After spamming my insta-stories with nut butters for the past couple of weeks it only felt fair to write out one of the recipes here and #spreadthelove. 

I’ve never been one to eat nut butter directly out of the jar, but since delving into the world of homemade nut butters, I so completely get it. On numerous afternoons, a spoonful of almond butter has been the perfect snack. My boyfriend and I even shamelessly left a spoon by the refrigerator for several days for that exact purpose This recipe is absolutely delicious and pairs well with oatmeal, banana, smoothies, toast and especiallllly…dates (almond butter stuffed dates are my new dessert obsession). 

I always imagined homemade nut butters to be an advanced cheffing project but was completely blown away by how easy they are to whip up. This one is an excellent basic one to start with, then you can begin to experiment and add in more things (…like chocolate…) 

What you’ll need:

• 3 cups raw almonds

• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp salt (optional…I usually leave this out, but if you like salted nut butter go for it!)

• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions: 

1. Roast the almonds. (Do not skip this step! The roasting adds so much flavor to the finished product). Start by preheating oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Spread almonds onto a large baking sheet. Roast for 10-12 minutes. As soon as almonds are fragrant, remove from oven, be careful…this happens very quickly! It’s also a good idea to remove almonds from baking sheet immediately so that they don’t continue to cook on the heated surface.

2. Let almonds cool for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to food processor.

3. Blend almonds in food processor (I use this one) until they start to resemble almond butter. First they will get crumbly, then powdery and eventually start to look like the almond butter you know and love.

4. Once you have an almond butter consistency, add cinnamon, salt and vanilla and blend for another minute.

5. Transfer to a mason jar/airtight container and keep in the refrigerator (and try not to eat it all in one day!)

Please let me know if you try out the recipe and your favorite ways to eat it! Always looking for new delicious combos. 

Natalie Sayre