Consider this your one-stop resource for how to make nut butter at home! It’s so easy, often requires just 1 (or 2) ingredients, and comes together in less than 30 minutes!
First, choose your base.
I love starting with raw, organic almonds. Then I mix in a few walnuts for omega-3s. However, hazelnuts make a delicious butter on their own, as do pecans. So many nuts to choose from!
Or, go for seeds! Sunflower seeds make amazing butter, too. I include links to several recipes below.
Hazelnuts have skins, which often shed during roasting. So it’s best to remove those before blending (see photo below).
Then, it’s nut butter time!
Either use a food processor or high-speed blender to creamy a creamy, delicious nut butter.
Just 1 ingredient – that’s right! No oil, water, or sweetener. In fact, adding in ingredients like oil, water, or even maple syrup tend to disrupt the creamy texture and shouldn’t be added.
The blending process generally takes 10-12 minutes, so be patient! It’s worth the wait.
While your nut butter is blending, you can choose a few add-ins (if desired).
My go-tos are sea salt and flax seed. But you could also add hemp seed, chia seed, coconut butter, a dash of vanilla, or even dark chocolate! Dark chocolate + hazelnuts = NUTELLA. I know! It’s amazing.
That’s it! You nut butter made at home. It’s that easy.
Plus, making your own nut butter allows you to create your own blends, add fun mix-ins, control salt content, AND save money! So awesome. See my favorite nut butter recipes below in the recipe.
If you try making nut butter, let us know how it goes! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram!
How To Make Nut Butter
Ingredients
BASIC BUTTER
- 3 cups raw (or sprouted) nuts (my favorites = almonds, cashews, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts // organic unpasteurized when possible)
ADD-INS optional
- Sea salt to taste (~1/2 tsp as original recipe is written)
- Vanilla extract (to taste)
- Hemp seeds
- Flax seeds
- Chia seeds
- Coconut butter
- Chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and add raw nuts to the baking sheet. If sprouted, nuts won't need as long to roast and benefit from a 5-8 minute roast at a lower temperature (325 F or 162 C). Roast raw nuts for 8-12 minutes, or until fragrant and slightly golden brown. NOTE: You can also leave nuts raw, but the only ones that taste good raw in my opinion are cashews and almonds.
- If roasting hazelnuts, remove from oven once toasted and transfer to a clean dish towel. Rub the hazelnuts against one another using the towel to remove the skins (see photo). Removing most of the skins is preferred (not all will come off).
- Add roasted nuts to a food processor or blender and blend / mix until a creamy butter forms. The nuts should go from whole, to meal, to clumps, to creamy nut butter. This can take up to 10-12 or more minutes so be patient. Scrape down sides as needed.
- Once creamy, add salt (or other add-ins) to taste. Then transfer to a clean jar or container and store in the refrigerator up to 3 weeks (sometimes longer).
- Some other variations include: Cinnamon Raisin Peanut Butter, Cinnamon Hazelnut Butter, Almond Joy Butter, and Super Seedy Sunflower Butter!
Video
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Kay says
I am going to make the almond butter with almonds only. Should I roast them or just blend them raw? Thanks!
Either way works! We’d say it depends on personal preference, but we’d go with roasted :)
Marianne says
I made this today, its absolutly delish.
I made it with almonds, walnuts and sunflower seeds, roasted.
With the additional extras of hemp seeds, roasted pumpkin seeds and roasted sunflower seeds for some crunchyness, a liitle bit of honey.
Thank you for sharing
We’re so glad you enjoyed, Marianne! Thanks so much for the lovely review. xo
Robert Melville says
I buy mixed nuts and in order to reduce the changes to the natural oils I roast the ñ but mix at 120C for 15 minutes, slow to cool and then blend in my food processor.
Makes really nice flavour and smooth texture.
Lovely! Thank you for sharing, Robert!
Debra says
Minimalist Baker, what blender do you recommend for making nut butter? I’ve been looking at the Vitamix brand, but there are different ones out there. Is 1800 Watts better, or would 1380 be fine? I’m looking for a blender, because of room in my kitchen and I do blender drinks as well.
Thanks,
Debra
Hi Debra, in this blender review, you can read/see our experience making nut butter in three different blenders. The Vitamix 5200 was the blender that made it with the most ease and it had a 2 peak HP motor speed. Hope that helps!
Don says
How will I know if my nut butter is no longer safe to use (I have transferred the nut butter to a clean jar or container and stored it in the refrigerator)?
If it tastes good and there is no mold go for it?
All the best,
Dod
Hi Don, it would take quite a long time to grow mold. What you’re more so looking for is if it tastes or smells rancid/unpleasant.
Claire says
My new Hugh speed blender says that you shouldn’t use the blender for more than a minute at a time. Therefore this recipe for nut butter would take 30 mins if I need to stop after every minute? Surely not everyone has amazing professional blenders?
Hi Claire, It does sound like that blender might not be a good fit for this recipe. Making nut butter works best with a food processor or blender that can blend for longer. We’re wondering if the one you have might be a Nutribullet-style one? If so, those don’t have a way for excess pressure to be released through the top, which will limit the amount of time it can be run without pausing.
Mary says
I just bought a jar of Pistachio Butter at $15. So that made me think why not make my own “butter?” For a more economical way. Thank you!
Joel says
Does it need to be refrigerated? It’s just ground up nuts, which aren’t refrigerated before processing.
Hi Joel, you can store it at room temperature, if desired!
Melissa says
Who knew it was so easy, and tasty? Probably everyone but me. I will never buy a jar of nut butter again. Thank you!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the homemade version so much, Melissa. Thank you for sharing your experience! xo