How to Make Pistachio Butter (Smooth & Creamy)

If you’ve ever wondered how to make pistachio butter at home, you’ll be happy to know it requires just two ingredients and a bit of patience. This smooth and creamy pistachio butter recipe uses raw, unsalted pistachios and a small amount of oil to create a rich, spreadable nut butter that’s far fresher and often more flavorful than store-bought versions.

Homemade pistachio butter is perfect for stuffing dates, spreading on toast, swirling into oatmeal, blending into desserts, or using anywhere you’d use almond or peanut butter. With a food processor and up to 10 minutes of blending, you’ll watch the pistachios transform from crumbs into a thick paste, then into glossy, silky pistachio butter.

Once you see how easy it is to make pistachio butter from scratch, you may never buy it again.

The Best Equipment for Pistachio Butter

I have both a Vitamix and a food processor, but I prefer using the food processor for most nut butters. While a high-powered blender works, I find the processor easier to manage and scrape down.

Be patient. It can take up to 10 minutes for the pistachios to transform from crumbs to paste to smooth butter. Occasionally, stop the machine to prevent overheating and to scrape down the sides.

You’ll notice the stages clearly:

• First, a coarse meal
• Then a thicker paste
• Finally, a smooth, glossy butter

Homemade Pistachio Butter in a Food Processor

1. Coarse Ground Pistachios – The pistachios have just begun breaking down into a coarse meal. At this stage, they resemble green sand and are still dry and crumbly.
2. Thick Pistachio Paste Forms – As blending continues, the natural oils begin releasing and the mixture clumps together into a thick, dense paste. Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides and prevent overheating.
3. Smoother but Still Thick – The paste becomes heavier and more cohesive. You’ll notice it gathering around the blade and starting to form a ball.
4. Smooth & Creamy Pistachio Butter –After several minutes, the mixture transforms into a smooth, glossy pistachio butter with a silky texture. Transfer to a jar while still slightly warm. The finished pistachio butter should be spreadable, rich, and vibrantly green.

Choosing the Right Pistachios

Always buy raw, unsalted pistachios.

I once made the mistake of purchasing salted shelled pistachios in bulk, and they were intensely salty. Not wanting to waste them, I blanched and rinsed them several times in fresh, cold water, then dried them before using. The flavor was usable but noticeably dulled. Since then, I carefully check the package for the words raw and unsalted.

Sicilian pistachios are considered the gold standard, but pistachios from California work wonderfully as well.

To Roast or Not to Roast?

Lightly roasting pistachios in a low oven enhances their flavor and speeds up the blending process. Warm nuts release their oils more readily, which helps them turn into butter faster.

That said, raw pistachios produce a fresher, brighter flavor. Choose based on your preference.

Adding Oil for a Smooth & Creamy Texture

While pistachios contain natural oils, I add a small amount of neutral oil to achieve a silkier consistency. My favorite is sunflower oil, but you could use roasted pistachio oil for a deeper flavor or extra virgin olive oil for an Italian twist.

Add the oil gradually until you reach your desired texture.

How to Make Nut Butter Using Any Nut

This same technique used to make pistachio butter, works beautifully with any nut. Once you understand the stages of grinding and emulsifying, homemade nut butter becomes second nature. Create delicious, creamy nut butters from almonds, hazelnuts, cashews, and peanuts.

Storing Pistachio Butter

Store pistachio butter can be stored in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to a month. If it firms up, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes, then stir before using.

Smooth & Creamy Pistachio Butter at Home

Learning how to make pistachio butter is less about a recipe and more about understanding the transformation — from whole nuts to a silky, spoonable spread. With good pistachios, gentle patience, and a small drizzle of oil, you create something far more vibrant than anything from a jar. It’s a simple technique that delivers pure flavor and beautiful texture every time.

Pistachio Nut Butter

Ingredients  

1x2x3x

• 2 cups/ 240-250g shelled raw pistachios
• 1.5 to 2 tsp neutral oil such as sunflower (or roasted pistachio oil)

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 300F/150C

• Spread the shelled pistachios in an even layer on a parchment-lined sheet pan.

• Roast for 7-8 minutes until just fragrant but not brown.

• Remove from oven and pour them directly, while warm, into a food processor.

• Process the nuts in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade to a coarsely ground nut flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicon spatula and continue to process until a smooth mass forms. Now, add the oil and process, scraping the sides a few times until you have a smooth nut butter. This can take 10-12 minutes or longer. Taste and add a pinch or two of salt if you like.

• Once you are satisfied with the consistency of your pistachio butter, transfer it to an immmaculately clean jar, cover and refrigerate until needed.

Keyword nut butter, pistachio butter