Homemade Nut Butter
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Place 4 to 6 ounces of your nut of choice in food processor:
Question: What type of food processor do you use?
Answer: I’m really not sure which brand I have as it was a gift from a friend who imports prototype appliances. However, when people ask, I always recommend Cuisinart or Hamilton Beach brand processors. If you have a membership to Costco, I would check out their selection as they often have great deals on the Cuisinarts, both at their stores and online.
If you prefer roasted nut butter, simply place your raw nuts on a parchment or foil lined cookie sheet and roast in a 350 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring once or twice to prevent burning.
Turn the food processor on, and let it do it’s job. At first, you’ll have nothing but nut dust, & you’ll have to scrape down the sides of your processor several times with a rubber spatula:
Scrape, scrape, scrape.
Allow the processor to continue running. Eventually, your nut butter will begin to clump:
Let the processor continue running until nut butter reaches desired consistency. I promise it will get creamy, but a little patience is involved.
Raw Almond Butter
Using my food processor, roasted nut butter takes about 13 minutes to make, and raw nut butter takes slightly longer, 15 minutes maybe?
You can add anything you want: salt, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, etc. I prefer mine plain, but I do like to experiment with different nuts. My favorites are roasted pecan nut butter and roasted cashew-almond butter.
Cashew Almond Butter
{ 143 comments }
Homemade nut butter = happy belly
Looking creamy and oh so delicious
Ugh I tried this once with roasted almonds and it NEVER got creamy. I’m pretty sure I had that baby going to longer than 15 minutes…but I did have success with PB pretty easily so maybe I should just try again!
with the almond butter if it didn’t get very creamy you could add a tiny amount of oil too it?? x
I can’t wait to try this!
Heather, how long do your nut butters keep in the fridge?
Thanks!
No oil? Omg have I been making nut butter wrong this whole time???
Wow, I am going to have to try this! It seems so easy!! Thanks for the directions.
)
This is such an easy way to make nut butters! I had no idea it could be so quick! Thanks for the recipe
-Aaron
Beautiful. Homemade nut butters are the BEST!
I am going to make walnut/hazlenut with cardamom and cinamon! Thanks!
I am so going to try this out – it has to be cheaper than paying 15$ per jar at my grocery store. Ill let you know how this goes : )
$15?? Seriously? What kind of nut butter have you been buying?
A jar of Almond butter up here is $6 tops.
It’s high where I am too – just saw almond butter for $11 a jar at my neighborhood supermarket (and they only stock the one brand – everything else in peanut butter). I’m so looking forward to trying these to get good tasting, salt-free nut butters!
I seriously could NOT get my FP to make raw almond butter! Roasted works like a charm but raw won’t happen. Maybe I didn’t try long enough…I swear it was like 15 minutes
This is seriously like my favorite thing to do now, hahaha. I’ve experimented with walnuts, almonds, peanuts, and pistachios so far.
Do you blanch your walnuts first because they can be bitter sometimes?
Paulette,
I’m not sure if Emmy will ever see your comment, but when I’ve made walnut butter in the past, I always roast the walnuts first. Never tried blanching, but the roasting makes a big difference. Much better that way.
Made it last night with freshly roasted almonds, honey, and cinnamon.
AMAZING. Thanks so much Heather.
I will try making the almond butter, I know that you can make your own at Whole Food…
Rita
Your method worked great for me using raw almonds. Took 15-20 minutes. Yum!
That’s so cool! I may have to do this in the future….
O M G! I just whipped out the food pro to make up a batch of homemade larabars for the work week… but now its going to get a little more breathing time and im going to take a stab at the homemade nut butter thing.
She is so smart… like oxford smart.
I just made raw almond butter and it looks like the real thing! Actually I just went to health food store today and a little raw almond butter is $14! I just couldn’t afford it. Thanks!
Kim,So glad you tried making your own almond butter. So easy, no? Definitely saves me a ton of money!
I just made this Heaber! It was so easy and so good!
Also, I may or may not have giggled throughout the entire process at “nut dust.” I am a 14 year old boy. Seriously.
Erin, Glad it worked for you. CD makes jokes about the “nut dust” as well. You’re not alone.
