Homemade Peanut Butter (2 Ways)

What to expect?

Have you checked the labels of store-bought peanut butter carefully? There is always some kind of added sugar and oil. I don’t know about you, but I don’t really feel like eating oil if I don’t have to. I am not saying it is impossible to find truly natural peanut butter, but the question is, at what price?

In my opinion, nothing beats homemade recipes. Why?

• You know exactly what you put in them.
• You can make it any time, in any flavor, and in any amount you want.
• Especially with peanut butter, it is fun to do it with kids. My daughters love to lick the spatula and the bowl, not to get any peanut butter to waste.

Ingredients

It is truly only one ingredient: dry roasted peanuts (no shells). It can be salted and unsalted. Both work the same.

Do you need oil?

No. I never ever had any problem making peanut butter using only peanuts.

Can you add flavoring?

Sure you can. First, make your peanut butter and then transfer it to small containers. Only after then add any spices (vanilla seeds, cinnamon, gingerbread spices, cocoa powder, sea salt, or anything else).

Can you add sweetener? 

I don’t think it requires any sweetener, but if you insist, I recommend dry sweeteners. Liquid sweeteners can make it lumpy or separated. You should also know that honey is not considered vegan, so choose one of these honey substitutes instead.

How to make peanut butter at home?

Peanuts will actually go through different stages before turning into peanut butter. You can see it in action in our short video on YouTube or within the recipe card below.

You can only make peanut butter in a strong food processor or in a high-speed blender like our Vitamix. Sadly, regular blenders or low-watt food processors will likely not work.

Peanut butter in Vitamix

1. Add dry roasted peanuts. Turn on the Vitamix and slowly increase the speed to the maximum. Peanuts will turn into crumbs.
2. If anything is stuck to the sides, use the tamper to push down the ingredients. Push it hard. Don’t be afraid, the tamper will not reach the blades.
3. The crumbs will be separated into layers of different crumb sizes. Then it will look like crunchy peanut butter like in the below photos. It is not ready yet.

4. Keep going, and you will get a creamy peanut butter texture. My Vitamix usually needs at most 2 minutes to be ready. You shouldn’t process it more than 1 minute after the mixture circulates freely.
5. When ready, gently use a silicone spatula to scrape all the yummy peanut butter from the container. Even if Vitamix is powerful, it is working hard. When the peanut butter is ready, it will be slightly warm.

Note: We have a Vitamix with a 64-oz (2-liter) wet container. 4 cups (approx. 500 g) of dry roasted peanuts are the bare minimum to make homemade peanut butter successfully.

Peanut butter in a food processor

1. Add dry roasted peanuts. Turn on your food processor and start pulsing. Try to pulse until you get crumbs.
2. Turn on full speed, but stop and scrape the sides if too many crumbs stick to it.
3. Be patient! Depending on the power of your food processor, you might need 5-10 minutes to get the desired consistency. Stop and scrape multiple times.

Note: Watch out not to overheat the machine. If the mixture or the food processor gets too warm, stop and continue only after everything has cooled down.

Variations

This recipe works for cashews, walnuts, or almonds. It is the same process as making any kind of nut butter at home, like cashew butter, walnut butter, or almond butter. If you want flavor variations, here are our five favorite combinations.

• Crunchy Peanut Butter: If you want to add peanut bits, chocolate chips, shredded coconut, or raisins, we recommend adding them after the blending has finished. Gently mix them in with a spatula.
• Maple Cinnamon Peanut Butter: When your homemade peanut butter is ready, add one Tablespoon of maple syrup and one teaspoon of cinnamon and pulse or blend them until combined.
• Chocolate Peanut Butter: Once you have the right consistency, add two teaspoons of cocoa powder and 1 -2 Tablespoons of maple syrup. Blend and pulse until combined.
• Chili Chocolate Peanut Butter: For those who enjoy a kick of heat, add a teaspoon of chili powder or a few dashes of cayenne pepper to the chocolate peanut butter, we mentioned above.
• Salted Caramel Peanut Butter: A Tablespoon of dark caramel sauce (take the recipe from caramel nice cream) and a pinch of sea salt is enough to turn this recipe around.

Feel free to adjust the quantities based on your personal taste. Don’t be afraid to experiment with these variations by adding more or less of each ingredient to find your perfect homemade peanut butter recipe. Enjoy!

How to use peanut butter?

People love peanut butter for a multitude of reasons. Its rich and creamy texture and distinctly nutty flavor create a delightful ingredient to have and cook with.

Homemade peanut butter is also highly versatile, whether you spread it on a slice of bread, use it as a dip for fruits and vegetables, or incorporate it into baked goods and smoothies. Peanut butter adds depth and richness to countless savory recipes. Think of the famous dipping sauce for spring rolls, salads, bowls, and sauces.

Storing tips

We recommend storing homemade peanut butter in a jar on the kitchen counter for up to 2 months. You can also store it in the refrigerator. I find that the peanut butter gets harder and less spreadable if I do so. It lasts for the same time either way.

You freeze peanut butter in smaller containers so that they can be easily thawed.

How to use leftovers?

Sadly, it is IMPOSSIBLE to scrape every last bit of peanut butter out of the blender. I hate to see any peanut butter go to waste. The good news is that you can save every last bit. I usually leave 1 Tbsp worth of peanut butter in the blender. Add 2 cups of fresh water. Optionally, I add a bit of maple syrup and vanilla extract. Blend it for 1-2 minutes, and you have fluffy, creamy plant-based peanut milk.

More condiment recipes

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