Homemade creamy almond cashew butter infused with maple syrup, whole espresso beans, salt, and vanilla. Each spoonful contains tiny crunchy flecks of espresso beans, which I absolutey love!
Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C) degrees with a rack in the center position. Spread the raw almonds and cashews on a half sheet pan. Toast for 10 to 12 minutes, tossing them halfway through, or until the nuts are lightly golden and fragrant.
Allow the nuts to cool for 1 to 2 minutes and then transfer them to a large food processor bowl fitted with a blade attachment. Add the espresso beans. If you have a high-powered blender (such as a Vitamix), you can use this instead of a food processor, but I prefer using a food processor.
Process the toasted nut and espresso mixture until it is coarse and clumpy. Once it clumps, it will form a ball and quickly begin to become smooth. Scrape down the bowl with a spatula every few minutes. Continue processing until the nuts release all of their oils and the butter is loose, smooth, and can easily drizzle from the end of a spoon. Depending on the power of your food processor, this process may take 5 to 15 minutes.
Add the vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract), salt, and maple syrup (if using) and process for an additional 30 seconds. Storage: Transfer the nut butter to a small glass container, cover, and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.The flavor of the espresso strengthens during storage, which is delicious!
Tips for Success:
If you have roasted nuts on hand (instead of raw), it is best to warm them in an oven for several minutes before processing. Warm nuts will release more oils and produce a smoother nut butter than raw nuts. If you prefer raw nut butters, feel free to skip the roasting step.
If you prefer an ultra-smooth almond butter (without crunchy flecks of espresso bean), substitute whole espresso beans with 2 teaspoons finely ground espresso. Do not substitute instant espresso powder.