HOW TO MAKE PEANUT BUTTER

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HOW TO MAKE PEANUT BUTTER

My family eats a lot of nut butter, both peanut butter and almond butter topping the list. It’s fun making your own homemade versions because you control what gets added in and you can mix up the flavor combinations.

Make sure to use at least an 8-cup sized food processor or high-speed blender. This tool will help process the right volume of peanuts and prevent burn out of the equipment. Let’s go over the basics for a super smooth spread, here are the essential steps.

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Roasting peanuts warm the oils in the legume, making them more aromatic and easier to process. The nuts get baked in the oven at 350°F (177°C) for about 10 minutes. It’s okay to use raw or dry roasted unsalted peanuts. The nuts should take on just a light golden color after roasting. You can skip this step if you want to make raw peanut butter.

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Add warm peanuts to a food processor or blender. The peanuts will go through multiple phases in texture changes before becoming smooth and creamy. The first step is just to pulse the nuts a few times to get them initially broken up. Then process continuously at high speed for 1 minute, it will look like wet sand.

Process for another minute on high speed, then you’ll notice that the peanut solids will start to clump together into a mas and the peanut oils will coalesce as well.

This is the time to add salt, or any other flavoring ingredients like sweeteners (honey or maple syrup), cocoa powder for chocolate peanut butter, cinnamon or oils (vegetable oil or coconut oil). If you’re adding honey or maple syrup, you must add some oils to keep the peanut butter smooth and spreadable; otherwise, it will seize up and clump together immediately (trust me!).

A small amount of added fats will also make the peanut butter creamier and prevents oil and fat separation from happening as quickly because it helps to emulsify the spread. Process for 1 to 2 minutes, until a smooth and warm pourable peanut butter, is formed. Once the nut butter cools down, it will be spreadable with a knife.

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STORAGE

This homemade peanut butter recipe makes about 1 cup of spread. Transfer to an airtight container or glass jar with a lid and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks. I’ve noticed that with homemade peanut butter you don’t get the separation compared to the store bought products if eaten within the month. This is because the peanut butter is not being transported and sitting on the shelf for an extended period.

HOW TO MAKE PEANUT BUTTER
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 
Learn how to make peanut butter with these essential steps. This smooth and creamy spread is made with only two ingredients and takes just 15 minutes.
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: American
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 106 kcal
INGREDIENTS
  • 2 cups peanuts , (284g, 10 ounces) unsalted, shelled, dry roasted or raw
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt , (3g) optional
     
    INSTRUCTIONS
    1. Position rack in the center of the oven. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
    2. Add peanuts to a sheet tray. Roast for 5 minutes, rotate the nuts and roast an additional 5 minutes.
    3. Add warm peanuts to a food processor or blender.
    4. Pulse for 5 seconds to break down the peanuts.
    5. Process on high speed for 1 minute. The peanuts should look like wet sand. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl or cup.
    6. Continue to process at high speed for 1 minute. The peanuts will start to clump together and form a mass. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl or cup.
    7. Process on high speed for 1 minute. The peanuts will become smooth and look like thick peanut butter. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl or cup.
    8. Add salt to the peanut butter and process on high speed for 1 to 2 minutes. The peanut butter will be very smooth and pourable.
    9. Transfer the warm peanut butter to a jar or airtight container. Once the peanut butter cools, it will thicken up and be spreadable.
    10. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator.
     
    RECIPE NOTES

    Makes: 1 cup peanut butter

    Serving: 1 tablespoon

    • 1-2 tablespoons of honey or maple syrup can be added to sweeten the peanut butter. Add the sweetener when you add the salt. However, you must also add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil or coconut oil to prevent the peanut butter from seizing up and becoming tough. Add the sweetener and oil at the same time with the salt.
    • Spices like cinnamon or cocoa powder can be added with the salt to flavor the peanut butter. I found that 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon is a good starting point.