Nut butters are healthy and versatile. With just a couple of ingredients and 15 minutes, you can make your own delicious nut butter at home in your blender. Whether you prefer peanut, almond, or even sunflower butter, nut butter fresh from your blender could become a new pantry staple. Here’s everything you need to know to get started making your own nut butter, plus three recipes to experiment with.
Even if you’re not all that comfortable in the kitchen, learning to make homemade nut butter has a lot of advantages:
For best results, you’ll want a high-performance blender. These cost more, but they’re more powerful than conventional countertop blenders. Look for blender jars with wider, flatter bases for easier blending.
A blender with a tamper can be useful for mixing your ingredients while the blender is running, but it’s not a necessity. You can always stop the blender and scrape down the sides with a spatula to make sure everything is reaching the blender’s blades.
If you’re having trouble getting a nut butter to come together in your blender, try soaking the nuts overnight. Alternatively, you can always use a food processor.
Making your own nut butter couldn’t be easier. With just a couple of ingredients, you can whip up your own batch of nut butter in less than 15 minutes. Simply place your ingredients in the blender jar and blend until creamy, pausing as needed to hand-mix the ingredients for even blending. Taste as you go and add salt and sweetener to your liking.
Check your blender’s instructions before you get started to make sure you meet any minimum volume requirements. You may need to scale up your recipe for your blender to function properly.
Place 2 cups dry-roasted unsalted peanuts and 1/2 teaspoon salt in your blender. Run the blender on low speed until the peanuts start to soften. Increase blender speed to medium and blend until smooth. Add sweetener to taste.
You can use store-bought roasted almonds to make your own almond butter, but roasting your own will save you a little money. The warm-from-the-oven almonds will also blend more easily. Since almonds contain fewer natural oils than other types of nuts, you may need to add a teaspoon or two of coconut oil or a neutral-flavored oil during blending.
You can even make your own chocolate hazelnut spread in a blender! It takes a little longer, but the results are worth it:
One of the best parts about making your own nut butter is the freedom to customize and experiment. Try adding seeds such as chia, sunflower or hemp seeds for a nutritional boost. Sweeten with a drizzle of maple syrup, agave or honey. Add complexity with a splash of vanilla extract or a pinch of cinnamon or cardamom. You can even go spicy with a sprinkle of ginger or cayenne pepper!
Vitamix Professional G Series 750
The wide blender jars and powerful motors of Vitamix blenders make them great picks for making nut butters. With its 2.2 peak horsepower motor, the Professional Series 750 can effortlessly whip up a batch of nut butter without even needing to soak the nuts. Its self-cleaning function even takes care of the mess! Plus, with preprogrammed settings for foods such as hot soup and smoothies, it’ll be useful for far more than just nut butter.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon, Macy’s and Sur la Table
This Vitamix blender doesn’t have preprogrammed settings like the Series 750, but with 10 speed settings and a 2-horsepower motor, it can also handle nuts and seeds easily. Its built-in tamper helps ensure ingredients reach the blender blades. If you’re looking for a powerful and dependable blender but don’t need one loaded with bells and whistles, this Vitamix may be just what you’re looking for.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
NutriBullet ZNBF30400Z Blender
NutriBullet blenders are popular for their focus on helping you eat a healthier diet. This budget-friendly model is a great choice for healthy, homemade nut butters thanks to its 1.6-horsepower motor and cyclonic blending action. With its three speeds and pulse setting, it’s user-friendly. The wide container base is just right for nut butters. Plus, it weighs less than 10 pounds, so it’s easier to take in and out of cupboards.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Macy’s
Pour the nut butter into an airtight food storage container (preferably glass; plastic can absorb flavor and odor) and store it in the fridge. It will keep for 2-4 weeks.
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
Laura Duerr writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers.
