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    You are here: Home / Recipes / Dairy Free / How to make homemade peanut butter

    How to make homemade peanut butter

    Published on Feb 26, 2019 · Last updated on Aug 24, 2021 ·

    1.7K shares
    Jump to Recipe
    Roasted peanuts in a food processor and finished homemade peanut butter in a jar

    Learn how to make peanut butter at home from scratch with this easy step-by-step tutorial. You only need peanuts and a food processor. No oil, no sugar, no nasties! Naturally vegan and gluten free.

    An open jar of homemade peanut butter

    I can still remember the first time I tried peanut butter – it's not really common where I'm from so I was in my early 20s – and it was love at first bite. I told myself "ok, now I understand why Elvis (Presley, duh!) was such a big fan!".

    I learnt pretty early on how to make it at home (again, not common where I lived at the time) and let me tell you, it is super duper easy! 

    Overhead shot of a jar of homemade peanut butter with a spoon

    Making your own peanut butter is amazing because:

    • you control the amount of salt and sweetener (if any) that goes in it, and you don't need oil, making it much healthier than regular store-bought peanut butter
    • it's cheaper than most natural peanut butter brands out there
    • it's extra delicious because you can make it exactly how you like it! (see the variations below)

    I'll show you how it works in this easy step-by-step tutorial.

    step by step pictures showing how to roast peanuts

    Steps 1 & 2 – First, we dry roast some raw peanuts in the oven

    Step 3 – If your peanuts have remaining skin on them (quite common when you buy them in bulk), let them cool a bit, place them in a clean towel and rub them against each other. The skin will go off easily.

    Step 4 – Place the roasted peanuts (warm but cooled down a bit) in a food processor.

    Steps 5, 6, 7 & 8 – Process until you reach a very smooth, almost liquid consistency (5 to 10 minutes, depending on your food processor)

    The peanuts will go through different stages: sandy, wet sand (step 5), thick paste, half thick/hack smooth paste (step 6), smooth paste (step 7) and almost liquid (step 8).

    Step by step pictures showing peanuts in the food processor to make peanut butter

    Step by step pictures showing the last stage of peanut butter being made in the food processor

    At this point (step 8), you can incorporate some add-ins to make this peanut butter yours.

    Peanut Butter Variations

    Crunchy Peanut Butter

    Reserve ¾ cup of the roasted peanuts (before making the peanut butter). Place them in a food processor and process until they're finely chopped. Remove from the food processor and set aside.

    Proceed with the rest of the recipe and make the peanut butter. When it's ready, stir in the reserved peanuts with a spoon or rubber spatula until well combined.

    Salty Peanut Butter

    My personal favorite! PB with a hint of saltiness is a must to me, but it's completely a personal preference.

    Add ½ teaspoon sea salt to the finished peanut butter in the food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Taste and add more to taste.

    Honey Peanut Butter

    Add 2 tablespoons honey to the finished peanut butter in the food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add more to taste.

    Chocolate Peanut Butter

    Add ¼ cup to ½ cup cocoa powder to the finished peanut butter in the food processor and pulse a few times to combine.

    You can add some honey too for a sweeter peanut butter. Start with 1 tablespoon and add more to taste.

    Besides these 4 popular variations, some people also add cinnamon (start with ½ teaspoon) and vanilla (start with ½ teaspoon).

    Homemade peanut butter tips

    • You can use dry-roasted peanuts. I like to roast my peanuts because I can control how roasted they are (it does change the taste), how much salt I add and processing the peanuts while still warm helps release the oil. That being said, it does work with pre-roasted peanuts and it's delicious, too!
    • To avoid overheating your food processor, pay attention if it starts getting too warm. If it does, stop, let it cool down and resume. PB is delicious, but not worth breaking your food processor for. Mine is heavy duty so it can do the job easily: this is the one I use and absolutely love.
    • Homemade peanut butter will keep at least 3 months in the fridge. If it lasts that long, that is! It will smell rancid when not good to eat anymore.

    A jar of homemade peanut butter with a silver knife in it.

