Smooth, creamy, drippy homemade almond butter made with just one ingredient and your food processor. This easy recipe uses raw almonds for a mild taste that works well in a variety of recipes. Once you try homemade almond butter you won't want to go back to store-bought.
Homemade Raw Creamy Almond Butter
Almond butters can vary so much in flavor, texture and added ingredients. Many brands add refined oils and refined sugars to their jars. Having the right kind of almond butter in my recipes is critical to the end result - especially in baked goods and energy bites.
My favorite almond butter has always been Trader Joe's raw creamy almond butter. It has the smoothest, runniest texture and no added oils, sweeteners or salt. And it has a mild sweet flavor that works well in recipes. Plus, it is so inexpensive compared to most store-bought almond butters. I tried other almond butter varieties and they just weren't doing it for me.
But, I did have raw almonds from the bulk section of my grocery store so I decided to give homemade raw almond butter a try! I was pleasantly surprised at how simple it was and the amazing results it produced. I like it even better than my beloved Trader Joe's almond butter! I know! Quite a statement given how much I love that brand. I'm telling you though, it is a game changer!
If you happen to have almonds on hand then all you need is 17 minutes (and like 10 seconds of hands-on time). After that, you too can have almond butter.
How to Make Homemade Almond Butter
It is beyond easy. Simply add the almonds to a dry food processor and press "Process". Then you can walk away for a good 10 minutes. The machine literally does all the work for you.
After ten minutes I like to check on it and see if the food processor needs any "help." If it does I stop to scrape down the sides. You may need to do this more than once depending on your food processor. But for me that is all I ever have to do.
Then I press the "Process" button again and walk away for another 7 minutes. After that, the almonds have magically turned into smooth, creamy, drippy almond butter that is so delicious. I could eat it by the spoonful at this point. Sometimes I do.
After it cools completely, I transfer the almond butter to an airtight storage container (a lidded mason jar works great). You can store it in your refrigerator for up to two weeks. After that I recommend checking for any signs of spoilage to be sure it is safe. It may last up to a month if you are careful not to introduce any moisture or other food to the jar.
Health Benefits of Almonds
Almonds offer a lot of nutritional benefits. They are low in carbohydrates and high in protein. They also offer a good source of fiber, healthy fats, vitamin E and magnesium. And, they provide iron and calcium.
See my complete guide on Almonds Benefits for Vegans for nutrition facts, health benefits and the many ways to incorporate almonds into your recipes!
How to Use Homemade Almond Butter
I love to incorporate almond butter for both its nutrients and sweet and nutty flavor in many of my dessert and smoothie recipes. It is wonderful on toast with raspberry chia jam. I also love it swirled into smoothies, yogurt, chia pudding or anything sweet and creamy really!
Recipes that use raw creamy almond butter (all vegan and gluten-free):
- Grain-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
- Grain-Free Cookie Dough Energy Bites
- Almond Butter & Jelly Energy Bites
- No-Bake Brown Rice Crispy Treats with Dark Chocolate Shell and Flaked Sea Salt
- Protein-Packed Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Energy Bites
- Healthy Chocolate Smoothie
- 4-Ingredient Strawberry Blackberry Smoothie
If you love this homemade almond butter recipe and have more raw almonds on hand you may also want to try my homemade almond milk recipe.
Now, Let’s Make Some Homemade Raw Creamy Almond Butter!
This easy Raw Creamy Almond Butter recipe will forever change you from store-bought to homemade. The flavor is far superior and it is much less expensive. This recipe is vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, peanut-free, paleo-friendly and refined sugar-free.
I cannot wait for you to give this Homemade Raw Creamy Almond Butter a try! Let’s get processing!
Homemade Raw Creamy Almond Butter
- Total Time: 17
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Smooth, creamy, drippy homemade almond butter made with just one ingredient and your food processor. This easy recipe uses raw almonds for a mild taste that works well in a variety of recipes. Once you try homemade almond butter you won't want to go back to store-bought.