I just want to thank you. Yours is the best and clearest description of how to make nut butter. Your pictures were a huge help. But most of all, it’s the toasting. I’d tried with plain almonds and couldn’t get them to any kind of butter consistency (even after a very long time and a good food processor). But toasting made all the difference. Now I can turn toasted almonds into silky almond butter within about 5 minutes of processing.
So thank you!
You’re welcome. Glad it worked for ya!
couldn’t agree more with your comment NBA – very descriptive and the pictures helped big time!
Thanks for the link to this page Heather. I have a blender, not a processor. I am guessing it will be too difficult in a blender?
Very keen to try some nut butter… I have 3lbs of almonds at home waiting to be part of my experiment!
Live, Love, Laugh
Lome, Homemade nut butter will work in a blender, but only if you have something like a Vita-Mix or Blendtec. I don’t think anything less powerful will really work. Happy Thanksgiving!
ive recently been using a blender for this and while it does take a while and lots of smooshing down of nut dust, it works. i have an oster that all metal drive.
Love this idea! Especially after seeing all these pumpkin, maple, and chocolate nut butters!!
Love this idea! Especially after seeing all these pumpkin, maple, and chocolate nut butters online!!
I just tried making my own almond butter (raw) today, and added CCK’s banana brulee … SOOOOO GOOOD!!! I have been missing out all these years!! THANKS for your inspiration!!
Michelle, You’re welcome. So glad it worked for ya!
what is best vitamix blender or cuisenart food processor??? what speed?
does anyone know about soaking the nuts first??
luv the butter!!
ads, I prefer my food processor for making nut butters. Not sure what brand mine is as it was a prototype sample from a friend. It only has one speed. I never soak my nuts first. I either use them raw or roast them. It’s easier to make homemade nut butter with roasted nuts. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Heatheer
Do you do the pecan nut butter the same way? I have been dying to find a recipe to make that beautifully creamy pecan butter you can get at Smokey Bones restaurant (a rarity for us w/ a family of 7 and w/ hubby’s heart problems) But I love, love, love that pecan butter. It tastes sinful but I would like to think I can get the tasty results in a healthier way to make it. Have you had it from the restaurant? How do you make yours if it varies from the almond butter? Do you also like it plain or w/ a little spice added? Thx! I appreciate the photos showing the different stages it takes to get to the creaminess. That actually helps a lot!!
Hey Luv2CUSmile, I have made pecan butter, and I use the exact same method as I did for the almonds. I roasted the pecans in a 350 degree oven about 10 to 12 minutes and then process in the food processor until creamy. No spices needed. It’s amazing all on its own.
Never been to Smokey Bones, but my sister-in-law used to work at one up in Indiana. Next time I talk to her, I’ll have to ask her how they make their version. Enjoy your next batch…I think you’ll love it!
I have a small cuisanart processor so I am going to attempt it in there. The last time I attempted the pecan butter I was finely chopping the pecans (thank goodness they are a softer nut) and then taking a fork and “smashing” them until pulverized the best I could. It was good w/ a tad cinnamon and brown sugar. (What isn’t good w/ cinnamon and brown sugar) LOL But not creamy. I will be adding this to my list of do’s before the holiday cooking rush gets here. I would love to have some pecan butter on the table as an option for everyone!
One more comment real quick- I see your pics at the top and from the creaminess in the processor to the creaminess in the jar… is it the same? The jarred butter has a glassy, wet appearance. Did you add anything or is that after it sits and some of the natural oil rises? It looks beautiful!
LUV2CUSmile, That picture was taken immediately after pouring the nut butter from processor to jar. However, that was not the same nut butter I took the progression pictures for. That was a jar of homemade roasted cashew almond butter. The recipe page shows me making plain almond butter.
Aaaah, Thank-you- was just wondering- I now know the difference and will have to do like you and experiment with all types Thx
Wow! I just made this recipe and it is amazing. I was worried it wouldn’t turn out because I have a Magic Bullet, but it turned out great. It actually only took about 5 minutes, which is surprising because the appliance is so small. The almonds I used were still warm from roasting, could that have helped?
Thanks for the recipe. I’m off to eat my homemade almond butter with organic apples!
Samantha, Good to know it worked in the Magic Bullet. So many people think it won’t work unless they have a Vita-Mix. Not sure if the warm almonds helped or not, but as long as it turned out great, I’d stay stick with that method.
