THE BEST AND EASIEST HOMEMADE PEANUT BUTTER Recipe

As a professional food blogger, I’m revealing my simplest, failproof recipe for Homemade Peanut Butter so you’ll never buy store bought again.

I never thought I’d toss the store jars until I made this. Using simple dry roasted peanuts and fine sea salt I learned how peanut texture changes with time and patience.

I show tricks that make it creamy or crunchy, without weird stabilizers. It’s stupidly easy and once you try it you’ll want a jar in your Homemade Pantry and tell friends about this Homemade Peanut Butter that actually tastes like peanuts.

I mess up measurements, overblend sometimes, but the result still beats anything off the shelf. Try it and you’ll never buy the other stuff again.

Ingredients

• Peanuts: Protein packed, good fibre and healthy fats, gives rich nutty taste and creamy texture.
• Sea salt: Enhances flavor and mouthfeel, balances sweetness, a pinch, it’s like coffee for flavors.
• Neutral oil: Adds silkiness and sheen, optional fats improve spreadability, keeps texture smooth.
• Honey or maple syrup: Adds gentle sweetness and depth, small carbs give quick energy and mellow bitterness.
• Vanilla extract: Brightens flavor and aroma slightly, tiny sweet note, makes overall taste rounder.

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 cups (about 300 g) dry roasted peanuts, salted or unsalted
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt or to taste
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil like peanut or vegetable oil (optional)
• 1 to 2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup, optional
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional

How to Make this

1. Preheat your oven to 300 F only if your peanuts feel cold or stale, spread 2 cups (about 300 g) dry roasted peanuts on a sheet and warm them 5 to 8 minutes, this helps the oils come out and makes the butter smoother, let them cool a minute.

2. Put the warm or room temperature peanuts into a food processor, secure the lid and pulse until they are crumbly, scrape down the sides with a spatula.

3. Process continuously for 1 to 2 minutes until the peanuts form a thick paste, stop and scrape, then keep processing in 30 to 60 second bursts until the texture goes from paste to creamy, this can take 2 to 5 minutes more depending on your machine.

4. Taste the paste and add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt or to taste, then pulse a few times to mix the salt in.

5. If the peanut butter seems too dry or grainy add oil, start with 1 tablespoon neutral oil like peanut or vegetable oil, or add a teaspoon at a time until you get the spreadability you like.

6. For a touch of sweetness add 1 to 2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup if you want, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract if using, then process just until everything is evenly combined.

7. If you want chunky peanut butter, set aside about 1/4 cup peanuts before processing and stir them into the finished butter by hand, or pulse them in at the end for small bits.

8. Taste and adjust salt or sweetener, if it needs more salt add a tiny pinch at a time, remember you can always add more but cant take it out.

9. Transfer the peanut butter to a clean jar, press down to remove air pockets, seal and store in the fridge for up to a month or at room temperature for about 1 to 2 weeks, stir before use if oil separates.

10. Use within those times for best flavor, and remember homemade peanut butter is fresher and tastier than store bought, but it will be a little different each batch so play with salt and sweetness until it feels right.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (optional) and a rimmed baking sheet, to warm peanuts if they’re cold or stale
2. Food processor, the main tool to grind peanuts into butter
3. Silicone or rubber spatula, for scraping down the sides between pulses
4. Measuring cups and measuring spoons, for peanuts, oil, salt and sweetener
5. Small bowl or cup, to set aside about 1/4 cup peanuts for chunky butter
6. Sturdy spoon or wooden spoon, to fold in reserved peanuts and press down the butter
7. Glass jar with a tight lid, for storing the finished peanut butter
8. Oven mitts or a kitchen towel, for handling the warm sheet if you toasted the peanuts

FAQ

THE BEST AND EASIEST HOMEMADE PEANUT BUTTER Recipe Substitutions and Variations

THE BEST AND EASIEST HOMEMADE PEANUT BUTTER

You’re gonna love how tiny effort turns into insanely good peanut butter. It’s creamy, nutty, and way better than the jar from the store. Make a big batch, hide some, and don’t tell anyone how simple it was.

Ingredients
– 2 cups about 300 g dry roasted peanuts salted or unsalted
– 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt or to taste
– 1 tablespoon neutral oil like peanut or vegetable oil optional
– 1 to 2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup optional
– 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract optional

Method
1. If your peanuts are unsalted and you want salt, sprinkle the salt on now so the processor mixes it evenly.
2. Dump the peanuts into a food processor. Pulse a few times to break them up.
3. Run the processor continuously. First it’ll be crumbly, then pasty, then smooth. This usually takes 3 to 6 minutes depending on your machine. Stop and scrape the sides every 30 to 45 seconds so everything blends evenly.
4. If it seems dry, add the oil 1 teaspoon at a time until you hit the texture you want. If you like it sweeter or a touch more complex, add the honey or maple syrup and vanilla, then pulse to combine.
5. Taste and adjust salt. If you want chunky peanut butter, scoop out 1/4 cup of the processed butter, mix in some roughly chopped peanuts, then fold back.
6. Store in a jar with a lid in the fridge for up to 3 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months. Let it sit at room temp for 10 to 20 minutes before using if it’s chilled and firm.

Quick tips
– Warm peanuts make butter faster. If your peanuts are cold, spread them on a tray and toast in a 300 F oven for 5 to 8 minutes, cool slightly, then process.
– Don’t overdo the sweetener, it masks the peanut flavor.
– If your food processor struggles, give it short rests so the motor doesn’t overheat.

Substitutions

• Peanuts: Swap for dry roasted almonds or cashews for a different nut butter, or use roasted sunflower seeds for a nut free version
• Fine sea salt: Use kosher salt at about half the volume, or smoked salt for a smoky twist
• Neutral oil: Use light olive oil or avocado oil instead, or use coconut oil if you want it to firm up when cold
• Honey or maple syrup: Swap with agave nectar or brown rice syrup, or simply omit for a savory spread

Make it your own, have fun, and try not to eat it all with a spoon right out of the jar.

Pro Tips

– Warm the peanuts first if they feel a little stale, it really helps the oils come out so the butter gets creamy faster. Don’t roast them longer than needed though, or you’ll get a toasted flavor that might be too strong.

– If you want chunky peanut butter, set aside about a quarter cup before you process and fold them in at the end. Or pulse a few times at the end so you get even sized chunks and not big blobs.

– Run your processor in short bursts and scrape the sides often. This saves the motor from overheating and gives a smoother result. If your machine is struggling, add oil a teaspoon at a time until it spins freely.

– Add salt and sweetener only after the nuts are already buttery, and taste as you go. You can always add more but you cant take it out. Store in a clean jar, press out air, and refrigerate for longer life, stirring if the oil separates.