Creamy Walnut Butter with Cinnamon

Discover the wholesome goodness of our creamy homemade walnut butter with cinnamon. Packed with heart-healthy omega-3s and rich flavors, this simple-to-make delicacy has become a daily staple in our house.

Perfect to pair with your favorite fruits or crackers to create satisfying and nutritious treats that are good for you.

Walnuts, my favorite nuts

In my childhood days in Romania, exotic nuts like macadamias, pistachios, or almonds were unfamiliar. But a walnut tree? Almost every family had one. As September began, we children reveled in the joy of picking fresh walnuts. Their green skins just started to dry and crack, revealing the sturdy shell beneath.

With a stone as our tool, we’d crack them open, unveiling the tender nut inside. We’d peel and savor them, our laughter echoing in the crisp air. As school beckoned mid-September, our hands still bore the yellow traces of those delightful walnut feasts—a nostalgic mark of a time gone by. Even now, at 44, when I visit my parents during the fall, I find the same joy in savoring fresh walnuts.

Once I discovered I could make a delicious creamy nut butter with walnuts, this has become a staple in our home.

Walnuts are a great addition to your diet

Walnuts, like most nuts, are dense in macronutrients—carbohydrates, proteins, and especially fats. A typical serving of walnuts (about 28 grams or a handful) contains roughly 18 grams of fat, 4 grams of protein, and 4 grams of carbohydrates, of which 2 grams are dietary fiber.

The fats in walnuts are primarily polyunsaturated, including a significant amount of omega-3 fatty acid in the form of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).

Walnuts are also a source of polyamines, particularly spermidine. Polyamines play essential roles in various cellular processes, including cell growth and longevity. Consuming polyamines has been linked to potential health benefits like anti-aging properties, heart and gut health, and neuroprotection.

Some other important sources of polyamines are fermented foods, aged cheeses, organ meats, seaweed, and shiitake mushrooms.

Incorporating walnuts into your diet through dishes like walnut butter can offer a tasty way to enjoy these potential health advantages.

Ingredients and tools to make walnut butter

Technically, making walnut butter requires just raw walnuts and a food processor. However, for the best homemade walnut butter, we recommend the following two extra steps:

1. Roasting the Walnuts: Gently roast the walnuts on low heat. This not only helps release their natural oils but also reduces some of their antinutrients.
2. Flavor Enhancements: Infuse your walnut butter with flavor and natural sweetness by adding vanilla and cinnamon. A pinch of sea salt will bring these flavors together.

For the blending process, I currently prefer my immersion blender (It’s called Bamix). Its power outshines any food processor I’ve used, eliminating the frequent pauses to scrape down the sides. Nevertheless, if you have a robust food processor, that will work just as effectively for making nut butter.

Whichever food processor you use, make sure it can handle nut butter. I know I’ve broken a few in the past.

How to make the best walnut butter at home

Yields approximately 1 cup of walnut butter

• Preheat your oven to 320°F (160°C).
• Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let them cool.
• If using a high-speed food processor: Transfer the cooled walnuts to the processor and blend until they form a creamy paste. You may need to stop occasionally to scrape down the sides.
• If using an immersion blender: First, grind the walnuts in a regular food processor, especially if making a larger batch. Transfer the ground nuts to a tall jar, then blend with the immersion blender, until smooth. An immersion blender is often more powerful, reducing the need to scrape down the sides as frequently.
• Once the walnuts are transformed into a buttery consistency, add the cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Blend again to incorporate and stop when you achieve a smooth and creamy consistency.

• Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.
• Transfer the walnut butter to a glass jar or an air tight container and store it in the refrigerator. When stored properly, it can last for several weeks.

How to serve walnut butter

Walnut butter isn’t just delicious—it’s a fantastic way to weave healthy fats into your meals. Here are some cozy ways I love to use it:

• Baking Buddy: Use it to replace fats, butter, or eggs in your baking.
• Simple Spread: Slather it onto your favorite gluten-free crackers or bread and top it with fresh or frozen berries. It’s better than peanut butter and jelly!
• Saucy Base: Dreaming of a creamy nut sauce? Use walnut butter.
• Fruit Dip Delight: Dipping fresh fruits like apples into walnut butter not only tastes divine but also slows down carb absorption. Double win!
• Sweet Treat: One of our cherished treats is stuffing Medjool dates with walnut butter, then drizzling them in melted chocolate. Pop them in the fridge or freezer for a bite-sized bliss!
• Make a Plant-Based Milk: Blend two tablespoons of our walnut butter with one cup of filtered water and voila, you have fresh walnut milk!

Trust me, once you start, you’ll find endless ways to enjoy this nutty wonder!

I hope you love this roasted walnut butter recipe as much as we do.

For other delicious homemade nut butter, try our Pecan Butter Recipe or our delicate and creamy Homemade Macadamia Butter.

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