Excellent pics and info, but I have not been able to make almond butter yet! it simply stays granular. I think it may be my food processor, (that I bought it for since everyone seemed to think they are all alike). I have a Braun combimax 650. I have tried three different batches of nuts, steamed and raw, and nada. Had to add about a 1/4 cup of oil. I may have to buy another food processor?
Eve, Have you tried roasting the nuts? Helps bring out the natural oils and makes grinding into nut butters much easier.
only raw, since that is how I prefer it, more nutritious also! Most sites say the results are supposed to be the same…?
Eve, When I use raw almonds, it takes much longer for the food processor to grind it into nut butter, and it’s usually not as creamy. It does work, just take some patience. Other nuts that are higher in fat work better for raw nut butters. Try raw Brazil or raw macadamia nuts.
Almonds are among the healthiest nuts you can consume, as it is a good source of key nutrients including antioxidants, calcium, fiber, folic acid, iron, magnesium, potassium, and vitamin E.
you can also visit my blog to know more about the benefits of this wonderful food: http://www.cocoacassava.com/go-nuts-in-a-good-way-with-organic-raw-almond-butter/
Great blog and great comments. Would like to add some things I have learned working at an alternative cancer clinic. Your immune system has to kick in and work hard to digest anything that is heated above around 115 degrees. Cooked food is pretty much dead and void of its enzymes and vitamins by the time you process it. On the other hand whenever you eat anything raw it strengthens your immune system. Our immune systems work all of our lives killing cancer cells. We only “get cancer” when our immune systems get depleted and cancer cells get the upper hand.
So if wondering whether to make it raw or roasted, I promise you that raw is sufficiently yummy and worth the extra minutes waiting for it to cream up. Also you can hurry it along by adding a bit of flax seed oil. Already a nutty taste, tons of omega three’s and it helps to lengthen the shelf life in the fridge. Just a few dashes does it.
Thanks for the input Kathleen. I do love my raw nut butters, but roasting seems to bring out a little more flavor. However, I definitely get on my raw kicks and do want to make more homemade raw nut and seed butters in the future. LOVE raw pumpkin seed butter.
Kathleen Mary, I urge you to look up some information on a body’s biochemistry and physiology in a science text book – that is not how cancers develop! Believe me, I study these things. Cancer is an unhappy consequence that sometimes occurs because things go wrong with the machinery in your body that makes new cells. Every time cells divide, there is a lot of potential for this machinery to go wrong, usually these are very minor glitches that get fixed or are minor enough to not cause illness. However, sometimes the glitches can be major and potentially spiral out of control resulting in cancer. It is more likely the older you get because if you think about it, the older you are, the more times your cells have divided and if a lot of the minor glitches build up, they can result in a major problem. Our bodies are so exquisite in not allowing it to happen most of the time. Of course there are some horrible cancers that can effect young people but those are too complicated to go into here.
Our immune systems do not normally recognise cancer cells (which is why they are so difficult to treat). This is because the cancer cells, being part of one’s own body fool the immune system into thinking that they are normal and safe.
Any enzymes in food do not assist the immune system in any direct way, only indirectly by being completely digested by the gut and providing energy and sustenance. Some vitamins are destroyed by the cooking process but others are enhanced by it, lycopene for example – it is in tomatoes and the more you cook the tomatoes, the more available it becomes and it is seriously good stuff.
I can’t comment on the benefits of raw food as I have not studied that but I do know that cooking is completely compatible with having a healthy life – look at how long the human race has been going strong!
PS SO SORRY Heather, forgot to mention awesome recipe – so excited about trying it!! Maybe I’ll add some cocoa nibs to it…. Thanks a lot!
It turned out perfectly! I roasted the almonds, and because I’m lazy, I didn’t stir them or line the pan. They were fine. Anyway, by adding a little bit of oil and just scraping down the sides every so often, I had beautiful, delicious almond butter in about 10 minutes!
I am so excited. I love almond butter (and cashew, and macademia, and wow the possibilities go on) but it’s so expensive in stores. Also, I have a mini Black and Decker food processor, not a nice big one, but it handled the almonds fine. I just had to make it in smaller batches.
Rebekah,
So glad it worked for you. Enjoy all your homemade nut butters!
