This homemade almond butter is seriously better than any store-bought version! It's healthy, easy to make, oil-free, and more affordable. Whether you prefer creamy or crunchy almond butter, I've got you covered!
You can make this recipe in either a food processor or like me, a high-speed blender (think Vitamix or Ninja). This recipe will take less than 20 minutes to make and is perfect to have on hand to use with snacks, sandwiches, or yummy desserts like my vegan rice krispie treats.
Ingredients
The only 1 ingredient you truly need for this recipe is raw almonds. I am totally NOT sticking to that because I want this recipe to be as yummy as possible, while still being healthy. Feel free to consider the 3 other ingredients I list below as optional, but highly recommended!
- Raw Almonds: the star of the show, of course.
These extras are the perfect additives because they seriously take this almond butter to the next level and help heighten the flavor.
- Vanilla Extract
- Cinnamon
- Salt
Instructions
Let's go over the creamy version of this recipe first because all the steps are the same for the crunchy version, aside from a few extra!
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, add the almonds to a baking sheet, and roast for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through. This will help the oils release and make the almonds easier to blend. Let the almonds cool for at least 5 minutes after removing them from the oven.
- Transfer the roasted almonds to a food processor or high-speed blender and blend.
- Scrape down the sides as needed (you'll have to a few times regardless of what machine you're using). The almond butter will go from powdery like almond flour, to clumpy, to a ball, then finally to creamy almond butter.
- Once it gets creamy, keep blending!! The longer you blend it, the creamier it'll get. Now you can add in the vanilla, cinnamon, and salt and blend again just to combine. Taste and adjust the flavors to your preference.
- Transfer the creamy almond butter to an airtight container and enjoy!
Now let's make crunchy almond butter!
For crunchy almond butter, you're going to follow the same steps as above except you're going to roast an additional ¾ cup of raw almonds. After roasting, but before adding all the almonds to the blender or food processor, set aside ¾ cup of roasted almonds and roughly chop them. Use the rest of the almonds to make the creamy almond butter as described above.
Once you've achieved a creamy almond butter, add in the roughly chopped almonds and stir with a spoon until the chunks are evenly distributed.
Recipe Substitutions & Variations
I love this recipe as is but feel free to try any of these variations!
- Keep it simple by using only almonds.
- Make this recipe faster by buying roasted almonds instead of raw almonds. This allows you to skip straight to step 2, cutting your time in half.
- Change the flavor by either using flavored roasted almonds or adding different spices. Spice wise I'd recommend cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom for a sweeter almond butter; turmeric, pepper, or cayenne for a savory almond butter.
- Don't roast the almonds! You can keep the almonds raw, but you will need to add 1-2 tablespoons of oil in order to get them to blend easily and to reach the proper consistency.
- Make it sweeter by adding 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup or agave.
- Make chocolate almond butter by adding in a tablespoon of cocoa powder.
Expert Tips
- PATIENCE!!! It's going to seem like it might never become creamy but I promise it will. Just keep blending, just keep blending...Let it go through all its phases. Depending on your blender or food processor, it could take 10-20 minutes of blending.
- If you're using a high-speed blender, I would highly recommend taking a break from blending every few minutes to avoid burning out your motor.
FAQ
Yes! Pour the almond butter into an airtight container and freeze it for up to 4-6 months. Let it thaw completely before using.
Always store your homemade almond butter in an airtight container in the fridge. Do not keep your almond butter at room temperature. It does not have the same preservatives as store-bought nut butters, and will spoil much quicker.
If storing in the fridge, it will last up to 2 weeks. If storing in the freezer, up to 4-5 months.
The biggest reason might be that you didn't blend it long enough. Blend time can vary based on your machine or even the almonds you have. Try blending it a bit longer, or add 1 tablespoon of oil!
Yes!! I highly recommend buying almonds, really any nut, in bulk if your local grocery or health food store offers it. I purchased 1 pound (16oz) of almonds for $8.99 at Whole Foods, which makes roughly 16oz of almond butter. The almond butter you can buy at the grocery store is usually 12oz for anywhere from $7.99 to $18.99. This means that your homemade almond butter costs ~$0.56/oz, whereas a store-bought almond butter costs ~0.74/oz.
If you make this homemade almond butter, be sure to snap a pic and tag me on Instagram. If you have any questions or feedback at all, send me an e-mail or leave a comment below! I hope you love this dish as much as we do!
📖 Recipe
Homemade Almond Butter
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw almonds
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, add the almonds to a baking sheet, and roast for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through. Let the almonds cool for at least 5 minutes after removing them from the oven.2 cups raw almonds
- Transfer the roasted almonds to a food processor or high-speed blender and blend.2 cups raw almonds
- Scrape down the sides as needed (you'll have to a few times regardless of what machine you're using). The almond butter will go from powdery like almond flour, to clumpy, to a ball, then finally to creamy almond butter.
- Once it gets creamy, keep blending!! The longer you blend it, the creamier it'll get. Add in the vanilla, cinnamon, and salt and blend again just to combine. Taste and adjust the flavors to your preference.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- Store in an airtight container and enjoy!
Lauren says
My favorite almond butter 🙂 I make it every month or so!
Mariann says
Almost blew up my blender but definitely worth it! The almond butter came out so smooth and creamy. Waiting on a bread recipe so I can make a almond butter & jelly sandwich!
Pinch of Parsley says
OMG LOL. Try a food processor - it might be able to handle the long term blending better. Bread recipe coming soon 😉