Learn how to make almond butter with this super simple homemade almond butter recipe that only requires almonds, vanilla bean paste, maple syrup, salt, and a little coconut oil.
What is almond butter?
Almond butter is a nut butter that’s derived from whole almonds. Almonds are placed into a high-speed food processor or blender and processed until creamy and smooth. The flavor is mild and slightly sweet. Almond butter can be used in both sweet and savory dishes.
Almond butter is commonly eaten as a snack in simple forms on fruit such as banana or apples, but also used in smoothies, chia seed pudding, on toast, etc.
Almond butter has become more popular in the more recent years as peanut allergies are on the rise and almond butter is peanut-free.
Almond Butter Nutrition
Almond butter is high in unsaturated fats and is an excellent high-protein, low-carb food. Per 1 tablespoon serving:
- 98 calories
- 9g fat
- 3g carb
- 1g sugar
- 3g protein
Almond Butter vs. Peanut Butter
Almond butter and peanut butter are very similar in that they are pulverized nuts into a nut butter. Almond butter uses almonds, where peanut butter uses peanuts.
Is almond butter peanut free? Almond butter is peanut-free IF it is manufactured in a plant without peanuts. Make sure to read the label before purchasing.
How to Make
Peanut Butter
Have you ever wondered how easy it is to make your own homemade peanut butter? This healthy peanut butter recipe is quick, simple and skips all those fillers found in many store-bought peanut butters.
How to Make Almond Butter
Roast Almonds
Roasting your almonds is crucial for this recipe as it brings out the natural oils in your almonds. Feel free to use pre-roasted almonds instead.
Preheat your oven, and line a baking sheet with tin foil. Place your almonds on the baking sheet and top with maple syrup and a sprinkle of sea salt. Toss almonds with your hands, making sure that they are evenly coated and spread out on the baking sheet.
Roast almonds for 8-10 minutes, and let cool for 5-10 minutes.
Process
Once the almonds have cooled completely, transfer them into a small food processor. Process on high for about 5 minutes, scraping the sides as needed. After 5 minutes, if your almonds have not started to become a nut butter consistency, add in a teaspoon of coconut oil at a time until your almonds become drippy nut butter. We used 3 teaspoons.
Add Flavors
Once your almond butter is at the desired consistency/drippiness, add in the paste from 1/2 a vanilla bean, and give it one last whirl in your food processor to mix it all together.
Other flavors to add to your almond butter to give it flavor include:
- Ground cinnamon
- Homemade chai spices
- Honey
Enjoy
And then store what you have left in an airtight container or jar. It’s best if kept in the refrigerator or a dark place.
And now that you have extra almond butter on hand, check out some of our recipes on Fit Foodie Finds that use almond butter. Yah welcome.
Q&A
Both almond and peanut butter are healthy nut butter options and have similar nutrition profiles.
Almond butter can be used in place of peanut butter, so you can eat it with fruit, sandwiches, in smoothies, etc.
There is no need to refrigerate almond butter, unless it recommends you do this on the container.
Often times it is not cheaper to make your own almond butter because it’s mass-produced. But, if you get a good deal on almonds then it for sure is!
If your almond butter is having a hard time getting creamy you make either need to keep processing it or add in some additional fat like coconut oil to help make it more drippy.
The most common oil used to help make nut butter smooth or drippy is coconut oil. Palm oil is also frequently used.
Ways to Use Homemade Almond Butter
Smoothies: feel free to top or add almond butter to your favorite smoothie. Try it on one of our smoothie bowls or swap it for the peanut butter in our peanut butter banana smoothie.
Almond Butter Cups: bye bye peanut butter cups. Try our almond butter cups!
Almond Butter Cookies: take peanut butter cookies to a new level and try our chocolate chunk almond butter cookies!
Toast: there is truly nothing better than almond butter on toast plus your favorite fruit on top.
Banana Bread: try our almond butter banana bread muffins for a twist on banana bread!
Storage
The shelf life of homemade almond butter is a bit less than store-bought because there are no preservatives. Stores in an airtight container for up to 3 months in a cool, dark place.
