How to make Almond Butter

Learn how to make almond butter at home using only almonds and a food processor! Get all the health benefits of almond butter, without any of the added sugars and aromas of store-bought nut butter! Flavor variations + recipe ideas included.

This Homemade Almond Butter is ultra-thick and so uber creamy, and it tastes like warm, freshly roasted almonds. Sounds like something you could enjoy? Come along  – I am pretty sure you will enjoy the ride! But be warned, this stuff is so good, you might not be able to go back to store-bought ever again!

But that’s ok because almond butter is pretty affordable, too.  The cost savings obviously depend largely on the almond butter you usually get. I’ve seen them for as cheap as seven dollars, so not much saving there. But the good organic brands can cost as much as seventeen dollars per jar and our product will be just as high-quality for way less. That, I can guarantee.

Knowing how to make almond butter at home is a life skill, you guys, and with my step-by-step photos, it’s also a walk in the park. If only all life skills could be so easily acquired.

As for the ingredients, we have well, almonds – raw and organic, if possible. No added oil required but you can add some seasoning (check further down in the post)! The whole process is similar to making your own peanut butter but when it comes to almond butter you might need a little extra bit patience as they take longer to toast.

At first, you’ll think you’re failing, that it’ll never get past the crumbly stage but be patient and the almond butter magic will eventually happen!

How to make Almond Butter:

Step 1 & 2 – Start by roasting the almonds if you haven’t bought roasted almonds. Preheat the oven to 325F / 160 C. Spread the almonds in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Roast for 10-15 minutes, stirring once or twice to avoid scorching. Remove from the oven and let them cool a bit.

Step 3 –  Transfer the almonds to the bowl of your food processor fitted with the S-blade.

Step 4 -9 – Process the almonds until a creamy butter forms. Scrape the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula regularly.

The almonds will pass through different stages: crushed, powder, powdery paste, thicker paste, thick paste with a couple of dry bits, and finally creamy paste.

Patience! It can take up to 15 minutes. Just keep processing until you get a perfect consistency. If your food processor is becoming too hot, take a break and start again when it has cooled down.

I don’t recommend sealing the almond butter until it’s completely cool so that it doesn’t create steam inside the jar.  This might cause your nut butter to spoil quicker.

Homemade Almond Butter Tips

• Patience is key. It might seem like your almonds will never turn into creamy nut butter, but they always do. Just don’t give up!
• Roasting is flavor! Roasting the almonds yourself only takes 10 minutes, and it’s absolutely worth it, flavorwise. I recommend you buy raw almonds and roast them in the oven yourself. Warm almonds also blend more easily and offer the maximum fresh almond flavor.
• I use a food processor to make my almond butter, but you can use a powerful blender like a Vitamix if you’d prefer (a regular blender wouldn’t work here)

Flavor Variations:

For a maple cinnamon nut butter, I like to blend 1/2 tsp cinnamon,  1/2 tsp vanilla, and  1 tbsp maple syrup into about 1/2 cup of homemade almond butter to make it taste extra special.

For a chocolate version, blend 3-4 tsp cocoa powder, 1 tsp vanilla, and 3 tsp maple syrup into 1/2 cup of nut butter. Honey and sea salt are also great additions. Note that cocoa powder will thicken almond butter a bit. If you find yours has thickened more than you like, you can thin it out with additional syrup.

You could also go ahead and create a mixed nut butter by adding some raw cashews, walnuts, or pecans to replace some of the almonds. Just roast them all on the sheet pan together.

How to store homemade almond butter?

Homemade almond butter will keep in the refrigerator for about two weeks. So shorter than store-bought which may keep for months due to preservatives. If you want to store almond butter without a fridge or cooler, choose a cool, dry, dark place.

What to make with almond butter?

I love this homemade almond butter spread on rice crackers or on whole-grain toast with some sliced bananas and/or berries on top. Or topped with a teaspoon of chia blueberry jam. You can also spread some almond butter on quick breads, like my lemon blueberry bread or my paleo banana bread. Or, blend it into smoothies or swirl it into yogurt for extra protein.

Need a cool idea for summer? These frozen banana bites – just use almond instead of peanut butter.

Then, there’s the whole world of desserts!

My favorite baking recipes using homemade almond butter are:

• Almond Butter Blondies 
• Raspberry Almond Butter Bars 

5 from 6 votes

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How to make Almond Butter

Learn how to make almond butter at home using only almonds and a food processor! Get all the health benefits of almond butter, without any of the added sugars and aromas of store-bought nut butter! Flavor variations + recipe ideas included in the post above

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword almond butter recipe, food processor nut butter, homemade almond butter

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings 32 tablespoons - about 2 cups

Calories 102 kcal

Author Marie of Not Enough Cinnamon

Ingredients

• 4 cups almonds unsalted, ideally raw

Instructions

1. Start by roasting the almonds if you haven't bought roasted almonds.

   Preheat oven to 325F / 160 C. Spread almonds in a single layer on a large baking sheet.

   Roast for 10-15 minutes, stirring once or twice to avoid scorching. Remove from the oven and let them cool a bit.

2. Transfer the almonds to the bowl of your food processor fitted with the S-blade.

3. Process almonds until a creamy butter forms.

   Scrape the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula regularly.

   The almonds will pass through different stages (see the pictures above in the post): crushed, powder, powdery paste, thicker paste, thick paste with a couple of dry bits, and finally creamy paste.

   It can take up to 15 minutes. Keep processing until you get a perfect consistency. If your processor is becoming too hot, take a break and start again when it has cooled down.

Recipe Notes

• Patience is key. It might seem like your almonds will never turn into creamy nut butter, but they always do. Just don’t give up!
• Roasting is flavor! Roasting the almonds yourself only takes 10 minutes, and it’s absolutely worth it, flavorwise. I recommend you buy raw almonds and roast them in the oven yourself. Warm almonds also blend more easily and offer the maximum fresh almond flavor.
• I use a food processor to make my almond butter, but you can use a powerful blender like a Vitamix if you’d prefer.

Nutrition Facts

How to make Almond Butter

Amount Per Serving (1 tablespoon)

Calories 102 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Potassium 126mg4%

Carbohydrates 3g1%

Fiber 2g8%

Protein 3g6%

Calcium 47mg5%

Iron 0.7mg4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

UPDATE NOTE: This post was originally published on November 6, 2013 and republished in August 2020 with a slightly updated recipe, new photos and more tips.

If you enjoyed this tutorial on how to make almond 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!

My favorite recipes using nut 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