I did enjoy peanut butter, especially the natural ones that don’t contain the high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils.  My favorite peanut butter only has peanuts and salt.  That’s it!!  Only problem is, peanuts are not really nuts.  They are legumes.  Therefore, they have lectins, which can be very disruptive to your digestive system.  They also contain alflatoxins.

So, now my go to spread is almond butter.  Almond butter is a better and healthier choice, but it was costing me a bit too much.  Really good almond butter with no sugar and no added questionable ingredients is hard to find not to mention expensive.  I’ve seen 16 oz jars on supermarket shelves go from $7 to as much as $17 per jar.  It depends on the store and the brand.  A 16oz package of raw almonds will yield 16oz of almond butter and I certainly can find 16oz of raw almonds for a lot less than $17.

So, I’ve decided to make my own.  Let me tell you, I was not disappointed.  Homemade is always the best, because you put in the best ingredients to suit your taste.  It takes time and lots of patience, but it’s well worth the effort, not to mention the cost savings.  Why pay extra for someone to grind the almonds for you, when you can grind them yourself and make an even better product?  They say homemade is always better and this is one perfect example!

Ok then, let’s get started.  First we start out by toasting the almonds.  Buy raw almonds and toast them yourself.  Not much is lost in the way of nutrients when toasting them.  You still get the same amount of protein, fiber and healthy fats and just a tiny bit less vitamins, but not much.  Toasting them helps bring out the natural oils while grinding to make the butter.  It takes less time when the oils are released and helps the process go much quicker.  Trust me, I’ve tried grinding them without toasting them first and it took much longer for them to achieve the creamy texture.  Aside from that, toasting also gives the almonds a nice toasty flavor, which is quite delicious.

Preheat the oven to 350F

Spread 3 cups of almonds out on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

When oven is thoroughly heated, place almonds in oven for 10 minutes taking them out midway to stir them.

Remove them from the oven and let them cool until they are warm, but not hot.  Ususally takes about 10 minutes.

Place them in a high speed blender or food processor.

Ok, now you’re all set to whir away!  Process the almonds until smooth and creamy.  You will need to stop periodically to scrape down the sides.

Keep going.  It will take about 4 or 5 times of stopping and scraping, but be patient.  It seems like it takes forever getting past the griddy texture, but it does happen.  I promise!!

Ok, now it’s finally done and has reached the desired creamy texture.

And now we’re ready to spoon it into a jar.  I use a pint sized mason jar.

You can add anything you like to this homemade almond butter to add extra flavor.  But don’t do it until the butter has reached the desired creamy texture.  Add whatever you’d like.  Cinnamon, honey, pure maple syrup, (stevia or monkfruit if you need to watch your sugar) for sweetness, vanilla extract or almond extract and definitely some salt to enhance the flavor.  After adding any of these extras, run the food processor/blender again to blend in the added ingredient(s).

Allow the homemade almond butter to cool, then screw the lid on the jar and place it in the refrigerator.  It should last 2 weeks.  Please always check for mold spores.

Ok, so there you have it!

We now have a delicious homemade nut butter that can be enjoyed anytime.

Spread some on toast in the morning and enjoy it with your coffee.  Or spread some on some celery sticks for a mid afternoon snack.

Hope you enjoy it!

Stay tuned for more recipes!