Deliciously Homemade Peanut Butter

I have so much catching up to do with Modern Vintage Cooking that it's hard to know where to start.  Computer issues have consistently kept me from posting new recipes - first with my computer's memory, then with uploading the photos, and finally Blogger editing issues - but the good news is that I have lots of recipes saved up to post.

While it's not difficult to find instructions online about how to make your own peanut butter, I feel like the magic of homemade peanut butter too often gets lost in discussions of the mechanics.  And homemade peanut butter is magical - it's cheap, quick and easy to make, utterly delicious, and better than any variety you can buy at the grocery store. 

I grew up eating crunchy peanut butter from the grocery store and thought it was pretty good.  I never really thought about making my own to use in peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or to enjoy next to a sliced banana.  I also never realized just how easy it is to make homemade peanut butter or how amazing it tastes in comparison to processed peanut butter.  It's a whole new world.

If you're new to making your own nut butters, peanut butter is a great place to start because you don't need to add anything to the peanuts if you don't want to.  I've experimented with different amounts of salt and seasonings and have my own preferences that I detail below, but you can also just put peanuts in your food processor and end up with peanut butter in the end.  You can't really mess it up.

Start using your homemade peanut butter on sandwiches, in smoothies, on cereal, and in desserts, and you will discover the magic that is super fresh, homemade peanut butter.  Friends will wonder why your peanut butter cookies taste so good, your kids will request extra peanut butter on their sandwiches, and you might even find yourself opening up the jar of peanut butter armed with only a spoon and a taste for something homemade.



Homemade Peanut Butter (Makes about 2 cups)
1 pound roasted unsalted peanuts
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
(optional) 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, depending on taste
(optional) 1 teaspoon honey (or maple syrup, agave nectar, or brown rice syrup)

(Optional prep step) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spread the peanuts out on a baking sheet and place in the oven for about 5-6 minutes, until the peanuts are just lightly toasted.  Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before proceeding with the peanut butter.  This step can be done in advance, but store toasted peanuts in the refrigerator to keep them fresh.

1.  Place peanuts, salt, cinnamon and honey in the bowl of the food processor fitted with the steel blade. 

(*Note: if you like crunchy peanut butter, reserve 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of peanuts, chop, and set aside.  When the rest of the peanuts have been processed into a smooth butter, stir in the reserved nuts with a spatula)

2.  Turn the machine on and process the peanuts until they go from:
the coarse meal stage (crumbs),

to the clump stage,

to the smooth butter stage. 

3. Taste the peanut butter to determine if you need to add more salt, cinnamon, or honey.  If you add additional seasoning, run the food processor for an additional 30 seconds to incorporate the added ingredients. 

4. Transfer the peanut butter to a glass jar or plastic container for storage and keep in the refrigerator.

*Note: Save the glass jars from store-bought nut butters, jams, pickles, etc. to use for your own homemade nut butters.  When the jar is empty, you can sanitize it by running it through the dishwasher (usually once or twice will do the trick) and then refill it with your homemade peanut butter.    

Nutrition facts for about one tablespoon of peanut butter:

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 14 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 84 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 7.0g 11%

Saturated Fat 1.0g 5%

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 36mg 2%

Total Carbohydrates 3.2g 1%

Dietary Fiber 1.1g 5%

Sugars 0.8g

Protein 3.4g

Vitamin A 0% • Vitamin C 0% Calcium 1% • Iron 2%