Homemade Maple Pecan Butter Recipe-Easy & Delicious

ByEA Stewart
JUMP TO RECIPE

Pecan butter is insanely delicious and SO easy to make. It requires just a few ingredients and a food processor or blender. Bonus: Pecans are packed with antioxidants and one of the healthiest nuts!

Two glass mason jars with homemade pecan butter on a green napkin and a spoon in the foreground.

Do you say pe-can or pe-cahn? No matter how you say it, there’s no denying pecans are not only delicious, they’re jam-packed with nutrients, too! And, while I’m an equal opportunity nut butter lover (or just a plain nutty-ha!), I feel like pecans don’t get all the love they deserve.

And that makes me sad.😭 This is why I will do my darndest to convince you to eat more pecans today in this scrumptious homemade pecan butter. Deal?!

More nut butter recipes you’ll love: Homemade Chocolate Almond Butter and Vanilla Coffee Bean Cashew Butter.

3 Reasons You’ll Love This Easy Recipe

  • SIMPLE INGREDIENTS—To make this delicious nut butter, you only need four ingredients: pecans, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt.
  • BUDGET FRIENDLY—Sure, store-bought nut butters are convenient but expensive, so why not make your own?
  • SATISFY YOUR HEALTHY CRAVINGS – Healthy doesn’t matter if something doesn’t taste good, in my opinion. This homemade pecan butter is low in added sugars and rich in healthy fats. And, oh-so-delicious!

Ingredients for Maple Pecan Butter

Photo collage with 4 ingredients: pecans, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and sea salt, to make homemade pecan butter.
  • Raw Pecans. I always keep a bag of raw organic pecans in my freezer for when my pecan butter craving hits. Choose high-quality pecans for the best taste!
  • Maple Syrup. Choose pure maple syrup for the best flavor.
  • Vanilla Extract. As with the maple syrup, choose pure vanilla extract for the tastiest pecan butter.
  • Sea Salt. Just a pinch enhances the nutty flavor of this yummy pecan butter.
  • Optional & Additional Ingredients: To make cinnamon-raisin pecan butter, replace the vanilla extract with 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon and add 1/4 cup raisins. You can also stir in dark chocolate chips or shredded coconut for a decadent yet healthy treat!

Easy Steps to Make Homemade Pecan Butter

  1. Start by toasting your pecans for the most delicious homemade pecan butter. Spread pecans on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and toast them at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes. 
  2. Allow to cool to room temperature.
  3. Add the cooled and toasted pecans and a pinch of salt to a food processor to achieve your desired consistency.
  4. Add the maple syrup and vanilla to the food processor or blender and process to combine well.
  5. Store your pecan butter in a well sealed glass jar or mason jar. 

Nutrition

This roasted pecan butter is naturally gluten free, dairy-free, and low FODMAP. One serving has ~ 150 calories, 2 grams of protein, 14 grams of fat (only 1 gram of saturated fat), 4 grams of carbohydrates (2 grams of fiber and 2 grams of sugar)

Pecan Health Benefits

Pecan Nutrition 101 - baking sheet with candied pecans.
Photo by Deryn Macey on Unsplash
  • Healthy fats. Pecans are a superfood for your heart. While more research is needed, pecans have been shown to lower LDL cholesterol (1) and decrease LDL oxidation (2) in humans. In addition, more than half of the fat in pecans is heart-healthy monounsaturated fat.
  • Antioxidants. Pecans contain beta carotene and gamma-tocopherols (vitamin E) and are rich in phytonutrients to promote overall health and longevity, like other nuts. (3)
  • Gut healthy. Like other nuts, Pecans contain fiber to help with gut health and digestion. Bonus! If you’re following a low FODMAP diet for IBS, pecans are low FODMAP too!
  • Brain health booster. Like other nuts, pecans are an essential component of the MIND Diet, which has been found to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s by up to 53%.

How to Eat Pecan Nut Butter

I dare you to eat this delicious Pecan Butter straight off the spoon!
  • Spread it on apples with a dash of cinnamon.
  • Slather it on a slice of my skillet buckwheat banana bread. Divine!
  • Stir it into oatmeal overnight oats.
  • Try it in my Healthy Vegan Peanut Butter Cups instead of peanut butter. Yum!!
  • Blend it into a smoothie with fresh fruit and your favorite protein powder.
  • Dark chocolate is a perfect pairing with this Maple Pecan Butter. Just sayin’.
  • Drizzle it on top of ice cream, cottage cheese, or Greek yogurt.
  • And, last but not least, savor it straight off a spoon!

FAQs

If you have self control and don’t eat it all at once, LOL, you can store your pecan butter in an airtight container at room temperature for about 1 week or in the refrigerator for 1 month.

There are 171 calories in 1/4 cup of pecans.

More Sweet Pecan Recipes

  1. Paleo Pumpkin Muffins with Pecans
  2. No Bake Pumpkin Bites
  3. Oatmeal Cookie Dough Bites
  4. The Best Vegan Pecan Pie Tarts
5 paleo pumpkin muffins with varios toppings including pumpkin seeds, pecans, almonds, and chocolate chips
Glass bowl filled with pumpkin energy bites.
Overhead shot of a vegan pecan pie tart in a mini cast iron skillet.

Grab your spoon and dig in!!!

Two glass mason jars with homemade pecan butter on a green napkin and a spoon in the foreground.

Toasted Maple Pecan Nut Butter

Make this easy 4-ingredient Toasted Vanilla Maple Pecan Nut Butter for an indulgent, yet healthy treat!
4.34 from 6 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Processing time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 10 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 cups raw pecans
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place pecans on a baking sheet and toast for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove pecans from baking sheet immediately, and allow to cool. Be careful not to over toast!
  • Place pecans and sea salt in a food processor and process for approximately 10 minutes, or until desired consistency is achieved. Scrape down the food processor bowl as needed during the process.
  • Add the maple syrup and vanilla extract and process until well combined.
  • Store pecan nut butter in a well sealed glass jar at room temperature for up to one week or in the refrigerator for up to one month.

Notes

Easy Ingredient Swaps: Replace the vanilla extract with 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and add 1/4 cup raisins to make Cinnamon Raisin Pecan Butter.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 143.37kcal | Carbohydrates: 4.14g | Protein: 1.82g | Fat: 14.25g | Saturated Fat: 1.22g | Sodium: 29.29mg | Potassium: 85.68mg | Fiber: 1.9g | Sugar: 2.04g | Vitamin A: 11.09IU | Vitamin C: 0.22mg | Calcium: 16.04mg | Iron: 0.5mg
EA Stewart, RD | Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword homemade nut butter
Diet Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Low Carb, Low FODMAP, MIND Diet, Paleo, Vegan, Vegetarian
Add to Recipe Collection
Did you make this recipe?I’d love a 5-star review and rating if you liked this recipe! Any questions about the recipe or ingredients? Please let me know! Your rating and comments are so appreciated as they help me understand how I can serve you best. Thank you!

More Posts You'll Love