    My favorite recipes using peanut butter:

    • Thai Chicken Patties And Spiralized Veggies Bowl With Peanut Sauce
    • Vegan Mango And Avocado Summer Rolls With Peanut Sauce
    • Asian Slaw With Ginger Peanut Dressing 
    • Salted Peanut Butter Chocolate Fudge
    • Peanut Butter Chocolate Chips Fruit Dip
    • PB & J Overnight Oats
    • Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
    • Frozen Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bites
    • Healthier Peanut Butter And Chocolate Cookies
    • Healthier Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate
    An open jar of homemade peanut butter
    5 from 3 votes
    Print

    Homemade Peanut Butter

    Learn how to make peanut butter at home from scratch with this easy step-by-step tutorial! You only need peanuts and a food processor. No oil, no sugar, no nasties! Naturally vegan and gluten free.

    Course Condiment, Snack
    Cuisine American
    Keyword #healthysnack, #homemadepeanutbutter, #homemadesnack, #nutbutter
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 15 minutes
    Total Time 25 minutes
    Servings 32 tablespoons – 2 cups
    Calories 106 kcal

    Ingredients

    • 4 cups peanuts shelled, unroasted – see notes
    • 1 tsp sea salt optional – see notes

    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 400F - 200C.

    2. Spread the peanuts on a large baking sheet, in a single layer. 

    3. Roast for 15 to 25 minutes or until golden.

      I like to roast them for up to 25 minutes so they're very golden (as seen on the pictures) because it really enhances the taste - but it's a personal preference, you might like a milder taste!

      If you do roast them for that long, keep an eye them to make sure they don't burn (all ovens are different so yours might be ready in less time)

    4. Remove from the oven and let them cool a bit. Add the warm (but not hot!) peanuts to a food processor fitted with the "S" blade.

    5. Process for about 5 to 10 minutes (depending on your food processor) or until you obtain the very smooth, almost liquid peanut butter (it will firm up as it cools). 

      Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula during the process as needed.

      The peanuts will go through different stages: sandy, wet sand, thick paste, half thick/hack smooth paste, smooth paste, almost liquid.

    6. At this stage (when the peanut butter has reached the perfect consistency), add your optional add-ins (see notes) and process until incorporated.

      I like to add ½ tsp to 1 tsp in my peanut butter.

    7. Transfer peanut butter in a airtight container and store in the fridge.

    Recipe Notes

    Variations

    • Crunchy Peanut Butter: Reserve ¾ cup of the roasted peanuts (before making the peanut butter). Place them in a food processor and process until they're finely chopped. Remove from the food processor and set aside. Proceed with the rest of the recipe and make the peanut butter. When it's ready, stir in the reserved peanuts with a spoon or rubber spatula until well combined.
    • Salty Peanut Butter: Add ½ teaspoon sea salt to the finished peanut butter in the food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Taste and add more to taste.
    • Honey Peanut Butter: Add 2 tablespoons honey to the finished peanut butter in the food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add more to taste.
    • Chocolate Peanut Butter: Add ¼ cup to ½ cup cocoa powder to the finished peanut butter in the food processor and pulse a few times to combine. You can add some honey too for a sweeter peanut butter. Start with 1 tablespoon and add more to taste.
    • You can also add cinnamon (start with ½ teaspoon) and vanilla (start with ½ teaspoon).

    Tips

    • You can use dry-roasted peanuts. I like to roast my peanuts because I can control how roasted they are (it does change the taste), how much salt I add and processing the peanuts while still warm helps release the oil. That being said, it does work with pre-roasted peanuts and it's delicious, too!
    • To avoid overheating your food processor, pay attention if it starts getting too warm. If it does, stop, let it cool down and resume. PB is delicious, but not worth breaking your food processor for. Mine is heavy duty so it can do the job easily: this is the one I use and absolutely love.
    • Homemade peanut butter will keep at least 3 months in the fridge. If it lasts that long, that is! It will smell rancid when not good to eat anymore. 
    Nutrition Facts
    Homemade Peanut Butter
    Amount Per Serving (1 tablespoon)
    Calories 106 Calories from Fat 81
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 9g14%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Sodium 73mg3%
    Potassium 120mg3%
    Carbohydrates 3g1%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Protein 4g8%
    Calcium 10mg1%
    Iron 0.4mg2%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    If you tried making homemade peanut butter, don’t forget to rate the recipe below and let me know how it went in the comments – I love hearing from you! You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook for more deliciousness and behind-the-scenes!

