Smooth and creamy homemade Pumpkin Seed Butter is a healthy, nut-free spread that is allergy friendly. Made with a few simple and wholesome ingredients, you can whip up this delicious plant-based seed butter in just a few minutes.
As someone who is allergic to peanuts and almonds, I miss having a healthy spread for toast or apple slices. I had to switch from peanut butter or almond butter to nut-free spreads like sunflower seed butter, granola butter, and my new favorite - pumpkin seed butter. Pumpkin seeds are packed with health benefits and taste delicious, so I started making my own pumpkin seed butter at home.
Although you can buy pumpkin seed butter at the store, it's quite expensive. It's super easy to make a homemade version instead that is vegan and gluten free. You can use this recipe to make your favorite nut or seed butter at home for cheaper!
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What is Pumpkin Seed Butter and What Does it Taste Like?
Pumpkin seed butter is just taking raw pepitas and blending them into a creamy butter, just like peanut butter or almond butter.
Have you ever had roasted pumpkin seeds? That's what pumpkin seed butter tastes like! It's an earthy flavor that tastes more like nut butter than pumpkin and is milder than sunflower seed butter. It's a delicious vegan, allergy-friendly, nut-free spread that can be used like traditional nut butters for eating, cooking, or baking.
Health Benefits of Pumpkin Seeds
- High protein: ¼ cup serving of pumpkin seeds packs about 10 grams of plant based protein.
- Packed with vitamins and anti-oxidants: pumpkin seeds contain vitamins like vitamin E, magnesium, zinc, and iron along with being filled with antioxidants which support inflammation levels.
- High fiber: a variety of fiber sources help improve gut health and pumpkin seeds are high in fiber to support your GI system.
- Support overall health: due to the amount of healthy fats and vitamins, pumpkin seeds can support heart health, your metabolism, reproductive health and more along with hair growth and sleep.
Ingredients for Pumpkin Seed Butter
- Pumpkin seeds: this recipe starts with raw pepitas that you can buy at most grocery stores. These are the green shelled pumpkin seeds.
- Olive oil or coconut oil: both are heart healthy oils that help us achieve a smooth texture.
- Maple syrup: this is optional, but I like to add a splash of pure maple syrup for flavor.
- Salt: your favorite salt will work here whether that is pink Himalayan salt or flaky sea salt. Be sure to use enough salt for the best flavor!
How to Make Homemade Pumpkin Seed Butter
- Although optional, I prefer to toast the pumpkin seeds first for a deeper flavor. If roasting, spread the pumpkin seeds evenly on a baking sheet and roast them at 350F for 8-10 minutes until edges of the seeds are golden brown. Remove and let cool for at least 10 minutes.
- Add the pumpkin seeds to a high-speed blender or food processor and blend until you have a fine powder.
- Add the salt and maple syrup (if using), then with the blender or food processor running, drizzle the liquid oil in. The butter will become thick and clumpy at first.
- Blend for 3-5 minutes until you have a smooth and creamy pumpkin seed butter. Add extra oil as needed to reach your desired consistency. Pause and scrape down the sides of your blender or the bowl of your food processor as needed.
- Taste and add more salt or maple syrup as desired.
Substitutions and Variations
- Oil: olive oil or melted coconut oil will work, depending on your preference. Coconut oil adds slightly more sweetness due to its flavor profile. You could also use something like hemp oil, pumpkin seed oil, or avocado oil.
- Pumpkin seeds: I sometimes use a mix of pumpkin seeds with about ¼-1/2 cup of hemp seeds or even tigernut flour. This just switches up the flavor profile slightly. You could also use sunflower seeds instead of pumpkin seeds or a mix of the two.
- Flavor variations: stick to using pumpkin seeds for a pure pumpkin seed butter. If you want to make a sweeter spread, increase the amount of maple syrup used and decrease the oil added. Try honey instead of maple syrup or add a splash of vanilla for a sweeter option too. You can also add a little bit of cinnamon for a more warming pumpkin butter.
