It’s so easy and fast to do, it’s sort of silly to buy jarred tahini or sesame butter. And in these economic times, who wants to spend $10-plus per jar? I rarely consume tahini, so when I do, I usually buy it. And then I’m left with a full, opened jar in my fridge for months. I prefer to just use the fresh seeds in recipes. However, if I had others to feed or some scheduling issue, etc., I understand the time-saving value of buying the stuff jarred and ready to go. On the other foot 😉 there’s no reason for not making your own seed butters and nut butters. They take minutes — yep, minutoes. The sesame butter/tahini above took me all of 5 minutes in my food processor. This works in a power blender too, such as a Vita Mix or Blend Tec; as well, many juicers make luscious and smooth nut and seed butters. But a simple processor will do! Lookee here: I used hulled seeds for these pictures; however, unhulled work too, but take a bit longer. I’ll get up some pictures of the process of those next.
I like to have the processor running, then pour in the seeds through the chute in a steady stream.
Here it is, already creaming (so quickly)
Coming together:
Time for a scrapedown 😀
Okay, back to spinnin’…
Nice. Now, it’s looking creamier. Time for a second scrape…
Ooh, now she’s smooooothing….
Ta Daaaaaa….Butta! Big, Bodacious, Butta.
I stop mine here, as I like it as a butter and with a toothy-ness. You can go on and get it even creamier.
—
If you want the liquidy sort you can let it go a long time and it may begin to separate, meaning the oil from the solids. Then you can stir it together and it’s oilier. Or, if you keep processing it may reach the consistency you want; Or it may even overprocess and you may not like the texture. It can also begin to heat if left on for long periods. Easiest thing to combat that is to simply unplug the unit and let it cool and then resume processing. You will doubtfully get to that point, though.
what you buy in stores is usually processed to a heating point that renders it un-raw, if not necessarily (thoroughly) cooked. As well, most of them have sesame oil added to make them creamier. The label does not have to state that it contains oil to have it added.
You may also add water to facilitate the smoothness; but I’d not do that in too-large of batches. The addition of any water or liquids renders a butter which will spoil sooner; so use up any quickly, if you add liquids. I have found it better not to.
I like the idea of using my seeds and nuts whole, and, if I need to butter them, even better: I have control over the texture and I know EXACTLY what went into it and that it is freshly made and not sitting on some shelf for months.
So it’s easy to do in your little ol’ processor. 🙂 No more expensive, raw, organic jars of nut and seed butters for you!
Mmmmm — Sesame Butter! Don’t ya want summa yer own? 😉
Poxacuatl
BeStrixed 
dhconcerts said,
December 1, 2008 at 11:38 pm
Do you make this with only the seeds and nothing else (no oil)? You mentioned sesame oil in prepared sesame butter. Do you add oil in this recipe, too, or are these seeds oily enough? (I hope this isn’t a totally ignorant question.)
poxacuatl said,
December 2, 2008 at 12:41 pm
Hi :^) Yep — or, Nope ?? Lol. Yes, only seeds, No, no oil 😀
The liquidy kind of tahinins have oil added so make them creamier. The roasted or toasted tahinis are also more oily because the oils come to the surface when heated. So the oil separates and that’s where you get that pool of oil on top of peanutbutters and some other nut and seed butters. You don’t get that so much with the raw butters, but it can happen there too.
So, you can make the sesame butter/tahini or any other type with just a food processor. You do not have to add any oil. The tahini in those pics is just pure sesame seeds, nothing at all added 🙂
Thanks for stopping by!
Sesame Butter/Tahini Redux… « BeStrixed said,
June 13, 2009 at 3:50 pm
[…] Hulled sesame butter is easy peasy and is actually done quite easily in a food processor, as I demon…. Above, you see it makes a nice thick butter. The easy flowing tahinis you find in stores have oil added. […]
Mary Kay said,
July 1, 2009 at 9:16 pm
Thanks for sharing your experiments with us!
Did you also soak and dry the sesame seeds used here beforehand?
Thanks,
Mary Kay
poxacuatl said,
July 2, 2009 at 9:24 am
Hi, Mary :^) No this was just straight-from-the package hulled sesame seeds.
Thanks for visiting!
Try Something New… « BeStrixed said,
June 3, 2010 at 9:47 am
[…] And don’t forget, it’s easy-peasy to make your own tahini. […]
Foam Insulations : said,
October 28, 2010 at 3:16 pm
we use a national panasonic food processor and this seems to be a bang for the buck*:~
reha said,
November 1, 2010 at 1:08 am
thanks to tel us such a healthy tihani butter recepi but i want to make it more sweat what can i add suger or honey? n why u cal it sesame butter where is butter? can i use butter to make it soft?
Strix said,
November 1, 2010 at 6:41 am
Hi 🙂
Yes, you can add any sweetener you want. You can use dates or other dried fruit, too.
It’s called “butter” because that word also means something that you can spread onto foods like butter. It has the consistency of a soft butter. “Butter” also means to make something like butter: So, I might say “I want to butter those ingredients.” That would mean I want to blend it or whip it so it is creamy like butter. Many other nuts and seeds are called “butters” when blended — there is “almond butter,” “cashew butter,” and “peanut butter.”
DAVID said,
October 23, 2011 at 6:56 pm
how many sesame seeds should you add to make around 16oz. and around how much time did this process take? thanks
Strix said,
October 24, 2011 at 8:00 am
Hi, David, :^)
I think 16 ounces of seeds would make 16 ounces of nut butter — that would be about 2 Cups of seeds.
Not much time at all. Took 5 minutes, but including clean up and it being your first time, I’d say — conservatively — give yourself about 15 minutes total.
David said,
October 24, 2011 at 8:11 am
Thanks for your reply. Will the finished product taste Bitter? If so I have read if you soak the seeds they will not taste Bitter. What do you think? Thanks
Strix said,
October 24, 2011 at 8:31 am
I think that’s more for un-hulled seeds, aka, the brown sesame seeds. those need to be washed, yes! The ones I have in this post have had their hulls (shells) removed, so no bitterness. This is the type of seed used in nut/seed butters you buy from the market, unless otherwise specified on the label (it’s rare because of that bitterness).
Soaking of most nuts and seeds does them good — walnuts, even after removing from the shells — benefit from a short soak because they have that dark thin “skin” on them: That skin is bitter because of the tannins it contains (tannins also are what make black teas bitter)
BUT, you can rinse those hulled seeds too, if you wish — not really necessary (they are cleaned from the process of hulling) . If you do, just let them dry first before trying to make the butter! :^)
Jeanne said,
June 5, 2013 at 11:32 am
Where can i purchase hulled sesame seeds?
Strix said,
June 14, 2013 at 5:43 pm
Hi, You can find them in most markets, but for sure at a Whole Foods or similar “healthy-type” store. An Indian foods, and Middle Eastern markets will also carry them.
thanks for stopping by!