Hello Heather,
I just made some homemade raw almond butter but I had to add oil.. I own a Vita- Mix and the recipe called for oil but I was trying to avoid it but I failed at the attempt… Here are the directions from the recipe…
Almond Butter
Substitute raw or dry roasted whole almonds. Add 1/2 cup (120 ml) of light-flavored oil during the blending process. Refrigerate and pour off excess oil the next day.
. Pour nuts into the Vitamix container and secure lid.
2. Select Variable 1.
3. Turn machine on and quickly increase speed to Variable 10, then to High, using the tamper to push the ingredients into the blades.
4. In 1 minute you will hear a high pitched chugging sound. Once the butter begins to flow freely through the blades the motor sound will change from a high pitch to a low laboring sound. Stop machine.
5. Store in an airtight container. It can also be frozen for longer storage.
Maybe I was too scared that my machine would over heat so I didn’t allow enough time for the mix to get buttery without oil?? I do not know what went wrong?? Do you know if other people have been able to make creamy raw almond butter with no added oil on their Vita -Mix??
Mari,
No, everyone I’ve known that has tried to make raw nut butter in their Vita-Mix has had to add oil. I usually add coconut oil, and it’s really yummy. Do you own a food processor? Mine makes raw almond butter without oil. It takes some time and patience, but it works. Hope this helps and good luck with your next batch!
I absolutely love p nut butter. but all the rage are the nut butters…i don’t want to spend the tons of money…Im trying this this weekend. Can I use it like reg p nut butter?
MsK2u,
Yep, just use your homemade nut butter just as you would peanut butter – on sandwiches, in baked goods, on oatmeal or toast, in savory dishes – like peanut sauce, etc.. The possibilities are endless. Enjoy!
i don’t have a food processor can you use a blender?
Ozn,
You might be able to pull off really small batches of homemade nut butter in a blender, and I know you can do it if you have something powerful like a Vita-Mix or Blendtec. Otherwise, again, just try a small batch, make sure to roast the nuts and perhaps add a little oil (I like coconut). Good luck!
thanks a lot….
Thank you for sharing this! I definitely have to try! I love almond butter and tahini, and it would be great to be able to make it myself. (I already make almond milk all the time, so now it’s time for the next step.
)
I am going to try this, but first i have a question
How long does the nut butter keep for and should it be stored in the fridge?
Thanks
Jo,
I would probably store in fridge if it takes you more than a couple of weeks to eat it.
The nut buter should last a good while – like the store bought stuff, and I only store my raw nut butters in the fridge. If they’re roasted, then I just keep them in the cabinet as the jars never last very long in our house.
Thanks for a prompt response, greatly appreciated.
Mattie and I just made our first batch of Almond Butter….very creamy!
We decided to try one recipe a week and since both the girls looove pancakes i have a feeling i know what the next one will be:)
Sharon,
So glad your almond butter turned out, and I hope the whole family enjoys some pancakes soon.
I just got a food processor for christmas and made this last night. It turned out so great and I can’t wait to experiment with different types of nuts! But how do you store your nut butters? I put it in a jar and it is just in the pantry…would you recommend refrigerating it instead? Also, how long does it keep? Thank you!
Taylor – what a great Christmas gift, and I’m happy to hear you’re already putting your processor to good use. I usually store roasted nut butters in our cabinet and raw nut butters in the fridge. Since they never last long in our house, I never worry about the roasted nut butters going bad, and I also don’t like how hard they get in the fridge. I prefer them a bit runny. I’d say the shelf life is at least a month if not longer. I know store bought ones last forever. Enjoy your nut butter experimenting!
This looks so yummy! Thank you for the detailed descriptions and the wonderful photographs!
Made this in my small food processor – it was great but I killed the food processor. I read you don’t know what type you have, but it sounds like everyone else is having good luck. Are there any suggestions on what to look for when purchasing a replacement? I want to purchase as inexpensively as possible. And thanks for these pictures, I had great success and would not have attempted it if I had not run across your site. I have passed it on to friends.
Hey Chris,
Glad you found me and thanks for spreading the word. However, I’m sorry that your food processor died. I’ve heard that both Cuisinart and KitchenAid make good food processors, and if you get a smaller one, they’re not too pricey. Do you have a Costco membership? If so, I would look there first as our Costco often has one of these brands (Cuisinart I think) for sale.
