Homemade Nut Butter

We all love a creamy, nutty spread to slather on our morning toast. But if you've ever got bored with the plain old peanut butter from you're local supermarket, want to try a tastier butter, or even if you've got so many seeds and nuts in your pantry you're not sure what to do with them. Then why don't you try making your own nut butter!

I'm going to share with you my favourite nut butter recipe (head to the bottom of the page to go straight to the recipe) and discuss why you should be making your favourite nut butter in you own wee kitchen.

First off, let's talk nutrition.

It's no secret that if you're after a nutrient-pack nut butter you're going to have to stray far from the spread section and head to the healthy aisle.

There are plenty of nut butters you can buy that are naturally jam packed (no pun intended) with rich nutrients, proteins and fatty oils from health food stores. But why buy a butter with only one ingredient, when you can play around with your own favourite nuts and seeds at home and make the butter you always dreamed of!! Ok, "dreamed" may be a bit of a stretch, but you get the picture.

Nut butters are generally an awesome source of important nutrients, including; healthy fats, vitamins, protein, fibre and minerals, although different ingredients will have different benefits. So if you want your butter to be high in something specific, do some research on which nuts/seeds will be the best for what you're after.

If you prefer taste over nutrients then just add your favourite nuts and seeds, it's going to be full of goodness either way.

Nut's & Seeds to Consider

Here are 7 of my favourite nuts and seeds that I love to play around with in my butters.

1. Almonds

This nut is an awesome addition to homemade spreads. Almonds are a great source of protein, fibre, healthy fats, vitamin E and magnesium. Adding this to your butter will help provide a smoother texture and add a slight almond flavour.

2. Pepitas

Pepitas or pumpkin seeds are an excellent natural source of iron, zinc and magnesium, great for immune support. Adding this seed to your homemade butter surprising adds a nutty flavour and unsurprisingly generate a green tinge.

3. Walnuts

Walnuts are well-known as "brain-food" for it's excellent source of omega-3 fatty acid. But did you know they're also a rich source of minerals like cooper and magnesium, and hold a variety of vitamins. Adding walnuts to your butter will provide higher amounts of healthy fats and add a hint of bitterness and buttery taste.

4. Hemp Seeds

Hemp seeds are one of my favourite ingredients at the moment. With it's high amounts of omega 3, 6 and being a great source for protein, you really can't go wrong with adding these seeds to your butter. You'll give your butter a rich (almost sweet), buttery taste and a kick of protein that'll be perfect for a quick energy boost.

5. Sunflower Seeds

By using sunflower seeds, you'll add a creamy texture and rich sunflower flavour to your homemade butter. It's also a great source of vitamin E and really high in cooper, vitamin B1, selenium and phosphorus.

6. Cashews

Adding cashews to your butter will add a smooth, creamy texture and a rich flavour. Cashews are high in minerals like cooper, phosphorus and zinc, they're also a good source of plant-protein.

7. Brazil Nuts

Brazil nuts are a good source of magnesium, phosphorus and copper, and a remarkable amount of selenium. In fact, one brazil nut has enough selenium to provide you with your daily intake. Adding these to your butter will add a creamy texture and a tasty, nutty flavour.

These are just some of my personal favourites (it was so hard to narrow it down to just 7) for an awesome nut butter recipe. I could go on for hours about each nut & seed and the many, many benefits they have, but that's not why you're here 😉

Remember

• Use a food processor or a high-speed blender, do some research to make sure your blender is strong enough for nuts and seed without burning out the motor.

• Write down the amount of ingredients you use as you go, for when you want to make a second batch.

• Have an airtight glass jar ready for your butter.

• Nut butter naturally releases oils, so if your butter creates a layer of oil sitting on the top just give it a stir before each use.

---

RECIPE Print Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/2c Almond

• 1/2c Cashews

• 1/3c Coconut (shredded or flaked)

• 1/2c Sunflower seeds

• 1/2c Pepitas/Pumpkin seeds

• 1/2c Hemp seeds

• 1/2c Walnuts

• 1tsp MCT oil

• 1Tbsp Coconut oil

• 1tsp Honey (as sweetener)

Directions:

1. Add all nuts and seeds to food processor/blender and blend until mixed together.

2. Turn off blender and add remaining ingredients (MCT, Coconut oil and Honey), then continue to blend until a smooth, creamy constancy (time may vary depending on your blender, it took me around 10min).

3. Transfer nut butter to airtight glass jar, store in fridge and enjoy for 2 weeks.

This recipe was able to fit in a 500ml jar about an inch from the top.

Also, you can't really see it in the photos, but the nut butter is a little more green.