How to make nut butter (peanut butter, almond butter...)

Do you know what happens if you put nuts in a food processor and keep blending and blending? You turn them into that nut’s butter (Yes, nothing but the nut itself). Are you a fan of hazelnut butter? Or peanut butter? Then you should definitely try making it at home. And if instead of using the nut you use it toasted, you'll intensify the butter's flavor, and it will be gold for your recipes!

What types of butter can you make?

Roasted nut butters are a delicious variation of nut butters. Some popular examples of roasted nut butters include:

1. Roasted peanut butter: Roasted peanuts add a more intense flavor and a crunchy texture to this classic butter.

2. Roasted almond butter: Toasted almonds add a deeper, slightly smoky flavor to almond butter.

3. Roasted nut butter: Toasted nuts give nut butter a more robust flavor and a crunchy texture.

4. Roasted cashew butter: Roasted cashews have a deeper, more buttery flavor, which makes this butter smooth and delicious.

5. Roasted hazelnut butter: Roasted hazelnuts add a more intense nutty flavor and a smoky touch to hazelnut butter.

6. Peanut and walnut butter: a mixed nut butter, in which the nuts tone down the intense peanut flavor, making it all the more interesting.

7. Peanut butter with honey and toasted nuts: This version combines roasted peanuts, honey, and other nuts, such as almonds and walnuts, for a more complex, sweeter flavor.

How to make nut butter

1. I mentioned it at the beginning of the post: you just have to put the peeled nuts into a powerful food processor, a food processor (our friend Mónica Prego always showed the processor Magimix to make butter extremely quickly), a powerful blender (such as the Magimix)
2. Turn on the chopper or food processor to start grinding and let it run for a few minutes: you’ll see that in just a few minutes (about 3 minutes, but it will depend on your appliance’s power) the ground nuts will start releasing their oil and the nut butter will form.
3. Once the mixture is emulsified (the ground nuts have turned into a paste, into butter), remove and enjoy, or store it in the fridge in an airtight jar.

You’ll be interested to know! If you use toasted nuts instead of raw ones, you’ll highlight their flavors and add extra depth to the nut butters. Toasting nuts couldn’t be easier (I’ll tell you how below).

How to toast nuts

• In the oven: Arrange the nuts on a baking sheet (personally, I love using Naturals baking sheets because they’re available in a small size, they’re lightweight, and they heat up super quickly). Bake in the oven at 200 ºC until you notice they change slightly in color and look golden.
• On the stovetop, in a pan: you can use a chestnut pan for optimal results, you can see it at this post. As simple as keeping them in the pan, stirring occasionally, until browned.

Toast in Naturals Trays in the oven or in chestnut pan on the fire

How to use nut butter (ways to enjoy it)

You can enjoy nut butters on toast, rolls, as an ingredient in smoothies, or in a variety of cooking and baking recipes, starting with sponge cakes and bundt cakes that will be incredibly tasty. Here are some ideas to inspire you:

1. Peanut butter crepe with nuts and aged sheep's cheese
2. Hazelnut butter toast with chocolate pearls
3. Toast with butter peanut and sliced banana
4. Hazelnut or walnut sponge cake or bundt cake, using the butter of the chosen nut as an ingredient, and filled with chopped pieces of the same nut and chocolate.
5. Sponge cake coated with butter of almonds or hazelnuts

6. Breakfast Toasts: Spread almond butter or peanut butter on toast and add banana or strawberry slices for a quick, nutritious breakfast.

7. Protein Shakes: Add a tablespoon of your favorite nut butter to your protein shake to give it a creamy flavor and an extra dose of protein.

8. Energy Sandwiches: Make a sandwich with almond butter and apple or pear slices for an energizing, healthy snack.

9. Salad Dressings: Mix cashew butter with olive oil, lemon, and garlic for a delicious salad dressing.

10. Toppings for Oatmeal: Add spoonfuls of hazelnut butter to your hot oatmeal bowl along with berries and a drizzle of honey.

11. Fruit Dip: Serve peanut butter as a dip for fresh fruit like apples, bananas, or celery.

12. Chicken Recipes: Use it as a base for an almond butter sauce with sautéed chicken and vegetables.

13. Ice Cream Topping: Heat nut butter and serve it over vanilla ice cream for a decadent touch.

14. Cake Fillings: Add almond or hazelnut butter to pie fillings to give them a smooth texture and rich flavor.

15. Savory Sandwiches: Make savory sandwiches with peanut butter, cucumber slices, and turkey for a quick and tasty lunch.

16. Cookie Recipes: Use almond or hazelnut butter in the cookie dough for extra flavor.

Additionally, make toasted nut butters at home it lets you customize the flavors and roast levels to suit your preferences. I highly recommend giving it a try! It's super easy and becomes a discovery that changes the way you cook.