diff --git a/.github/ci/recipe.yaml b/.github/ci/recipe.yaml
index 0579c19e4..11a2d14b8 100644
--- a/.github/ci/recipe.yaml
+++ b/.github/ci/recipe.yaml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 # Adapted from the conda forge recipe
 context:
   name: parcels
-  version: ${{ env.get('PARCELS_ALPHA_VERSION') }}
+  version: ${{ env.get('PARCELS_ALPHA_VERSION', default='0.1.0dev') }}
 
 package:
   name: ${{ name|lower }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index ad7b9e002..a706ae822 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -212,12 +212,10 @@ jobs:
           pixi-version: ${{ needs.cache-pixi-lock.outputs.pixi-version }}
           cache: true
           cache-write: ${{ github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref_name == 'main' }}
-      - run: pixi run get-parcels-alpha-version >> $GITHUB_ENV
-      - run: echo "PARCELS_ALPHA_VERSION is $PARCELS_ALPHA_VERSION"
-      - name: Build conda package
-        uses: prefix-dev/rattler-build-action@v0.2.34
-        with:
-          recipe-path: .github/ci/recipe.yaml
+      - name: Find the alpha version of Parcels
+        run: pixi run get-parcels-alpha-version >> $GITHUB_ENV
+      - name: Build Parcels conda package
+        run: pixi run build-parcels
       - if: github.ref == 'refs/heads/main'
         run: |
           for pkg in $(find output -type f \( -name "*.conda" -o -name "*.tar.bz2" \) ); do
diff --git a/pixi.toml b/pixi.toml
index 71ddfe96e..50983d639 100644
--- a/pixi.toml
+++ b/pixi.toml
@@ -35,11 +35,14 @@ py-triangle = ">=20250106,<20250107"
 [dependencies]
 parcels = { path = "." }
 
-[feature.alpha-parcels.dependencies]
+[feature.rattler-build.dependencies]
+python = "*"
 git = "*"
+rattler-build = "*"
 
-[feature.alpha-parcels.tasks]
+[feature.rattler-build.tasks]
 get-parcels-alpha-version = { cmd = "python tools/get-parcels-alpha-version.py" }
+build-parcels = { cmd = "rattler-build build --recipe .github/ci/recipe.yaml", description = "Build the Parcels conda package" }
 
 [feature.minimum.dependencies]
 python = "3.11.*"
@@ -133,4 +136,4 @@ test-py313 = { features = ["test", "py313"] }
 test-notebooks = { features = ["test", "notebooks"], solve-group = "main" }
 docs = { features = ["docs", "notebooks"], solve-group = "docs" }
 typing = { features = ["typing"], solve-group = "main" }
-alpha-parcels = { features = ["alpha-parcels"] }
+build = { features = ["rattler-build"] }