If you have ever wondered how to make homemade peanut butter, this simple recipe is the perfect place to start. It is creamy, rich, naturally nutty, and made with just a few everyday ingredients. Once you see how quickly peanuts turn into smooth, spreadable peanut butter in a food processor, it may be hard to go back to the store-bought version.
This homemade peanut butter is easy, delicious, and wonderfully versatile. You only need dry roasted peanuts, honey, oil, and a little salt to taste. The result is a creamy peanut butter with a lightly sweet flavor and a texture you can adjust to your liking. Make it smooth and pourable, or leave it a little thicker if you prefer a heartier spread.
The most important tool for this recipe is a high-powered food processor. Add the peanuts to the bowl, secure the lid, and let the machine do the work. At first, the peanuts will break down into a coarse, crumbly mixture. This stage can make it seem like nothing creamy is going to happen, but keep going. The natural oils in the peanuts need time to release.
As the peanuts continue to process, the mixture will begin to clump together and form a thick ball. This is completely normal. Stop the food processor if needed and scrape down the sides so everything blends evenly. If your machine starts to feel warm, give it a short break before continuing. Homemade peanut butter is simple, but it does require a few minutes of patience.
After the ball stage, the peanut mixture will slowly loosen and become smoother. It may look like peanut butter at this point, but do not stop too early. If it is still thick and not easy to spoon or pour, it needs more processing. The best homemade peanut butter should be creamy, glossy, and smooth enough to spread easily.
Once the peanuts have mostly smoothed out but still look a little thick or grainy, add the vegetable oil one tablespoon at a time. Pulse after each addition so the oil blends evenly into the peanut butter. The oil helps create a silkier texture and makes the peanut butter easier to spread. Depending on the peanuts and your preferred consistency, you may need only one tablespoon, or you may want to add up to three.
When the peanut butter is creamy, add the honey and a pinch of salt. Pulse just until combined, then taste and adjust as needed. If your peanuts are already salted, be careful with the extra salt so the final flavor does not become too salty. Unsalted dry roasted peanuts are a great choice because they let you control the seasoning from start to finish.
From start to finish, processing the peanuts into peanut butter usually takes about 5 to 7 minutes, though the total recipe time is about 10 minutes with measuring, scraping, and storing. The finished peanut butter is smooth, creamy, and full of roasted peanut flavor. It is wonderful on toast, crackers, banana slices, graham crackers, or eaten straight from the spoon.
You can also use this homemade peanut butter in desserts, snacks, sandwiches, or as a dip for fruit. Small jars make a thoughtful homemade food gift, especially when the peanut butter is freshly blended and packed in clean airtight containers. Store it at room temperature if you will use it within a week, or refrigerate it for longer storage.
Happy snacking!
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How to Make Peanut Butter
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry roasted peanuts, unsalted preferred, otherwise the peanut butter may be too salty
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 – 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- salt, to taste
Instructions
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Make it: Add the peanuts to a high-powered food processor. Process on high until the peanuts break down. The mixture will first look crumbly, then it will clump together, and finally it will begin to smooth out. Stop and scrape down the sides as needed so the peanuts blend evenly.
When the peanut mixture is mostly smooth but still thick or slightly grainy, add the vegetable oil 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each addition. Use only as much oil as needed to reach a creamy, spreadable texture.
Once the peanut butter is as smooth as you like, add the honey and a pinch of salt. Pulse until combined. Taste and add more honey or salt if desired.
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Store it: Transfer the homemade peanut butter to an airtight container, such as a small mason jar. Keep it at room temperature if you plan to use it within a week, or store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used only as an approximation.