Easy Homemade Vegan Nut Butter

Cinnamon raisin peanut butter

Whether your meals are the pinnacle of gourmet or more of the frozen variety, there are some common food denominators that tend to unite us. Case in point: nut butter. Peanut, almond, cashew, pecan, walnut, sunflower…the list goes on. The simple fact is that vegans love their nut butters, and they seem to be a perennial staple in just about any compassionate kitchen.

Unfortunately, nut butters tend to be expensive, especially if you’re into speciality products (i.e. raw, nut-free, independent artisans). The good news is that making your own homemade nut butter couldn’t be easier!

Easy Homemade Vegan Nut Butter (makes 1 cup)

Ingredients:

2 cups nut or seeds of choice (they can be salted or unsalted, raw or roasted) (I use peanuts here, but feel free to use almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds, pecans, walnuts or any nut that strikes your fancy!)
Food processor (the larger the better–14 cup is recommended, but you should be able to get away with smaller versions)
Mixings of choice (cacao nibs, raisins, spices, coconut, cocoa powder, goji berries)
Storage container (I love to use mason jars for mine)

Directions:

1. Place 2 cups of nuts or seeds in food processor. Run food processor for 10-12 minutes until the nuts or seeds begin to release their oils and break down into what looks like a nut butter. This is a process, so be patient. You may need to stop occasionally to scrape down the sides of your processor. The length of time it takes to process will depend upon which nut or seed you’re using. I used peanuts, and it took about 10 minutes to fully break down.