Tips for the Best Pumpkin Seed Butter
- Roast the pumpkin seeds first: roasting the pumpkin seeds first deepens the flavor and reduces bitterness.
- Use a high speed machine: the best machine to use is a high-speed blender like a Vitamix or a good food processor. Other blenders usually can't handle the blend time and intensity needed to turn a solid seed into a creamy butter. They can overheat and break or just aren't even strong enough to blend the seeds up in the first place.
- Blend for long enough: when making any nut or seed butter, you need to blend for long enough to fully break down the nuts/seeds and release the natural oils that help achieve a creamy texture. Depending on your machine, blend times can be anywhere from 5-15 minutes or more. Don't despair if it's taking awhile. You'll start with a dry powder from blending the seeds then things may get a bit thick and clumpy when you add the oil, keep blending until you have a smooth consistency.
How to Store Pumpkin Seed Butter
Pour your butter into an airtight container (I prefer a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid) and store the jar of pumpkin seed butter at room temperature for up to a month or in the fridge for up to 2 months.
How to Eat Homemade Pumpkin Seed Butter
I'll be honest, I eat this creamy spread by the spoonful, it's that good! Otherwise, you can use it the same way you'd use any other nut or seed spread. It's very versatile.
- Make sandwiches
- Spread it on crackers
- Dip apple slices into it
- Drizzle it over ice cream, a yogurt bowl, or oatmeal.
- Spread on muffins or breads like my Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
- Use in sauces or salad dressings in place of almond or peanut butter (think Pad Thai!)
- In baking
FAQ
Although you could technically get away with not using oil, I find that adding a little oil helps achieve a smooth butter. If you decide to not use any oil, you'll need to process the pumpkin seeds for much longer (10-15 minutes with breaks to scrape down the sides of the blender/processor and so your machine doesn't over heat) so the natural oils and fats can be released.
Yes, but it will result in a different spread. You can make sunflower seed butter or use sesame seeds to make tahini. I suggest staying away from flaxseeds, that's not the most yummy option. Flaxseeds would work as a mix with pumpkin seeds though.
No, those are not shelled and not the best option for making pumpkin seed butter. You'll want to get the green pepitas from the store.
If you used raw pepitas, this can happen. That is why I suggest toasting the raw seeds first. This can also happen if you don't use a high quality olive oil. Add a little maple syrup and coconut oil to see if that helps!
This can happen for a few reasons. It sometimes happens when you add extras like spices or honey or if you didn't use enough oil. Just keep blending for a few minutes and it should work itself out, or add a little extra oil to get things smooth again.
No, it can be stored at room temperature for up to 3-4 weeks in a cool, dry place. If you want it to last longer, feel free to refrigerate it for up to 2 months.
If you try this Homemade Pumpkin Seed Butter recipe, let me know what you think! Leaving a rating and review below helps others too.
Homemade Pumpkin Seed Butter
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups pumpkin seeds
- ¼ cup hemp seeds optional + other seeds if desired
- ¼ cup olive oil or coconut oil*
- salt
- splash of maple syrup optional
Instructions
- Although optional, I prefer to toast the pumpkin seeds first for a deeper flavor. If roasting, spread the pumpkin seeds evenly on a baking sheet and roast them at 350F for 8-10 minutes until edges of the seeds are golden brown. Remove and let cool for at least 10 minutes.
- Add the pumpkin seeds to a high-speed blender or food processor and blend until you have a fine powder.
- Add the salt and maple syrup (if using), then with the blender or food processor running, drizzle the liquid oil in. The butter will become thick and clumpy at first.
- Blend for 3-5 minutes until you have a smooth and creamy pumpkin seed butter. Add extra oil as needed to reach your desired consistency. Pause and scrape down the sides of your blender or the bowl of your food processor as needed.
- Taste and add more salt or maple syrup as desired.
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