I’m definitely going to try this. Thank you!
Roasted Almond works well in a bullet type mixer, that can click on to a food Mixer Ours is a Kenwood Major Titanium.
I would have thought the heat generated when making the butter would negate the raw positives. also I read somewhere a while ago that the skin have a toxin in them and is the reason you rinse them so thoroughly. therefore i came to the conclusion that you may as well roast them. not scientific so much as sensible.
thanks for this recipe ~ worked out great! I didn’t toast and I used the sliced almonds (Fisher brand), creamy and good.. took your advice and added a bit of cinnamon – YUM!
Just curious do you mean 4-6 ounces by weight or by volume?
Wendy,
Weight.
What is the shelf life on homemade nut butter? And also, do you think a food processor can handle the job? We prefer raw.
Nicole,
My food processor will make raw nut butter – it just takes longer. Not sure about the shelf life as a jar never lasts that long around here. I do keep raw nut butters in the fridge, but I store my roasted in the cabinet for up to a couple of months with no problems. Hope this helps.
Yes, thank you! What kind of processor do you have if you don’t mind me asking? And how is it holding up? I’ve heard some things about the motors giving out etc, in which case it would be better to purchase a higher quality processor vs. replacing every year or two.
Nicole,
I don’t mind you asking at all, but I have no idea what type of food processor I have as it was a gift from a friend who imports prototype appliances. That being said, I hear that both Cuisnart and KitchenAid make really good models. Costco sells one of them for a really good price, but I can’t remember which one, and definitely worth investing in a higher quality one – I use mine all the time!
Hello, Thank you for the amazing Almond butter recipe. I started out with a recipie that called for drizzling olive oil till it became the consistancy you wanted…..YUCK too, too much oil so i was so happy to find your ricipe with out adding any oil at all, so much better. I have a Kitchen Aid Food Processor it has a lot of features and attatchments and even two bowls, one 12 cup and one 4 cup. I am not sure if this is true for others but i could not get the almond butter going with the 4 cup it just kept spining everything to the walls so i tried the larger 12 cup bowl and voila…beautiful almond butter. I ended up doing 1st a batch of raw almonds and then a batch of roasted and then mixed them together, i tasted both seperately they were both good but found the blend together perfect, also just for kicks i added a couple teaspoons of honey. yummmm~
Roxanne,
So glad it worked for you. I do not understand the recipes that call for added oil. It is so not necessary. I mean when you buy almond butter, do you ever see “olive oil” on the label under list of ingredients. Nope. If you let the processor run long enough, the natural oils from the nuts will be released, and that’s all you need…although a little added honey sounds divine.
I tried making the Pecan Nut Butter. I used 16oz of Pecans, 1/2 t of cinnamon, 1/2 t vanilla mixed in my Cuisenart and had no luck! It turned out runny and hasn’t thickened up in the fridge. It tastes good but what did I do wrong? I thought I got the recipe here but maybe not. Thanks
Jen,
Doesn’t sound like you did anything wrong to me. Some nuts release more natural oils than others, and I’ve found pecan butter to get slightly runny as well, but that’s how I prefer it. Great “drizzle” effect.
Next time, try stopping your food processor before it gets too runny for you.
Thanks for the quick response! I can’t wait to try the other butters!
I wonder if anyone has had success with raw nut butters by using nuts that have been soaked? The enzymes are more available that way, and I’d think they’d break down more easily in the food processor.
Anna, not sure. I’ve made raw almond butter but never soaked the nuts first. I’d love to try sprouted nut or seed butter.
I made roasted almond butter and once it was the right consistency I added a teaspoon of honey and a little less than 1/4 tsp. cinnamon. It immediately lost its creaminess. What happened? Did I add my honey and cinnamon at the wrong time?? Help! I loved the process and want to make more, but I want to do it right next time. The almond butter had a very dry, crumbly consistency. It melted well in a shrimp dish, but not so great for toast.
Francesca,
My advice would be to let your food processor run a bit longer. If you grind the nuts longer, more of their natural oils will be released, resulting in a creamier almond butter (up to 15 mins) and allow it to keep running when you add the honey and cinnamon. Hope this helps!