How to Make Almond Butter
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw almonds
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- paste from 1/2 vanilla bean
- sea salt to taste
- optional: 1-4 teaspoons coconut oil partially melted
Instructions
- First, preheat oven to 350ºF. Then, line a baking sheet with tin foil. Place almonds on baking sheet and drizzle on maple syrup and a sprinkle with sea salt. Toss almonds making sure they are evenly spread out on the baking sheet and coating in maple syrup.
- Roast almonds at 350ºF for 8-10 minutes. Then, remove and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Once the almonds have completely cooled, transfer into a high-speed food processor. We recommend a Vitamix. Process on high for about 5 minutes, scraping the sides when needed. At this point, if your almond butter has not started to become a drippy nut butter consistency, add in a teaspoon of coconut oil at a time. We used roughly 3 teaspoons. Process until drippy.
- Once the almond butter is at the desired consistency, add in paste from 1/2 a vanilla bean and give it one last whirl to mix it all together.
- Transfer into a mason jar or air-tight container.
Very good flavor! I had to add like 5-6 tsp coconut oil though as it wasn’t getting drippy. I loooove drippy almond butter!
Almond butter is absolutely freaking fantastic! I can eat it by the spoonful ANY DAY, especially if the almonds are roasted. I know raw nuts have their health benefits and all, but the sensory quality just isn’t quite the same. Baking the almonds with maple syrup sounds GENIUS and I bet that the outcome was addictive! I know I’d be obsessed with this batch of almond butter. FOR. SURE.
Would it be the same if I added the maple syrup in when blending or do I HAVE to bake it into the almonds? I tried it last month and it was delicious…just seemed like it made the blender work extra hard since the nuts were a little sticky in the blender.
This is seriously one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. I could sit and eat a whole jar of this with a spoon without thinking! Too bad almonds are so damn expensive!
Looks great! How long does it keep?
Soooo good. Used vanilla extract instead of bean.
This looks absolutely delicious Lee!
hi babe, this looks like wow. i’m so into almond butter, and in love with pistachios. does making it at home compare well in price? (nuts are getting more and more expensive) how do you do it, bulk?
pleaseandthankyou!!!
Hi Bea! Yes, I get my nuts in the bulk section. Actually Trader Joe’s has really well priced nuts!
HOW did you know about my almond butter obsession?! I MUST try this with my next batch!! 🙂
Almond butttttttttta.
Oooh! Vanilla bean + Almond = AMAZING! I’m so excited to try this! I love that it’s all natural and sweet too 🙂 YUMM!
That looks really great and I love the way almonds have become interesting! I love snacking on almonds but they get a bit tedious eaten plain, so this almond butter is very appealing.
Is this a type of snack that can go well with anything else, like ice cream or yogurt for a desert?
Yes yes and yes! For sure delicious on yogurt. NOM.
Well this looks FANTASTIC. I wish I knew how to work my food processor better! Time to learn!
OMG. You need to be BFFs with your food processor. Seriously. Now. Go.
I’ve never made my own nut butter. I really need to get on that soon!
Time to make homemade almond butter 😀
HOLLA!
Lee, I cannot wait to try this!!!! Ugh if only i could jump through the computer with a spoon 🙂
xo, Lauren @ http://alovelysideproject.com
Side v-day notes: I just posted my fave heart inspired recipe (Red Velvet Pancakes with Cashew Cream Glaze)- check it out if you’re interested! Also, my V-day lookbook is on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymJ2Sb80zi4
o0o!! Totally going over to check it out 😀 Will pin and stumble!
You are the best woman!
Still on a nutbutter kick thanks to your nut butter post a while back. This one will be up next!!
HAHA. RIGHT?! When I was writing that post I was totally inspired to make this recipe. Ooops.
Ohh yes. Homemade FTW. My mum makes me Almond butter in her old school food processor. It takes like 4 hours. So worth it.
Lately I’ve been enjoying almond butter on whole wheat English muffins for breakfast. Breakfast would be much more awesome with vanilla almond butter in it!
Homemade nut butter is THE BEST. I need to get my hands on some vanilla beans and make some of this 🙂
And I’ve been loving your workout snippets! That gym looks awesome – a lot of the workouts look like things I taught at the first gym I worked at! Strength training is where its at girrrrrrl.
You KNOW I love this! But….who wouldn’t?! Crazy people, that’s who!