Peanut butter lovers: Have you tried making your own? I don’t know what took me so long to try it. It’s so easy to blend in a food processor and tastes incredible. Take your PB&J to the next level with homemade peanut butter.
Homemade peanut butter is lusciously creamy, with rich and irresistible peanut flavor. Notably, there’s no grit or annoying oil to stir into the container. Homemade peanut butter tops all the store-bought options in flavor and texture, and I’ve tried every natural peanut butter out there!
With homemade peanut butter, you have full control over the ingredients. There’s no need for sugar if you prefer unsweetened peanut butter (though if you enjoy a little sweetness, I have options below). There’s certainly no need for oils like hydrogenated vegetable oil or palm oil. My dry-roasted peanuts blended into creamy oblivion without any added oils.
If you’re interested in making your own peanut butter, this recipe is for you! You’ll find tips, variations, and the full recipe below—plus a video so you can watch it come together.
Homemade Peanut Butter Tips
Peanut butter on toast has been a breakfast mainstay for as far back as I can remember. I once begged my mom to ship peanut butter across the ocean during a semester in France. Turns out, all you need is peanuts and a food processor to make your own.
Start with unsalted dry-roasted peanuts.
Typically, for nut butters, I start with raw nuts and roast them before blending. However, it’s been difficult to find unroasted peanuts lately. Dry-roasted peanuts are the perfect option. While oiled nuts would work, you’re introducing an unnecessary ingredient into your peanut butter.
Choose unsalted peanuts so you can control the salt level. Double-check the ingredients before buying (the only ingredient should be peanuts) and taste them before blending. Bad peanuts will make bad peanut butter.
Use your food processor, not a blender.
I’m still on team Food Processor for nut butters, peanut butter included. Nut butters are so thick that blenders, even great ones like my Vitamix, require a lot of manual help to get going. It’s easier to throw the nuts in my food processor and let the processor work it out.
I’m happy to report that peanut butter blends much more easily than my other nut butter recipes. Once you make peanut butter, you’ll want to try the rest!
Watch How to Make Peanut Butter
Peanut Butter Flavor Variations
Try just one or try them all! Crunchy cinnamon-honey peanut butter sounds wonderful to me.
Naturally sweetened peanut butter
Honey and peanut butter is perfection, but maple syrup is also fantastic. With homemade peanut butter, you have full control over the sweetness level. I found 1 teaspoon to be lightly sweet, 2 teaspoons noticeably sweet and barely honey-flavored (it thickens the mixture quite a bit!), and 1 tablespoon tastes like a treat, with light honey flavor.
Cinnamon peanut butter
Try adding some ground cinnamon for some warming spice. Use 1/2 teaspoon for subtle flavor, or up to 1 tablespoon if you’re a big fan.
Crunchy peanut butter
For some crunch, reserve about 3/4 cup of the peanuts. Blend the rest as directed, then add the reserved peanuts back to the processor and process just until they are broken into small bits.
Mixed nut butter
Substitute almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts or pistachios for some of the peanuts.
Peanut Butter Serving Suggestions
I love peanut butter for breakfast. It’s hard to beat peanut butter on toast! To take it to the next level, drizzle it with honey. Stir a dollop of peanut butter into your morning oats to make them more hearty—try my overnight oats, oatmeal, and steel-cut oats.
My toddler’s favorite snack is apple slices with peanut butter dip—simply stir a generous spoonful into some Greek yogurt. Add honey or cinnamon if you’d like.
Turn your peanut butter into something sweet, like Peanut Butter Oat Cookies, Monster Cookies or Chocolate Peanut Butter Crispy Bars. You can also use peanut butter to make my Easy No-Bake Granola Bars.
Peanut butter can lean savory, too. Make peanut butter dipping sauce and serve it with spring rolls or drizzle it over these mango burrito bowls. Or make Vegetarian Peanut Soup!
Of course, we can’t forget the classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich, which is a regular in my daughter’s lunch box. You’ll find more uses for peanut butter here.
More Nut Butters to Try
Please let me know how your peanut butter turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you.
Homemade Peanut Butter
This peanut butter recipe is so easy to make in a food processor. Homemade peanut butter tastes fresh, creamy, and irresistibly peanutty. You’re going to love it! Recipe yields 16 ounces peanut butter (about 2 cups).
- Transfer the peanuts to a food processor. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy, pausing to scrape down the sides as necessary, about 10 minutes. The peanuts will go from flour-like clumps to a ball against the side of the food processor, and finally, the mixture will turn lusciously creamy. If the mixture gets hot along the way or your machine seems tired, stop and let it cool for a few minutes.
- If desired, add a pinch or two of salt, honey and/or cinnamon. Blend until well mixed, about 30 seconds, then taste and add more if desired.
- Let the peanut butter cool to room temperature, then transfer the mixture to a mason jar and screw on the lid. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
Notes
Raw peanut option: To roast your own peanuts, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread shelled peanuts across a large, rimmed baking sheet and toast the peanuts for 10 to 20 minutes, until nicely fragrant, stirring every 5 minutes. Let the peanuts cool until they’re just warm to the touch (not hot) before blending.
Crunchy peanut butter: Reserve about ¾ cup of the peanuts. Blend the rest as directed, then add the reserved peanuts back to the processor and process just until they are broken into small bits.
Make it vegan: Don’t add honey. Sweeten with maple syrup, if desired.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
