How to Make Almond Butter

Homemade Almond Butter is so easy to make, using just two ingredients! It tastes so much better than store-bought and making it at home ensures you know exactly what goes into your almond butter. We’re sharing all our tips for making it and sharing some fun ways to use it, as well.

How to Make Almond Butter

We already know almond butter is the absolute best, but did you know it’s super simple to make at home? All you need is two ingredients (raw almonds and salt) and one kitchen tools (a food processor or a high-speed blender). After that you get delicious, full-flavored homemade almond butter which tastes so different than anything you can buy in the store! Making it at home is great because you get to control what ingredients are in it which means nothing unnecessary. We’re not saying we never buy it, because we certainly do, but we’re saying it’s worth it to make it yourself at least once to give it a try and see where it might fit in your life. Trust us, you’re going to love it.

Ingredients Needed

Truly you just really need one ingredient for almond butter: almonds (obviously)! But in terms of what almonds to look for, we recommend buying raw unsalted, and unroasted almonds. They don’t have to be whole almonds, but typically if you are buying raw almonds that usually means they are whole.

The reason you want unsalted and unroasted is because it’s best to be able to roast the almonds fresh and to be able to control the amount of salt added into the almond butter.

Equipment Needed

You can make this in either a food processor or a high-speed blender, preferably one with a damper. You cannot make this in a standard blender as it will likely overheat and break it!

How much does it cost to make almond butter at home?

Typically almond butter is pretty expensive at the store, but luckily we’ve seen the price of it go down in recent years.

The weight of almonds that you purchase will make that amount of almond butter. So say you buy 16 ounces of almonds. That will result in 16 ounces of almond butter, which is a lot! So really the only cost to make it is the price of almonds, and we can find a 16 ounce bag of almonds ranging in price from $7-$12, depending on where you get it.

Depending on the type of almond butter you are buying at a store, making it at home could either be more or less than store-bought. But here is the argument here: you know exactly what is in the almond butter, and it’s fresh. As with everything, you have to weigh the benefits of whether it not it makes sense to make it at home. Fresh almond butter really tastes totally different and it is worth making it at least once to see for yourself!

Steps to Make Almond Butter

Step 1

It’s time to roast those beautiful almonds! Roasting them serves two purposes. The first is that it awakens the almonds and gets the natural oil they contain hot. This enhances the flavor and almonds turn into almond butter faster when they’re already warmed up. Just take care not to burn them while they’re in the oven. Make sure to set a time.

Step 2

Add almonds to a food processor or high powered blender. We don’t suggest making almond butter in a regular blender as there is a chance the motor could burn out! Process until the almonds turn into a fine powder. This should happen fairly quickly. At this point scrape down the sides, and let the machine rest for 30 seconds. If your blender / food processor has a very strong motor, you might be able to skip this step.

Step 3

Continue processing until the almonds turn into a paste. Make sure to let the machine rest if it starts to act like it’s getting overheated. 30 seconds of rest time is usually good. Also, scrape down the sides once or twice, if needed.

Step 4

Continue to process until the almonds release their oil and turn into smooth thick almond butter!

Step 5

Store almond butter in a jar. You can either store it at room temperature or in the refrigerator. 

Troubleshooting Tips

I burnt my almonds, can I still use them? No, unfortunately. The quality of your almonds will be directly reflected in your almond butter. If you start with burnt almonds you’ll have burnt almond butter.

My food processor is smoking. Give it a rest! Depending on the strength of your motor, this can be taxing on a machine. So let your machine rest if it’s seems to be struggling!

The almonds aren’t turning into a paste. Keep going! Depending on your processor / blender, it can take about 10-15 minutes with rest time in between. If you really wanted to decrease the time, you can add in a tablespoon of oil to help speed the process up.

My almond butter tastes funny. Were you almonds fresh? And raw and unsalted? The butter will directly affect the quality of the almonds used, so if you started with rancid almonds, you’ll taste it in your butter. Also if the almonds were pre-roasted, it can also make the almond butter taste off.

Can I add a sweetener? Yes, but proceed with caution. Sometimes adding in a sweetener can make the almond butter seize up. We recommend trying with a liquid sweetener such as honey or maple syrup, and just stirring it into the almond butter after it has been made.

How to Use Almond Butter

Let’s count the ways we love almond butter. Of course, you can use eat it directly with a spoon, or dip some fruit (or veggies) with it. But here are some of our favorite recipes using almond butter:

• 3-Ingredient Almond Butter Cookies
• Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Cups
• Chocolate Almond Butter Smoothie
• Nut Butter, Banana, Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal
• Gluten Free Peanut Butter Blossoms (sub almond butter)

Watch the Video Here:

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If you like this Homemade Almond Butter tutorial recipe, check out these others:

• How to Cook Frozen Chicken Breasts in the Instant Pot
• How to Make Pumpkin Butter
• How to Make Fresh Mint Tea
• How to Make Paleo Mayo