Thanks for responding! I did let it keep running but it seemed to keep getting more and more dry, so I stopped. It was almost back to the “clumping stage” – where the nut dust balls up. Hehe! So, even if that’s what it looks like, keep going?
Yep, keep going. Eventually it will start to smooth out and get runnier & less clumpy.
How long will it last?
Kim,
Never lasts long in our house, but I assume it will keep as long as store bought nut butter and longer if you store in the fridge. Personally, I keep roasted nut butters in a cabinet (again, we finish them off fairy quickly), and I store raw nut butters and tahini in the fridge.
What about coconut butter? Fridge? I find it’s already pretty solid and wouldn’t want it more so! I was wondering about oils too like EVOO – do they stay in fridge once opened or in dark place in pantry?
Thanks.
So do you prefer making nut butter in the food processor or the vitamix?
Andrea,
Definitely the food processor – it’s just easier. Takes longer, but you can make bigger batches at once, and clean up is easier. It’s difficult to dig all the nut butter out from the depths of the Vita-Mix.
Yes, I was struggling with getting it out of my Vitamix! I am excited to try it in the processor tonight. I was also scared to ruin the motor in the Vita, as they have a warning about nut butters in the recipe book!
Thanks so much for the tips!
After you make nut butter in a Vitamix make a smoothie. I made mine of a carrot, a celery stick, spinach, about 10 grapes and a little cold water and about 6 ice cubes. Put this or another kind of smoothie in the blender after you make the butter. Don’t try to clean it before you make the smoothie. Make the smoothie and then do the soap and water thing and it’s completely clean again. Easy.
Tried it out last night in the processor, and it turned out perfect!! Talk about satisfying watching those whole raw almonds turn into creamy almond butter. Thanks again for sharing!
I just ordered a 7 cup Cuisinart FP from amazon. Do you think it will be big enough for making your almond butter recipe?
Laurie,
Yes!
Thanks, Heather! You are the reason I originally bought my Vitamix and I have totally loved it for making many things but now that I want to get into nut butters, I’m thinking the food processor is the way to go. I’m excited to try your recipe!!
I tried this last night, but i read to soak them in water first….BAD Mistake!
They fermented on me during the night what a waste. will try this way next time.
I also think i need a new processer:( mine is pretty wempy
SO DON’T SOAK THEM IN WATER FIRST!
Will try this way on the next batch.
wasted a whole pound of nuts by soaking them first.
lesson learned.
Do you have to refrigerate the almond nut butter?
Never mind, had I read more I would have seen the answer to the fridge question
I’m a little nervous to try this, as I don’t want to burn out my food processor. It is a Cuisinart, but not very large. Maybe I’ll roast the almonds first, then chop them before putting into the processor. Wish me luck!
Jan,
Good luck – it will turn out yummy. Roasted almonds definitely make it easier on your food processor. Just be patient – it can take up to 15 minutes, and if things do get too hot, add a little oil. Coconut oil works great! Just don’t add water or nut milk.
I wish I had found your blog before I made my first attempt. My recipe called for canola oil. Since I didn’t realize you don’t need oil at all, I kept adding more oil hoping the almond dust would turn creamy. I ended up with a clump of oily grainy yuck. I will try again using my FP and no oil.
Heather, I found your site on Monday when I googled how to make my own nut butter. I’m a peanut butter addict, but I’m so disturbed by all the added sugars and preservatives added to most nut butters! Your directions worked great & I was able to turn a pound of raw peanuts into yummy, creamy peanut butter in just 3 minutes in my KitchenAid! I’ll never buy nut butters from the store again.
I’ve absolutely fallen in love with your site & can’t wait to read it each day. As a yoga teacher, it’s awesome to see you promoting a healthy but very accessible lifestyle with recipes & suggestions that are so easy to use (and promoting yoga!) Keep up the amazing work!
Laura,
What a wonderful comment to read first thing in the morning. Thank you and thanks so much for reading my blog. Happy to hear your homemade peanut butter turned out so well. With a good food processor, the possibilities are endless. Enjoy, and I hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend filled with some amazing yoga!
Ni Hao Heather!