    UPDATE NOTE: This post was originally published on August 15, 2012 and republished in February 2019 with an updated recipe, new photos and more tips.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lauren

      August 15, 2012 at 6:59 pm

      Looks delicious Marie! I love making nut butters. They're so much easier and more economical than buying from the store...and they taste better because they're so fresh! I will definitely have to check out those chocolate bites. I love having little treats like that to snack on in a day. Beautiful pictures, as always... 🙂

      • Marie

        August 16, 2012 at 10:19 pm

        Thanks so much Lauren! What kind of nut butter do you make besides PB?

    2. Connor

      August 16, 2012 at 3:21 pm

      Great pics! How long do you think it can last for in the fridge?

      • Marie

        August 16, 2012 at 10:24 pm

        Thank you 😀 I'm not sure because mine gets eaten in less than a week. But I would say at least a month. The only ingredient is peanut, and peanuts last forever in the pantry. So I don't see why it would be different with peanut butter.

    3. Christal

      August 18, 2012 at 6:01 pm

      can you do this with almonds?

      • Marie

        August 18, 2012 at 10:12 pm

        I'm not sure because I haven't tried, but I don't see why not. I don't think you'd even need to add any oil. Let me know if you try it someday, I would love to know how it turns out.

    4. Teresa

      August 22, 2012 at 8:32 am

      This looks great! Do I need to roast my peanuts first or can it be done with un-roasted peanuts?

      • Marie

        August 22, 2012 at 11:35 am

        Thanks Teresa! I didn't roast mine because I bought roasted peanuts. I would say roasting them is not an essential step but it definitively adds some flavors. If you don't know how to roast nuts, check that article http://www.notenoughcinnamon.com/2012/06/24/how-to-toast-nuts-and-almonds/

      • eileen

        November 17, 2012 at 6:58 pm

        I have tried w/ unroasted peanuts and it did not work well. It did not get past the thick, clumpy phase. Once I roasted the raw peanuts, it worked beautifully.

        • Marie

          November 19, 2012 at 3:55 am

          Thanks for letting me know Eileen. I've never tried with unroasted peanuts and I assumed one would get the same results with roasted and unroasted ones.
          I'm glad you decided to try again after the first failure!

          • Rueth

            April 09, 2017 at 11:32 pm

            No, the first timeI tried I used raw peanuts and although I had no problems with the texture it was lacking in flavor. The roasting process is definitely necessary. I also add a touch of stevia as I like it to taste like commercially produced peanut butter and that often has loads of sugar.

    5. Bee

      August 23, 2012 at 2:28 pm

      I adore peanut butter, homemade is the best! I also make butter from walnuts or cashews, much better than grocery's ones 🙂

      • Marie

        August 23, 2012 at 4:45 pm

        I definitively have to try with other nuts!

    6. Susan Stone

      January 19, 2013 at 2:28 pm

      Hi Marie,
      Thank you very much for showing that one can make peanut butter without adding oil or anything else. This was incredibly quick and easy. I've been making my own almond butter for a while now, using raw almonds (not blanched), which is delicious. I started making my own because the stuff in the stores was incredibly expensive and looked awful - not like something I'd want to eat. No more commercial nut butters for me! I've checked out a couple of your other recipes and they look wonderful. Thank you for sharing.

      • Marie

        January 21, 2013 at 6:14 pm

        I still need to try nut butter, people keep telling how good and easy it is!
        I'm glad you enjoyed my blog 🙂

    7. Tania

      February 25, 2013 at 4:52 am

      Omg ! It's so easy to do !

      • Marie

        February 25, 2013 at 5:05 am

        Yes!! And so good too!

    8. Megan Thomas

      March 01, 2013 at 1:52 pm

      Yum! I love how you put it in the cute little canister! I had trouble getting the right consistency without any oil. Any tips?

      I made a chocolate peanut butter version that came out really well! Check it out.

      http://bedstuyfoodie.blogspot.com/2013/03/chocolate-peanut-butter.html

      • Marie

        March 03, 2013 at 1:54 am

        Hey megan! I love this canister too 🙂 unfortunately I wasn't able to bring it to Australia with me, or any kitchenware for that matter...
        Did you process your nuts long enough? The first time I made some I thought I wouldn't get past the powder stage, but I kept processing and suddenly the nuts released their oil and it turned into a thick paste, and then a creamy paste. You really need to keep processing until it works! It can take a few minutes. Did you use a food processor? I'm not sure it would work with a blender, I never tried. Hope this helps!
        I tried to comment on your blog but it didn't work. Your chocolate version looks very yummy, and healthy too!!

