Ember-Roasted Maple Pecan Butter with Vanilla Smoke Salt

Warm as a cabin ember and sweet as maple dawn — roasted pecans and cashews blended with maple, vanilla and a touch of smoked salt.

Ingredients

• 2 cups pecans
• ½ cup cashews (for creaminess)
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• ¼ tsp smoked salt (or flaky sea salt plus a pinch of smoked paprika)
• 1 tbsp melted coconut oil
• Optional: 1 tbsp toasted coconut flakes, for a soft, sweet finish

Instructions

1. Roast the nuts: spread the pecans and cashews on a sheet pan. Roast at 350°F for 8–10 minutes until fragrant and slightly darkened at the edges.
2. Warm the maple: in a small bowl, stir the maple syrup with the melted coconut oil and vanilla bean paste.
3. Blend the nuts: add the warm nuts to a food processor and blend until they move from crumbs to paste to glossy butter.
4. Add the maple-vanilla mixture: pour it in slowly while blending. The nut butter will loosen, shine, and smell like a campfire breakfast.
5. Finish with smoked salt: pulse once or twice — don't overmix. You want little flecks of smoky crystals.
6. Optional coconut swirl: fold in toasted coconut flakes for a soft, sweet, farmhouse-warm texture.

Spread on warm sourdough, swirl into oatmeal or yogurt, drizzle over roasted sweet potatoes, or use as the base for nut-butter cookies.