homemade almond butter
Spoon it. Spread it. Dip it.
There are many ways to consume almond butter and I participate in ALL OF THEM. It’s no longer recreational; I am addicted. And, like many things, once you go homemade you’ll never go back. Almond butter is the perfect addition to overnight oats, this nut & seed bread or perhaps a rice cake with sea salt flakes…you can eat a spoonful as a snack or spread some on an apple or celery stick—the possibilities are limitless! Add in any additional ingredients you fancy—sea salt, maple syrup, honey or cinnamon. But it’s nice to keep it simple, and add the other stuff later depending on what you feel like. Do you want something savory or sweet? That may change from day to day so it’s nice to keep your options open.
I don’t know what took me so long to share this recipe, but butter better late than never! Homemade almond butter is so easy to make and far more cost effective. I started making my own after I realized I was spending close to a hundred dollars a month buying it at the grocery store. I also became aware that most almonds in the store are pasteurized and stripped of all their beneficial nutrients. From that point on, I started buying wholesale from a vendor at the farmer’s market and making it at home.
If you don’t have a local almond farmer at your market, you can buy them in bulk online and have them shipped. I really like Fat Uncle Farms (they also do free door-to-door deliveries around the Los Angeles area), but if you do some research, there are other growers out there who do not pasteurize their almonds. Almonds last quite a while if you store them in the freezer, so I usually buy between 5-20 pounds. I know. I’m a fiend. Don’t judge me.
Bon appetit!
Tools
baking sheet
high speed blender with tamper (Vitamix or Ninja) or food processor
spatula for spooning out the almond butter
Homemade Almond Butter
Makes: 12 Cups
Prep time:
Cook time:
- 4 cups raw organic almonds
- optional: sea salt to tast
- optional: 1 to 2 tablespoons maple syrup, honey or sweetener of choice
- Preheat the oven to 300 F/150 C. Spread out the almonds into one, single layer on a large baking sheet.
- Once the oven is ready, bake the almonds for 8-12 minutes (depending on how hot your oven cooks). Stir the almonds and rotate the pan halfway through.
- You will start to smell the almonds roasting when they are close to being ready. Examine them for doneness. Allow the almonds to cool completely for at least an hour, or up to a day (you want them to dry out a bit).
- Place the roasted almonds in a high-speed blender, such as a Vitamix or Ninja. You can also use a food processor, it just takes longer and can sometimes wear out the motor. If using a blender, blend on the highest speed possible, using the tamper to press down on all four sides of the almonds. Blend until creamy; this will take about one to three minutes depending on how roasted or dry your almonds are. Once the almonds have turned into a butter, you can add any additions you like, such as sea salt, maple syrup or desired sweetener. Briefly blend the optional added ingredients together with the almond butter. I like to keep it simple and add things later. If you are using a food processor, be patient, it will take quite a bit longer. Be sure to stop and continuously scrape down the sides. Eventually the almonds will ball up and turn into a creamy butter.
- llow the almond butter to cool, then transfer to a mason jar or airtight container and store in the refridgerator for up to two weeks.