I just made my very first (ever) batch of roasted almond butter – in China! & it turned out fantastic, thanks to your great instructions & pictures! Patience is definitely a key ingredient in making this & getting it really creamy. I don’t have a big food processor, but it worked out just fine. I had brought some Redmond’s Natural Sea Salt with me and after tasting, put a few shakes in; it brought out the flavour a little more.
I love the taste of Nutella, but hate that it has so much oil and sugar (crap) in it. I’m definitely a chocolate lover, I think I will try to make my own versions; one with almond butter & one with hazelnut, probably sweeten with a little honey.
Thanks so much for sharing all of your recipes on the web! Living in a place where it’s difficult to find natural & healthy things to eat without extra junk added in – makes finding &using the recipes on your website more meaningful – I am grateful.
)
Blessings to you & your family.
Jane, and I am grateful to you for reading my blog. Many thanks and blessings to you as well. Now, go make yourself some homemade crap-free Nutella!
Much Love,
Heather
I know this is going to sound stupid but what are the calories per tablespoon do you think?
Andrea,
I’m assuming the homemade version is the same as any commercial nut butter. Probably about 90 to 110 calories per TBSP.
What great ideas and help from REAL people!!! Anyone have luck with the BlendTec and nut butters? My husband doesn’t like to clean blades with sticky nut butter! Also I have to economize and make sure I am getting a machine that does a great job with making smoothies out of whole foods. I know a lot of people use Vita-Mix but any takers on the BlendTec which would fit in my tiny kitchen?
Patty,
I’ve never tried a BlendTec, but I know a couple of people who prefer it over the Vita-Mix. I’ve used my Vita for small batches of nut butter, and so I’m sure the BlendTec will work just as well.
I understand that if using raw almonds you need to presoak overnight, then dry them (dehydrator speeds this up) to release some enzyme that makes them hard to digest otherwise.
So baking the almonds must also break down this enzyme – making the nutrients easier to assimilate into your digestive process, to fuel your body.
I loved your enthusiasm & photo’s. Thanks
That seems v easy, thanks, however my raw almonds never became creamy. Had the machine on for what seems like a decade however..
I’ll try roasting them first. And will try walnuts.
One thing I’m terrified of is letting the machine, ie my food processor run too long and that it burns out/breaks down/ just generally dies?
Do you keep yours going for 10 mins straight/ does it not become over heated/ have you not had such problems?
Susie,
Yes, roasting definitely helps. If you want to make raw nut butter, try nuts with a higher fat content like macadamia nuts or Brazil nuts. In my experience, they get creamier much faster. I’ve let my food processor run longer than 10 minutes plenty of times, and no it’s never over-heated, but I know other’s have had that problem. If you start to smell burning rubber, shut it off and let it rest a while and then try again. If it’s still smells like it’s burning, then I would quit using it.
Thank you! I shall next try peanuts and walnuts though, but both roasted probably. The problem with my chopper is that it’s quite small and it’s not that powerful,
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0000C6WPC/ref=asc_df_B0000C6WPC3396584?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&tag=googlecouk06-21&linkCode=asn&creative=22206&creativeASIN=B0000C6WPC
so I think even the instructions warn you not to run it continuously for more than 2 mins. I guess I can just stop and wait a little, maybe even stir the powdered nuts?
And last night I used my mum’s food processor, which is more powerful but quite big, didn’t want to grind a lot of almonds, as feared that they may go off in the fridge and I have real trouble (IBS-woes) with eating too much fat at once so I didn’t want to make a massive portion as I can’t have too much nut butter at once. But this meant that I was never quite sure whether the food processor was not merely stirring/chopping air, esp when the nuts started to become less powdery/ tiny bit more creamy.
Think it’s an art
Haha, yep, definitely art in the making.
I say grind for 2 minutes and then give your little processor a break. It will let you know when it has had enough. Don’t give up. 
What do you store almond butter in?
Marisa,
I store it in recycled glass nut butter jars. If I make raw nut butter, it goes in the fridge, but I keep my roasted nut butters in the cabinet as I prefer them runny rather than hard and cold. I never worry about them going rancid as it never takes me long to eat them.
Thank you so much for sharing this (even if it was awhile ago – bless the internet!). I live in Hungary and PB isn’t a stocked commodity here, which is something my 4 year old doesn’t understand. I tried making my own almond/cashew/pecan butter this morning and my daughter did nothing but say “mmmm” over and over when she was eating her sandwich. I doubt I’ll ever buy any kind of nut butter again!
