-being.
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You could purchase this luxuriously smooth paste, but butter that's created at home has no additives or preservatives. Plus, you can customize it to your taste.

Table of contents
Ingredients:
- Raw macadamia nuts
- Kosher salt
There are only two ingredients. Buy macadamia nuts in the bulk bins. The quality is fine and the price is reasonable.
How to Make It
Because they are so high in oil (healthy fats), no additional oil is necessary. You could streamline the already no-fuss process by purchasing roasted macadamias instead of raw.
1 -- Place the macadamias on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for a few minutes until they just begin to color.
Remove the parchment with the nuts from the baking sheet to stop roasting and cool them more quickly.
2 -- While the nuts cool, assemble your food processor or blender. Place the nuts and salt in the processor or blender container. It's okay if they're still slightly warm.
Turn the motor on high. After a minute or so, the nuts will look like crumbs, but keep processing until they start to become a sauce.
3 -- Scrape down the sides of the container, and process a little more until the crumbs from the sides are thoroughly mixed into the butter.
4 -- Pour into air-tight plastic or glass containers. This wide-mouth funnel may come in handy as you transfer the butter to storage jars.
❄️Storage
Keep homemade macadamia nut butter in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It should last for at least 2 to 3 weeks.
Over time, oil separation may occur. Stir to recombine the butter.
👃🏽It's important to regularly check the macadamia nut butter for any signs of spoilage, such as off odors, mold growth, or changes in texture or appearance.
For longer storage, place your butter in the freezer where it will stay fresh for six months, perhaps longer.
Ways to Serve and Use
- Dip: Plunge fruit slices, veggie sticks, crackers, or bread sticks into the smooth and luscious nut butter.
- Spread: Use it on toast, English muffins, rice cakes, pancakes, waffles, and baked goods.
- Oatmeal: Add a sweet, buttery flavor and extra nutrition. Use in regular or overnight oats. (This is one of my favorites!)
- Dressings, Sauces, and Marinades: This butter makes a great base for salad dressings, dips, and sauces. Like tahini, it adds creaminess and richness to dishes like Thai peanut sauce or creamy pasta sauce.
- Smoothies: Add a spoonful of macadamia nut butter for a creamy texture and nutty flavor boost.
- Protein Bars and Energy Balls: Make homemade protein bars or energy balls by combining macadamia nut butter with oats, honey, nuts, and seeds for a nutritious and flavorful snack. (Watch out, though, these are high in calories!)
Variations
The original recipe is very plain and simple and invites you to jazz it up. Try any of the following:
- Vanilla Macadamia Butter: Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract and two teaspoons of sugar (or to taste).
- 🍯Honey or Maple Macadamia Butter: Add a Tablespoon or two of honey or maple syrup.
- Spiced Macadamia Butter: Add half a teaspoon of cinnamon, a fourth a teaspoon of nutmeg, a pinch of star anise or five-spice powder.
- Asian Dipping Sauce: Combine two Tablespoons of nut butter with a Tablespoon of soy sauce, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and a half teaspoon each of ginger, garlic powder and honey.
The sky's the limit here! Experiment with your favorite spices and have fun creating a custom nut butter!
⚕️Macadamia Health Benefits
❤️Macadamias are an amazing source of monounsaturated heart-healthy fats. They also contain some saturated and a very small amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Because of the high amount of fat, they make a satiating snack, and can help with weight control.
The following information is for a 100-gram serving of macadamia nuts or 3.5 ounces. The entire recipe below for Macadamia Nut Butter contains almost triple this amount.
- They are an excellent source of magnesium, iron, and potassium , a mineral that supports healthy blood pressure, and a good source of zinc, and vitamins B2 (riboflavin), and B6.
- They also contain 100% RDA for B1 (thiamin). All of the B vitamins are important for energy production, but thiamin in particular supports cognitive health.
- You'll find about 200% of the RDA for manganese, a trace mineral that assists with bone health, blood clotting, and immunity. It also provides some antioxidant protection to prevent free radicals from damaging our cells.
- Macadamias do not provide many phytonutrients, but do have a decent amount of beta-sitosterol, a phytosterol. It may reduce cholesterol and help with enlarged prostate.
Arthritis and male-pattern baldness are other health worries that beta-sitosterol could possibly ease, but those uses are not well substantiated.
🧠In summary, you can be sure that macadamias and the simple nut butter recipe below are healthy, bolstering heart and brain health, and assisting your body with energy production and overall well-being.
Note: No single nutrient leads to optimum health. Keys to wellness are a varied diet that focuses on whole foods and good lifestyle habits, such as prioritizing sleep and daily physical activity.
FAQ ❓
Yes. Buying the nuts from a bulk bin can result in savings. It does, however, cost more to make than many other nut butters since macadamia nuts are expensive.
That depends. Taste is subjective and can vary depending on the brand and flavor additions. Certainly, homemade macadamia butter will have fewer additives and perhaps less sodium than ones that are available to purchase in stores and online.
A clear advantage of making the butter at home is that you can customize it to your personal preference.
Macadamias boast a mild buttery taste and creamy texture that is particularly delectable. Combine this with a delicate, sweet nuttiness, and you have an ingredient that can add richness to sweet and savory dishes.
Nut recipes and articles you might like...
If nut butter is your jam, try this Chocolate Pumpkin Seed Butter, a yummy variation that is perfect if tree nut allergies are a problem.
Curious about seeds, nuts, and peanuts, which are in the legume family along with beans and peas? Check out Sunflower Seed Butter vs. Peanut Butter, which has a marvelous green muffin recipe with sunflower seed butter.
The texture of Macadamia Nut Butter reminds me of tahini. If you're a tahini fan and want to make it at home, check out this article on the amazing keeping powers of tahini and sesame oil.
If you're wondering about the different flavor and health-giving qualities of different nuts and seeds, read Brazil Nut Substitutes. Macadamias and Brazil Nuts are nearly interchangeable because they are both very oily nuts!
(But, Brazil nuts have more selenium, a powerful antioxidant mineral.)
My latest recipe, Cilantro Pumpkin Seed Pesto, is another fantastic sauce featuring the healthy fats found in nuts and seeds. It's, ahem, similar to the pesto sauce found at True Food restaurants.
Macadamia Nut Butter
Equipment
- Scraper or spatula
- parchment paper
- measuring spoons and cups
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw macadamia nuts, toasted (see note below)
- ¼ teaspoon salt, Kosher
Instructions
- Wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds before starting prep.
- Heat oven to 375 F.
- Spread macadamia nuts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in oven and toast for about 6 to 7 minutes. Nuts should be lightly golden and not fully brown.
- Remove the parchment with nuts and let them cool on the counter while you assemble your food processor. You can also use a blender. Place slightly cooled nuts (they can still be warm) in the container of the food processor or blender.
- Add salt and turn on the motor and blitz on high to a smooth consistency.
- Scrape down the sides and pulse the motor a couple of times to smooth.
- Enjoy with fruit or on baked goods. Use as ingredient in sauces, dressings, marinades, and other recipes. Store the butter in air tight containers, such as jars or lidded storage containers.
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