Last Updated on January 24, 2023
Homemade nut butter is surprisingly easy to make with little-to-no fuss. It’s smooth, full of peanut flavor, and has none of the extra additives that store-bought peanut butter does. Making nut butter has never looked so good!
Table of Contents
homemade nut butter
Peanut butter machines are pretty common at most stores that offer items in bulk. It means making nut butter doesn’t have to be done at home, but you can still have freshly mixed nut butter with ease.
Unfortunately, my nearest bulk grocery store takes at least two hours via public transit to get to — ONE WAY.
Instead of making the journey, I weighed my options. Is not having to clean the food processor worth 4+ hours worth of travel time? The conclusion I came to, was no, no it’s not. Cue these homemade nut butters.
I got roasted peanuts in bulk from my local grocery store and embarked on the terrifying mission of learning how to make nut butter on my own.
Y’all. Y’ALL.
Grab some peanuts this weekend, because you have to try this. Then, use the fruits of your labor to make these Peanut Butter Chocolate Squares.
why you’ll love homemade nut butters
- You can make this mixed nut butter recipe 4 ways — creamy, crunchy, almond, and sun. There’s something for every nut butter lover.
- This recipe is sooooooooo easy. And, the food processor was way easier to clean than I ever expected!
- This is the best tasting and best consistency of natural peanut butter I have ever had.
- Only 3 ingredients — one of which is completely optional
mixed nut butter ingredients
check out the video tutorial at the end!
- 3-4 cups of roasted peanuts: bought in bulk from Raley’s
- Substitute almonds if making almond butter, or sunflower seeds if making sun butter
- 1-2 teaspoons of salt: bought in bulk from Berkeley Bowl
- 1-2 teaspoons of honey*: bought from a local farmer in a glass jar, which can be returned
Honey is completely optional. You can use maple syrup for a little extra sweetener, but I like to sneak honey into my diet for allergies. Make sure it’s local raw honey that is native to your area!
how to make nut butter
Learning how to make nut butter is as easy as 3 simple steps! Seriously, anyone can make these homemade nut butters.
step 1: roast peanuts
If you don’t have roasted peanuts to start out with, roast them on a baking sheet at 325-350F for around 10 minutes.
Move them around halfway through so they don’t burn. You want to see a little color, and they’ll smell fragrant.
step 2: blend peanuts
Place the roasted peanuts in the base of your food processor and blend for 3-5 minutes, occasionally stopping to scrape down the sides.
See all of the stages it will go through! Don’t give up hope — homemade nut butter takes a while to make!
step 3: season and finish
Once it’s reached the desired creamy consistency, add in your salt and sweetener.
Blend a little bit more. Sometimes the honey can cause it to thicken a bit. You can add a touch of oil if necessary.
making nut butter crunchy:
Take a 1/2 cup of peanuts and blitz them in the food processor so they’re large chunks. Remove them and set them aside. Follow all of the steps for creamy peanut butter, then add the large chunks in at the end.
making almond butter:
Use all of the same steps, but sub almonds for peanuts. It will take longer to break down the almonds.
making sun butter:
Repeat all of the same steps with sunflower seeds. It will take almost 15 minutes for sunflower seeds to go through all four stages, so be patient.
faqs
is it really worth it to make your own nut butter?
Absolutely. Even if you buy organic nuts, making your own peanut butter is cheaper than buying it at the store. Plus, there’s less waste, no plastic jars, and no yucky additives and unnecessary ingredients.
how do you store homemade peanut butter?
Due to the lack of added preservatives, homemade nut butter shouldn’t be kept at room temperature, and it has a shorter shelf life. It will last in the fridge for about a month, and in the freezer for up to 3 months.
And, it’s really that easy! Nut butter is just blended nuts. Crazy right!?
Homemade Nut Butter
Ingredients
- 3-4 Cups Roasted Peanuts
- 1-2 Teaspoons Salt
- 1-2 Teaspoons Honey
Instructions
- If your peanuts aren't already roasted, roast them on a baking sheet at 325-350 for 10 minutes. Be sure to shake them about halfway through so they don't burn.
- Place the roasted peanuts in the base of a food processor and blend for 3-5 minutes, occasionally scraping down the sides.
- Once it's reached the desired consistency, add salt and sweetener. Blend again to mix well. Add oil if the honey thickens the mixture too much.
- To make CRUNCHY peanut butter, take 1/2 cup of the peanuts and blitz them in the food processor until they're in large chunks. Set them aside. Follow remaining steps for creamy butter, then mix in large chunks at the end.
- To make ALMOND butter, follow all of the same steps, subbing almonds for peanuts. Note that it will take longer to break down the almonds.
- To make SUN butter, repeat all of the same steps with sunflower seeds. Note that it will take up to 15 minutes for sunflower seeds to reach a creamy consistency.
Do you find that your recipe separates like the natural ones that are available in stores?
It spreads much smoother than any natural store-bought peanut butter I’ve had. It’s a lot creamier too.
I forgot that I used to do this! I used to add some sesame oil as well (no honey or sweetener). Thanks to this reminder, I’m going to pick up peanuts at the food coop tonight in bulk for PB!