HOMEMADE PEANUT BUTTER!

Once you do this and find out how super easy and inexpensive this is, you will never buy packaged peanut butter again!  I think peanut butter is ridiculously expensive, especially when it is so easy to make!  Here is my recipe... as always, feel free to make it your own!


Equipment:  Food processor or Blender


16oz container of peanuts (UNSALTED)
 3 tbsp of oil (grape seed oil, olive oil, melted coconut oil)
1 tbsp of sweetener (agave nectar, honey, raw sugar)
1/8 tsp salt 
 ~(the last 2 ingredients are optional)~


*Now all these ingredients come raw IF you can find them.  I know some of us are limited to certain health food stores.  I have trouble finding raw peanuts except at Whole Foods.  If you can't find them raw, get lightly roasted.  Also, olive oil comes *cold pressed* so it's not heated if you prefer all your ingredients raw.  Lastly, agave nectar & honey also come raw.  They are usually sold close to eachother near the sugar in the baking isle.  I have no trouble finding it at Whole Foods, but I had to pick up 'Amber' agave nectar which has only been slightly heated, at a regular grocery store.  But even so, homemade peanut butter is the BEST!

*Make sure the ONLY ingredient on your peanuts container is PEANUTS!

Here's my stuff:

1. First, dump your peanuts in your food processor or blender.  Add your 3 tbsp of oil, 1 tbsp of your sweetener, and a dash of salt, if using.

2. Now start to blend.  You will have to stop about 2 times to spoon the sides down with a rubber spatula.

3. Now keep blending.  Your initial reaction is going to be to add more oil.  But PLEASE don't!  Eventually the oil from the peanuts will start to come through.  Just be patient.  You will notice the spinning start to slow down and your peanuts are starting to look like peanut butter.  At this point, the peanut butter will start to 'ROLL'.... 

4. See how it's starting to 'roll'?  Don't stop it though (I did for a pic).  Let it keep blending until you get the consistency of peanut butter.  Taste it and adjust ingredients if needed.  But remember, the packaged peanut butter is super sugary & salty, and probably has MSG in it.  This is natural and homemade, so don't over sweeten or salt it!  Taste it with a carrot/celery before adding more stuff!

5. Now scoop it out into an airtight container.  It will keep in the fridge for 2-3 weeks! Now you have your very own homemade peanut butter, perfect for all your celery and carrot dipping!!  (Kids love it, too!)

YUMMY!!!!!

(it taste better than it looks)

*Notes:  If you're a crunchy peanut butter kind of person, no problem!  Instead of pouring the entire container of peanuts in the food processor/blender, save like 1/2 cup.  Now, after your peanut butter starts to roll, pour the reserved peanuts into the food processor (you can do this while it's still mixing).  Stop mixing when you get your desired crunchiness! 

 

*Have fun with this!  At the end of blending, I sometimes will dump a handful of almonds in it, blend it a little more, just enough to get some nice almond chunks!  You can do this with cashews, macadamia.. etc.  

 

*Also, if you have children, let them know what you're doing and make a big deal out of it.  Let them watch.  I find when I do that with my 2 yr old, he is more eager to try it!