Picture this: thick, creamy nut butter that’s laced with dark chocolate and can be slathered anywhere and everywhere you want it. I’m talking toast, pancakes, fruit, swirled into oatmeal or yogurt, and eaten off a spoon. It’s sort of like Nutella, only with lots of actual nuts involved, and no strange oils or sweeteners. Let’s do this. 
I opted for cashews and almonds because I have SO MANY leftover from my wedding. So many. Like, I’ve been eating a handful of nuts every time I walk past the shelf they’re on, and still haven’t really made a dent in how many cashews/almonds there are. So, as could be predicted, I decided chocolate was the only way to make them disappear more quickly. It worked. I’ve been dipping a pretzel or ten into the jar of chocolate cashew-almond butter every day, and sometimes, maybe, eating a few vegetables too. Maybe. But mostly chocolate.
My nuts are already roasted and salted, since that’s how we snacked on them at the wedding, but if yours are raw, you’ll want to give them a quick toast in the oven or in a pan; they need to get nice and toasty before they meet their maker. I’ve showed you how to make Cinnamon Raisin Almond Butter before, and this recipe starts off much the same. Nuts gets blended until you start to think they’ll never get smooth- then do- and you add in some extra goodies. Instead of just adding melted chocolate and calling it a day, I added a little bit of cocoa powder and coconut oil, too. They help make it extra chocolatey and spreadable, which is precisely what you want this operation to become. The end result is a slightly salty, super dark, ultra intense chocolate spread with just a little bit of sweetness and a nutty background flavor. 
The cashews and almonds add a hefty dose of vitamins and minerals like copper, phosphorus, biotin, and vitamin E. They also provide a bit of protein and fiber, and their monounsaturated fats and antioxidants help protect your heart. I don’t know about you, but I’m always happy to give my heart some extra love, especially when I can do so by eating the most dreamy chocolate spread. 
I think you’re going to love this cashew-almond butter! It’s thick, creamy, and perfectly spreadable. The almonds are bold and toasty, while the cashews help mellow out and balance the almonds, letting the chocolate flavor shine. A few extra pinches of sea salt add the perfect salty-sweet balance to this spread, making it absolutely crave-worthy. If you try this recipe, let me know how it turns out! Comment below, or tag me #bakedgreens on Instagram so I can see your favorite foods to slather this chocolate dream spread on!
Dark Chocolate Cashew-Almond Butter
Ingredients
- 1 cup almonds*
- 1 cup cashews*
- 2 Tablespoons coconut oil
- 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
- 3 Tablespoons chopped dark chocolate
- A pinch of salt if nuts are unsalted
Instructions
- 1. If using raw nuts, first toast them. This can be done in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring every few minutes for about 15 minutes total. You can also toast them in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10 minutes. I had already roasted, salted nuts in my pantry, so I skipped this step and just slightly warmed them in a pan on low for about 5 minutes. Warm nuts will blend more easily.
- 2. Add nuts and coconut oil to the bowl of a food processor or high-speed blender like a Vitamix. Blend for 5-10 minutes, occasionally scraping down the sides, or until a thick, chunky paste starts to form. Add this point you can add the chopped chocolate, cocoa, and salt. Continue blending until completely creamy.
- 3. Transfer to a container with a lid, and let cool to room temperature. Store at room temperature for several weeks, or in the fridge for up to a month. The spread should stay spreadable at room temp, but will harden in the fridge.
Notes