What took me so long to make almond butter? I just enjoyed homemade almond butter on toast for breakfast, and I must say—it’s far superior to store-bought almond butter. Homemade almond butter is ultra thick and creamy, and it tastes like warm, freshly roasted almonds.
Now that I know the difference, I can’t go back to buying jars at the store. I blend a tiny bit of cinnamon, vanilla and maple syrup into mine to make it taste extra special. Why not?
Homemade almond butter is more affordable, too. The math is simple. One pound of almonds yields one pound of almond butter (or 16 ounces), which is the size of the standard almond butter jar at the store. Just compare the price of one pound of raw almonds to the price of your favorite almond butter.
The cost savings depend largely on the almond butter. I’ve bought jars of almond butter at Trader Joe’s for seven dollars, so there’s not much savings opportunity there.
However, I’ve seen almond butter on shelves demanding seventeen dollars per jar. Seventeen dollars! For blended-up almonds! This is highway robbery, and I will not be robbed.
When it comes to making almond butter, patience is key. It might seem like the whole almonds will never turn into creamy nut butter, but they always do. Don’t give up!
Buy raw almonds and roast them in the oven yourself.Warm almonds blend more easily and offer maximum fresh almond flavor.Roasting the almonds only takes 10 minutes, and it’s absolutely worth it.
Roasted almonds offer the same nutritional benefits as raw almonds (protein, fiber, healthy fat, and vitamins), although their vitamin content is a tiny bit lower. The flavor difference is absolutely worth it, in my opinion. The “raw” almonds you buy at the store have probably been heat-treated to kill bacteria already and will inevitably warm up from the heat of the machine, anyway.
Watch How to Make Almond Butter
Suggested Equipment
Making almond butter is easy, as long as you have a sturdy food processor or blender and some patience. I’ve successfully made almond butter in my Cuisinart food processor and my Vitamix blender (affiliate links).
The blender may have been a few minutes faster (the tamper is handy to press almonds down into the blades), but I couldn’t tell a difference in the texture or flavor of the final product.
My favorite way to enjoy almond butter? I love it on whole-grain toast with berries on top (fresh berries, defrosted frozen, or chia berry jam). You can also spread almond butter on quick breads, like banana bread or muffins. Or, blend it into smoothies or swirl it into yogurt for extra protein.
This freshly roasted almond butter would make a lovely handmade gift. Just tie a ribbon around the jar and it’s ready to go. If this recipe spurs a nut butter kick, try making homemade pecan butter.Please let me know how you like this recipe in the comments!
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Homemade Almond Butter
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Author:Cookie and Kate
Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:10 minutes
Total Time:25 minutes
Yield:16 ounces1x
Category:Nut Butter
Method:Blended
Cuisine:American
5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star
4.8 from 313 reviews
Homemade almond butter is healthy, affordable and even more delicious than store-bought! It’s easy to make, too. You’ll just need a good food processor or blender. Recipe yields about 1 ⅔ cup almond butter (that’s 16 ounces, the equivalent of a jar of almond butter from the store).
Scale
Ingredients
16 ounces (3 cups) raw almonds
¼ teaspoon salt
Optional: ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Optional: ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional: 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread the almonds across a large, rimmed baking sheet and toast the almonds for 10 minutes, stirring halfway.
Let the almonds cool until they’re just warm (not hot), about 10 minutes.
Transfer the almonds to a high-speed blender or food processor. Blend until creamy, pausing to scrape down the sides as necessary. You’re going to think it’ll never blend, but be patient! The almonds will go from flour-like clumps, to a ball against the side of the food processor (keep scraping down the sides and breaking up the ball), and finally, it will turn lusciously creamy. If the mixture gets crazy hot along the way, stop and let it cool for a few minutes.
Once the almond butter is very smooth and creamy (no sooner!), you can blend in any add-ins you would like. I always add salt, for more flavor overall. You can also add cinnamon for a hint of spice, and vanilla and/or maple syrup for almond butter that tastes more special than store-bought.
Blend until the add-ins are evenly dispersed. When I added maple syrup, I had to let the mixture cool, and then blend a few additional minutes, to make it creamy again.
Let the almond butter cool to room temperature, then transfer the mixture to a mason jar and screw on the lid. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or until you see or smell any signs of spoilage.
Notes
Change it up: You can create a mixed nut butter by substituting raw cashews, walnuts or pecans for some of the almonds. Just roast them all on the pan together.
