Adding value with house-made spreads Learn how to make cacao nib crunch butter for your cafe. A simple recipe with organic ingredients, perfect for health-conscious customers.

When Australian cafés look for that next signature item—something distinctive that sparks conversation and brings customers back—house-made spreads are increasingly where smart operators focus their attention. Following the success of our granola butter and chia jam recipes, there's another spread you need to try: cacao nib crunch butter.

Cacao nib crunch butter is a deeply chocolatey spread flecked with raw cacao pieces that deliver bursts of intense chocolate flavour. The texture is creamy yet substantial, the taste sophisticated rather than candy-sweet.

This isn't just another chocolate spread. It's a premium product that showcases your commitment to quality ingredients and artisan technique, whilst answering the growing demand for healthier indulgences. Best of all? It takes less than 15 minutes to make, uses just five ingredients, and positions your café as a destination for creative, wellness-focused food.

Cacao Nib Crunch Butter Recipe

This recipe creates approximately 1.5 cups of cacao nib crunch butter, but you can scale up as needed.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Shelf life: 2 weeks refrigerated in an airtight container
Yield: Approximately 1.5 cups

Ingredients

• 1 cup (250ml) organic smooth almond butter — Use a premium variety for the best flavour and texture. Quality matters here.
• 3 tablespoons organic raw cacao nibs — These provide the signature crunch and intense chocolate notes. Don't skimp.
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup (or honey, coconut blossom syrup, or agave) — Adds just enough sweetness to balance the bitter cacao without overwhelming it. Adjust to taste.
• 1 tablespoon organic cacao powder — Deepens the chocolate flavour and creates that signature dark colour.
• Pinch of sea salt flakes — Essential for bringing all the flavours into focus and enhancing the chocolate notes.
• Neutral oil such as sunflower oil (optional) — Add as needed if you want a slightly runnier spread or until you reach the desired consistency.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Combine Base Ingredients

Add the organic almond butter, organic cacao powder, your chosen sweetener (maple syrup, honey, coconut blossom syrup, or agave), and sea salt flakes to a blender. Blend until smooth and well combined, creating a uniform chocolate-brown base with no visible streaks of cacao powder.

Step 2: Add the Cacao Nibs

Pulse the organic raw cacao nibs into the mixture using the blender's pulse function. This keeps the cacao nibs crunchy and visible throughout the spread rather than fully blending them. Pulse until the nibs are distributed evenly but still retain their signature crunch. Each spoonful should deliver that satisfying texture and burst of intense chocolate flavour.

Step 3: Adjust Consistency

Check the consistency. The spread should be slightly more runny than peanut butter, with a spoonable yet spreadable texture. If it feels too thick, add 1 teaspoon of neutral oil such as sunflower oil at a time and blend briefly until you reach the desired consistency. If it's too thin, the mixture will firm up slightly when refrigerated.

Step 4: Taste and Season

Taste the mixture at this point. The sweetness should complement rather than dominate the chocolate notes. If you prefer a sweeter spread, add an extra teaspoon of your chosen sweetener and blend briefly. Remember, you can always add more sweetness later, but you can't take it away.

Step 5: Store Properly

Transfer your cacao nib crunch butter into a clean, airtight glass jar or container. It is ready for use immediately.

Sourcing Quality Ingredients

With a recipe this simple, quality is everything.

Organic Raw Cacao Nibs: Look for Australian suppliers offering organic raw cacao nibs. The "raw" designation matters because it means the cacao hasn't been roasted at high temperatures, preserving maximum antioxidant content. The nibs should be broken into small pieces (3-5mm) for the best textural experience.

Organic Almond Butter: Choose smooth, organic almond butter made from just almonds. Avoid products with added oils, sugars, or stabilisers. Premium almond butter has a naturally creamy consistency and full-bodied flavour that cheaper alternatives can't match.

Sweetener Options: Maple syrup delivers a distinctive caramel-like depth, whilst honey (non-vegan) offers floral notes, coconut blossom syrup brings subtle complexity, and agave provides a neutral sweetness without strong flavour. Choose based on your dietary requirements and desired flavour profile.

Organic Cacao Powder: Raw or minimally processed cacao powder delivers more intense chocolate flavour than standard cocoa powder. It also maintains higher levels of beneficial flavonoids.

Sea Salt Flakes: Use flaky sea salt rather than fine table salt. The larger crystals dissolve more slowly, providing occasional bursts of salinity that enhance the chocolate notes beautifully.

Why This Spread Works

What makes cacao nib crunch butter special is its versatility, combined with genuine quality. It works on breakfast dishes, desserts, smoothie bowls, and even ice cream. The premium positioning (house-made, organic ingredients, superfood credentials) justifies higher margins and commands customer loyalty.

More importantly, it's practical. Five core ingredients, ten minutes of active time, a blender, and no complicated techniques. Yet the result feels premium and distinctive because the quality of ingredients shines through.

This is what customers remember: simple products made with care, where every element serves a purpose and delivers genuine flavour. The crunch from the cacao nibs, the richness of quality almond butter, the subtle complexity of your chosen sweetener and cacao powder balanced with sea salt. These aren't added for show. They're there because they taste remarkable together.

Explore our range of superfood toppings and ingredients, available to buy wholesale online now.

Try these recipes for quick and easy chia jam or gooey granola butter, for a trio of healthy housemade spreads.