Raw Recipe: Almond Butter
Making nut butters can be a little tricky. I used to think that I had to do them in my Vitamix, which would drive me batty with all the scraping down that was required. Other times, I would have a fail, only because I quit too early. I didn’t realize how much time it takes, and the process that the nuts have to go through. But if you have a little patience, you can make nut butters that are fabulous. You will never want to buy them again! Almond butter is a good one to start with.
I used my Kitchen Aid 12 cup food processor. It is a strong processor. The bottom warms up a little bit but if you are using an older processor, or a processor with a much weaker motor, common sense needs to prevail.
After 2 minutes it will look like this.
After 4 minutes it will look like this.
After 6 minutes it will look like this.
Around 8 minutes, the almond mixture will ball up. Just let it keep going.
At 10 minutes it has begun to redistribute, but it is not done yet. You want to wait until the oils get released.
At 12 minutes the almonds have released their oil and the butter is ready! If you want to add honey or salt, stir it in by hand.
*Chef’s Note: If using soaked, dehydrated (dried) almonds, you may need to add a little oil. This recipe requires the use of completely dry almonds.
Almond Butter
MAKES 1 1/4 CUPS ALMOND BUTTER
- 2 cups Almonds
- 1 tablespoon Raw Honey (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt (optional)
- Place almonds in food processor. Process for 8-12 minutes. You will need to scrape down the sides in the beginning. If you choose to use the honey and salt, stir in by hand after the butter is made as it will seize the mixture if you try to add it before.
*Chef’s Note: If using soaked, dehydrated (dried) almonds, you may need to add a little oil. This recipe requires the use of completely dry almonds.
em wrote on July 24, 2012
can i make almond butter w/ soaked nondehydrated almonds?
don’t have a dehydrator.
Thanks so much like the photos in stages very helpful!
Em
Marcela wrote on July 16, 2012
Thanks for this recipe. It’s exactly what I did with peanuts to make peanut butter 🙂 How long will it stay good for?
Susan wrote on July 17, 2012
A couple of weeks, at least. If you make sure the container you put it in is steril. If there is any bacteria present, the shelve life will diminish. I do store mine in the refrigerator because there are oils in it.
Leslie Genchi wrote on July 11, 2012
Hi! Love your website! I always soak and dehydrate my nuts prior, to soak of the acid and enzyme inhibitors. Its very important for me because I don’t process nuts well. I attempted this recipe and noticed that with “crispy nuts” it required additional oil, I added coconut oil and a few dates and that really turned out amazing! I was curious, in your other recipes…Do you practice soaking and dehydrating the nuts for better absorption and digestion? I am thinking most of your recipes may need modification if not for my use, but I am looking forward to tinkering! Thanks!
Susan wrote on July 11, 2012
If you read above…I do state that if you soak nuts and dehydrate the almonds, you may need to add oil. This is the only recipe on the site that has a requirement like that because of the process to make almond butter. If you read a lot more of the site…you will see that I almost always presoak nuts. It is also specified if they need to be dry for the recipe or still wet which is important. You shouldn’t need to tweak any of the recipes. Instructions will always be very clear. Cheers!
Susan wrote on July 8, 2012
If you are soaking nuts for this recipe, it is imperative that they are completely dry before you start to make it or it won’t work. You can add oil towards the end if it needs it. Coconut oil may not work because it solidifies and will change the texture considerably.
Cara Michelle wrote on July 7, 2012
I am soaking and dehydrating my raw almonds to release the phytic acid. Does Susan or anyone have wisdom about what kind of oil works best to help it all reconstitute? I would like to use coconut oil and wonder if there is any known reason not to. Thanks! Cara.
Lynda wrote on July 3, 2012
I have made almond butter before with great success but my last attempt did not turn out well. I think the almonds used were stale and therefore did not release enough oil to make butter. It is important to buy fresh, good quality almonds for this. Makes a huge difference in the taste and texture of the end product.
Rich wrote on June 21, 2012
Tried this and failed. Used just nuts, no extras, and ran a food processor for more than 30 minutes; never got a ball, just liquid. Could it be because the almonds were rancid (I didn’t eat one out of the batch I used)?
Should you use raw rather than roasted nuts? Should they be skinned?
Susan wrote on June 21, 2012
This recipe calls for raw almonds. I have never tried it with roasted.
Sissi wrote on June 19, 2012
I just wanted to say that my greenstar juicer has a nut butter feature and it’s fantastic.
When I am pressed for time I whip up a really small batch in my magic bullet, which works much better than I expected.
SM wrote on June 17, 2012
Just tried it and it worked great, thank you!!