▸ Nutrition Information
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Did you make this recipe?
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Roasting them for just 10 minutes before blending allows the natural oils within the almonds to release toward the skin, which really helps in the blending process. So if you don't want to roast them, you will need to add some oil, about 2 or so tablespoons to help it become creamy.
One pound of almonds yields one pound of almond butter (or 16 ounces), which is the size of the standard almond butter jar at the store. Just compare the price of one pound of raw almonds to the price of your favorite almond butter.
Tips: If you're making almond butter without oil (just roasting) and it seems dry and flaky and not turning into butter, there's likely two reasons: 1) the almonds needed to roast just a little bit longer (see temperature note above), 2) the brand of almonds.
If you have a jar of almond butter that contains 24 almonds and you use 2 tablespoons of it, you can estimate that each tablespoon would contain around 12 almonds (24 almonds / 2 tablespoons = 12 almonds per tablespoon).
This is a long-term solution that prevents the layer of dry, crumbly butter from ever forming, because by the time you get to the end of the jar it will have been flipped enough time for the oil to continually redistribute and keep the nut butter hydrated and smooth throughout.
Almond butter is high in unsaturated fats, which promote heart health. They help raise HDL (known as "good" cholesterol) and lower LDL (known as "bad" cholesterol). The fat content also helps you stay satiated for longer, potentially helping you make more mindful snacking and food choices.
Surprisingly, homemade almond butter is not always cheaper than the store-bought version. If you compare them on a cost-per-ounce basis, 1 ounce of whole almonds costs more than 1 ounce of almond butter. In this case, homemade is better because of the flavor, not necessarily because of the cost.
Almond trees must grow to full maturity before they flower and bear nuts. They are also a crop which will grow only in certain places in the world (for Once Again, in California or Italy), and crops in these places are producing less flowers, thus less nuts. Demand is high, which makes the price rise.
Homemade raw almond butter will keep in the refrigerator for about two weeks, and store-bought may keep for months. A cooler with block ice or reusable freezer packs can also substitute for refrigeration. To store almond butter without a fridge or cooler, choose a cool, dry, dark place.
It is a rich source of the mineral magnesium. A tablespoon of almond butter delivers 48.5 mg of the stuff, which is about 12% of what your daily intake should be. You can get too much magnesium; the upper limit is 350 mg or a little over 7 tablespoons of almond butter.
The main reason it's so frustrating to stir separated nut butter is because the jar is too damn small, and that's especially true if you have a lot of oil at the top and extra dry nut butter at the bottom.
Added oil isn't strictly necessary, but I do find that adding a little olive oil really helps to turn your crumbly almonds into a smooth butter as fast as possible. You can omit it, but it will likely just take a couple of minutes longer. You can also use a different oil if you prefer.
Even though almonds are great for your health, eating too many of them can cause problems for your body. It may even take you away from your health goal instead of towards it. Even for almond butter, recommended serving is about 2 tbsp which is more than enough to be used as a dessert topping, on toast, or even shakes.
Since almond butter is made from ground almonds, it has many of the same health benefits as whole almonds. Although almond butter is high in calories, it is rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that are important for your health. Almond butter is high in monounsaturated fats.
Peanut butter has higher saturated fats, which should be taken in moderation. Almond butter, on the contrary, has more monounsaturated fats that are thought to be heart-healthy and can contribute to lowering harmful cholesterol levels. These fats are high in energy and help in the digestion of fat-soluble vitamins.
When the nut butter sits in room temperature, the oil in its liquid form slowly rises and sits on the top of the jar. You'll want to keep that oil because it's what gives your peanut butter and almond butter that creamy texture you love so much.
Adding liquid to the almond butter can cause it to become very thick. Trust us: we've learned the hard way! Adding liquid when you're blending the butter can cause it to seize up and loose its creamy texture. Then you need add lots of oil to get it back to a creamy state.
Almonds, of course! Added authentic Blue Diamond almond oil blended with the Almondmilk you already know and love creates the extra creamy texture reminiscent of whole dairy milk. So basically, our answer to make our new Almondmilk was the use of more of our almonds because the Best Almonds Make the Best Almondmilk®.
"This almond butter can sometimes be grainy due to natural crystallisation. To remove the graininess, melt the butter completely in a water bath, then cool rapidly." Sometimes be grainy? This jar was through and through 'sometimes'.
Introduction: My name is Twana Towne Ret, I am a famous, talented, joyous, perfect, powerful, inquisitive, lovely person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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