Homemade Vegan Butter (Cultured!)
Creamy and spreadable cultured vegan butter that smells and tastes like real butter! Palm oil-free, soy-free, and dairy-free!
Ingredients
Cultured Cashew Milk
- 1/2 cup raw cashews
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 capsule acidophilus (or 1/16 tsp of mesophilic culture)
Cultured Butter
- 1/2 cup cultured cashew milk
- 1 and 1/4 cup refined coconut oil
- 1/3 cup grapeseed oil or other neutral oil
- 1 tsp liquid sunflower lecithin or 2 tsp powdered lecithin
- 2 tsp carrot juice for color, optional
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
Cultured Cashew Milk
- Place the raw cashews in a bowl. Cover and let them soak overnight or for at least 8 hours.
- Drain the cashews and put them back in the bowl. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, pour the boiling water over the cashews. This step will kill viable bacteria. Drain the cashews.
- Add them to a blender with 2/3 cup of water and blend on high speed until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides from time to time until everything is smooth.
- Transfer the cashew milk to a small bowl or container and stir in the acidophilus powder. Cover with a clean towel or with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for about 24 hours (up to 48 hours). The cashew cream is ready when it has a light tangy taste. You should also see some air bubbles. This means the fermentation worked.
Vegan Butter
- Melt the coconut oil over low-medium heat. Measure 1 and 1/4 cups of melted coconut oil and put it in a blender. Add 1/2 cup of cultured cashew milk, neutral oil, sunflower lecithin, salt, and carrot juice. Blend on high speed for about 1 minute.
- Line a 6x4-inch container with parchment paper. Transfer the mixture to the container and place it in the freezer for at least 1 hour or until firm. Once firm, transfer to the refrigerator. It will become softer after a few hours.
- This vegan butter will keep for up to 7 days in the refrigerator. Since this butter contains live cultures, it might get stronger in taste/smell as time passes. It will keep in the freezer for up to two months.
Video
Notes
- Do not overheat the coconut oil. To prevent separation during blending, the coconut oil should be just melted and not hot.
- Use refined coconut oil. Since coconut oil is this vegan butter's main ingredient, you absolutely need to use the odorless/flavorless kind. Using regular coconut oil would give the butter an overpowering coconut flavor.
- Regarding lecithin: This emulsifier is what allows the cashew cream and different oils to blend together. I tried using both sunflower and soy lecithin, and both work great.
- Replacing the acidophilus: You can replace the capsule of Acidophilus with 1/16 teaspoon of mesophilic culture.
- To flavor this vegan butter: Follow the recipe as stated. Once firm, let the butter sit on the counter for 1-2 hours or until soft. Stir in your add-ins (herbs, garlic, raisins, cinnamon, or chocolate for a sweet version) and transfer the butter to a container. Place in the refrigerator until firm again.
- Recipe inspired by Miyoko's VeganButter and Nutcrafter's Bettah than Buttah, as well as traditional butter-making techniques.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 tbsp | Calories: 96 kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.5 g | Protein: 0.3 g | Fat: 10.5 g | Fiber: 0.1 g
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