Heather – the info you share is priceless, thank you. I am a juicer and after all this time I finally used my Champion to make raw almond butter. It was wonderful! And so easy (and with the juicer, no scraping or anything)! Ah well, never too late!
I’ve been using almond butter (and almond flour for almost all my baking) for about 18 months and love it. However, my doctor said I need to start rotating my foods and have a break from so many almond products to avoid a food intolerance to yet another thing (so far gluten, dairy, soy, rice, corn, etc.). So after reading this I made a butter following your great directions from pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, brazil nuts, pecans, a few cashews, pistachios, and walnuts. In other words, just about everything I had in the refrigerator except almonds. It was fast and delicious. I now have an option! Thanks so much for helping so many.
Barbara,
Yum – your mixed nut butter sounds divine! Thanks so much for reading my blog.
Thanks so much for your reply! I will take your advice and roast the walnuts first.
This recipe works like a charm!! We just made ours …came out just as creamy and delicious as any store bought almond butter. I had tried a few times without success, and with your helpful suggestions on how to dry roast and then process the almonds we’re sure to use this recipe on a weekly basis!
Thank you for such an excellent description with pictures. I figured that for the price they are charging, I had better learn how to do it myself. Your page was perfect. Worked like a charm. I roasted almonds and added a bit of honey. Thanks.
Thank you so much!Im going to do this soon with macadamia and brazil nuts!!!yummy yum yum!:)
Tried this today with my Blendtec. Followed steps in the official Blendtec recipe book as shown below. After following the first 3 rounds of blending, it was still not creamy yet so I mixed in 1 Tbs of coconut oil and viola – after that it got creamy right away, on the 4th round. I used raw almonds, raw pecans, and roasted cashews. It tastes pretty darn good.
Blendtec “Fresh Peanut Butter”
3 c nuts
optional, 3 tsp oil
Speed 1 for entire cycle; scrape sides down with spatula. Speed 5 for full cycle; scrape sides down with spatula. Speed 5 for another full cycle. Continue until reaches desired consistency.
Awesome, thanks for sharing Terri. I’ve done the same with my Vita-Mix, but never with any other raw nut. The coconut oil worked great, and I loved the taste. Almond coconutty goodness.
PURE HEAVEN. I just made it, roasting the almonds as suggested and it was perfect. I put them in the food processor still warm, and it only took about 7 minutes. Some Youtube videos made this using a ridiculous amount of oils. My life may now be complete! THANKS FOR POSTING THIS!!!! (Another life changer is when I discovered frozen “banana ice cream”. WOW
Amber,
You’re so welcome. Enjoy your almond butter – no added oil required!
P.S. It’s really good atop banana soft serve.
Worked perfectly the first time, and tastes delicious too! Thank you!
Aloha!
I live on Maui and am looking for a way to actually “can” the nut butters so that I can make some nice Christmas packages to send to the mainland of jams made from our local fruits (strawberry guava or lilikoi) would like to make a macadamia nut butter. I have been making the almond butter in my Vitamix (well worth the price, I got rid of my food processor). However, am wondering if you know if the nut butters can be canned in the same way that
jams are. Will it make the nut oil turn rancid?
Aloha!
Bonnie
Hi Bonnie,
So glad you’re enjoying your Vita-Mix! As far as canning nut butters go, I honestly have no idea. I do buy my tahini in a sealed can, and it then requires refrigeration after opening. So it might work? I know I’d be overjoyed to receive homemade nut butter for Christmas!
Heather,
I love this whole new nut butter world I’ve just been opened up to! I’ve already successfully made homemade peanut butter and can’t wait to try other nuts out. I am a college student and don’t have much of a budget to give out elaborate Christmas presents to my family and friends this year, so I had the idea to make everyone their own nut butters. Since I would like to make them in advance, I was wondering if you had ever heard of being able to can nut butters without changing their tastes with the can boiling process?
Thanks, Amy
Amy,
Weird, the commenter above you asked the very same thing a few days ago about canning nut butters, and honestly, I have no idea. I do buy my tahini in a sealed can, and it then requires refrigeration after opening. So it might work? I know I’d be overjoyed to receive homemade nut butter for Christmas.
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