I love a good pumpkin seed butter!. But not only are the good ones a bit pricey but sometimes it’s nice to just be able to whip up some of your own in a flash.
I created this pumpkin seed butter to satisfy my craving for variety. And also to get sufficient magnesium in my diet (here’s why).
Another reason that I love this alternative to my regular nut-butter is the anti-inflammatory benefits of pumpkin seeds. These little seeds contain a high level of zinc which is an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory agent that also helps the metabolic process.
Making your own nut/seed butter is not as hard as you might think. You just need raw or roasted nuts or seeds and a good food processor. Making your butter with raw nuts or seeds retains more of the mineral content, but roasted blends a bit better and has a richer taste. So, up to you!
This recipe includes options for using either raw or roasted pumpkin seeds so that you can choose.
Pumpkin Seed Butter
Ingredients
- 2 cups pumpkin seeds, raw or roasted
if roasted skip steps 1 and 2
- 1 tsp olive oil
optional, only needed to help blend into butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spread the pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, until lightly golden. Cool for 15-20 minutes.
- Put the pumpkin seeds in a food processor. Run the food processor for approximately 4-5 minutes, until the pumpkin seeds begin to have the texture of butter. If necessary, stop the food processor and scrape the sides.
- Continue running the food processor for another 2-5 minutes until the pumpkin seeds have the texture of butter. Add some of the oil, if needed, until the desired consistency is obtained.
