There is something incredibly satisfying about making something from scratch. Especially something like Peanut Butter which is a store cupboard staple.
I'm mesmerised by the idea that a hard nut can become this glossy spreadable butter, so I decided that I could have a play, and get all food science-y, and come up with the perfect homemade peanut butter spread!
If you're a peanut butter lover then I guarantee, once you make this peanut butter at home you won't want to buy store bought ever again! It's so easy to adjust the levels or honey or salt to make it more sweet or savoury as you desire. You can also add chocolate chips or chopped peanuts if you prefer crunchy peanut butter. the possibilities are endless!
Tips for making peanut butter
While developing the recipe I often found myself Googling tips for making peanut butter. As with almost all cooking there is science behind it and it's important to understand.
Most recipes I came across asked you to blindly accept the proposition that the dry roasted nuts you'd popped into your blended with minimal liquid, would become a thick glossy spread. After 5-10mins of blitzing in the food processor, this hadn't happened for me.
The key thing to remember is that not all food processors are the same. Many of the professional bloggers are using high powered Vitamixes and other fancy food processors. If, like me, you don't have one of these in your kitchen you will have to be patient!
With my Kenwood Multipro, it took a good ten minutes (maybe more) before it got any where close to being spreadable. But I promise you it is worth the wait.
There's something magical about that moment when the nuts begin releasing their own oils and the mix suddenly becomes smooth and more liquid.
Adding more oil will have very little impact until you are at the stage that you have a smooth paste/spread. Until this time, the oil will simply sit on top of the ground peanuts. Once the oil does break out of the nuts it will then be swimming in oil and be very unpleasant. Resist the temptation to add more oil!
I'm also reliably told that Spanish peanuts have a higher oil content. If using these drop the oil in the recipe down to just 2 tablespoons.
Variations
Why not add your own twist to this peanut butter recipe:
- Chopped peanuts for a crunchy spread
- Cocoa powder and a little extra olive oil for chocolate peanut butter
- Chocolate chips for a crunchy spread with a difference
- More or less oil for the desired consistency
- A swirl of jam for the perfect peanut butter and jelly spread
- Different nuts or a combination of nuts for a different, nutty flavour
Homemade Peanut Butter
Equipment
- 1 x 500ml jar
Ingredients
- 425 grams dry roasted peanuts shelled
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 3 tablespoon nut oil
Instructions
- Place the peanuts, salt and honey into your food processor.
- Blitz the ingredients on a high speed until they begin forming crumbs.
- You will need to periodically scrape the mix down from the sides of the bowl.
- Keep processing the nuts as they change from being a breadcrumb texture, to a thick paste.
- Begin slowly drizzling the oil into the mix until it becomes a glossy spread.
- Transfer into a sterilised jar.
Nutrition
Once you've had a go at making peanut butter a few times you'll begin to see what all the fuss is about.
The jars last for a month in the fridge and are great as presents! I'm already trying to think how I can jazz up the jars for Peanut Butter with a Christmas Twist!
Recipes using peanut butter
Have you ever tried making nut butter at home? How do you eat yours?
dimshum says
this looks so good- and probably much healthier than the jars that you get at supermarkets! Will try making this when I get a blender, thanks for the recipe! 🙂
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efwalt says
Hi dimshum! Thanks for your comment! Definitely give it a go and let me know how you get on 🙂
Em