        • Megan Thomas

          March 03, 2013 at 9:10 am

          Hey. I bet you could order the canisters online. I found some on amazon for a decent price, http://www.amazon.com/67000-Ball-Mason-Jar-12-pack/dp/B000BWZ7QO .

          I am going to try again without the chocolate. My boyfriend made a good point, he said the oil was probably absorbed by the coco powder. I did use a food processor. Im going to try honey roasted peanut butter next time! Have you ever tried that?

          • Marie

            March 05, 2013 at 8:28 pm

            That's a good point! You have one clever boyfriend 😉 next time you could to incorporate the cocoa powder at the end, once the oil is released, and see how this work. I've never tried with honey roasted peanuts but I've heard a lot about it, I bet it's deeeelicious!

    9. Zinal

      July 30, 2013 at 11:14 pm

      OMG, so I am not the only one who dunks a finger into the peanut butter jar when no one is watching. It's amazing, isn't it?
      Love the blog, lovely pictures, and lovely you 🙂

      • Marie

        August 01, 2013 at 3:48 am

        You're definitively not the only one, I'm totally guilty too!! Thanks a lot for your kind words Zinal, that's very sweet of you 🙂

    10. Kru

      August 08, 2013 at 12:01 pm

      I made this but added a pinch of salt since I used unsalted peanuts and some honey... I like my PB a little sweet 🙂 and it was Yummmmyyyy!! 🙂

      • marie

        August 08, 2013 at 5:07 pm

        You're right homemade PB is sooo yummmyy!! Thanks for stopping by and commenting 🙂

    11. Italia Patras Traghetti

      October 17, 2013 at 3:13 am

      It is a recipy that I would like to try, in Greece we don't eat peanut butter but it is so beloved elsewhere that it makes me want to try.

    12. Mara @ ElementalCustard

      November 24, 2013 at 12:04 pm

      I made homemade peanut butter for the first time this past weekend 🙂 and I totally added cinnamon to it. Delish- Never buying it again- Next on the list = hazelnut butter! MMM

      • marie

        December 04, 2013 at 4:03 am

        Oh my! Peanut butter and cinnamon...A dream come true! Can't believe I never tried that combination before! Thanks for stopping by Mara 🙂

    13. Lisa

      February 26, 2019 at 7:58 pm

      I'm such a fan of homemade nut butters! They always turn out so fresh and creamy.

      • Marie

        February 26, 2019 at 8:10 pm

        They're the best! 🙂

    14. Noelle

      February 26, 2019 at 8:32 pm

      I put peanut butter on EVERYTHING!!! This is an amazing recipe, it was my first time making homemade and it turned out great 🙂

      • Marie

        February 27, 2019 at 11:52 am

        You and me the same!! So glad it turned out great Noelle 🙂

    15. Rae

      February 26, 2019 at 9:09 pm

      It's been a while since I've made any nut butters myself, but the salted version you shared sounds like something that I need to make... and use for peanut butter cookies. 🙂

      • Marie

        February 27, 2019 at 11:53 am

        Oooh yes! Please do send me a couple cookies please 😉

    16. Lucy Parissi

      February 26, 2019 at 10:27 pm

      As if homemade peanut butter itself wasn't a treat enough, you've given plenty of add-ins to add an extra element of excitement now and again. Loving the chocolate version.

      • Marie

        February 27, 2019 at 11:53 am

        More reasons to eat peanut butter everyday haha

    17. Alexandra @ It's Not Complicated Recipes

      February 27, 2019 at 7:35 am

      Such a delicious and clever idea!
      Love it!!

      • Marie

        February 27, 2019 at 11:54 am

        Thanks Alexandra!

    18. Gwen

      January 01, 2020 at 5:52 am

      Do the oils seperate out while in storage?

      • Marie

        January 01, 2020 at 10:30 am

        Very little. I don't always have to stir it.

    19. Terry Winitana

      August 06, 2020 at 12:00 am

      Can you make walnut butter the same way as peanut butter

      • Marie

        August 25, 2020 at 5:53 pm

        Yes you can! Roast them first and remove most of the skin (using a kitchen towel) to make the butter creamier.

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