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw almonds (not roasted, unsalted)
Instructions
- Add the raw almonds to a dry food processor with an S-blade. Process for 10 minutes then stop to scrape down the sides with a mini spatula. Process for another 7 minutes until completely smooth and creamy.
- Allow to completely cool to room temperature. Transfer the almond butter to a 1 cup storage container. Store in your refrigerator for 2 weeks. Avoid adding any ingredients or moisture to the jar to keep it fresh.
Notes
If you want to create salted almond butter, simply add ¼ teaspoon of fine salt at the end and process another couple seconds to incorporate fully. Taste and add more if desired. My recipes typically call for unsalted, raw creamy almond butter so I usually do not add salt.
For sweetened, salted vanilla almond butter: After the almond butter is creamy and fully processed, add 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, 3 tablespoons avocado oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and ½ teaspoon salt. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Prep Time: 17
- Category: Condiment
- Method: Food Processor
Janice says
Worked great! Tastes delicious! Thank you!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much for letting me know, Janice! 🙂
Marit says
Tastes great, but I found that I had to add a little bit of oil to turn it from crumbly into a real butter!
Elaine Gordon says
Oh no, I'm sorry to hear that. You shouldn't have to add any oil at all... only if you add the maple syrup. Did you add maple syrup? How long did you process for?
Marit says
I made half of the recipe and processed it for the time you told in the recipe! Only thing I could think of is that it would work better with a larger amount, so I will try that next time. I didn't add maple syrup but in the end I added one tablespoon of seed oil!
Elaine Gordon says
I agree - I usually go with 2 cups when I make a batch. I usually don't add in the maple syrup etc. But wanted to provide the option in case people really like it salty and sweet! :). I hope it goes well for you next time. Best, Elaine
Abby says
Love this recipe. You just can’t compare store bought almond butter and this runny yummy goodness!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Abby! I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed this one so much. I totally agree - it does not compare to store-bought! Thank you for the five star rating! Best, Elaine
amanda says
Can you make this in a Blender not food processor?
Elaine Gordon says
Depending on your blender it could but I find it is much easier with a food processor. With the blender the base is not as wide and it can get "stuck" - so you might just have to stop and scrape down the sides a bunch. LMK how it goes either way for you please! Best, Elaine
Zahra says
When processing, it def was thick and grainy. Instead of adding 3 tbsp of oil, I added 6 and instead of 1 tbsp of agave nectar I added 2. It turned out great from there!
Elaine Gordon says
Hi, Zahra: I would say if it is still thick and grainy it needs to process more before adding those extra ingredients. I hope you give it another try and have better success. Best, Elaine
Ashleh says
Gosh, this recipe sucked and didn't work for me. It was a grainy mess and a waste of almonds.
Elaine Gordon says
Hi Ashleh, I'm so sorry to hear this recipe didn't work out for you. I have never had any issues myself with it... I'm wondering how long you ran the motor for and what food processor you were using. Please let me know more information so I can help you troubleshoot. I would love to help salvage it if possible. Thank you, Elaine
Bob says
Dry almonds are hard, probably requiring a long processing time. What about soaking the almonds overnight? That would make them softer…
What size processor do you suggest?
Elaine Gordon says
Hi, Bob: I have not tried this recipe that way and I'm not sure how it would affect the consistency to be honest. I used a 7 cup food processor for this recipe. Please let me know if you give it a try and how it goes for you. Thank you! Best, Elaine
Crystal Revoir says
Thank you so much for this recipe. It worked exactly as directed. Mine did take a little longer due to a good processor that is not high quality, but it worked nonetheless. I also added raw flax seed to mine as I love the combination.
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much for letting me know, Crystal! I love your addition of the flaxseed! I'll try that myself next time as I'm always trying to add more flaxseed into my diet. Thank you!
Fede says
Hmm. Evidently a lot depends on the almonds. I used Trader Joe’s raw almonds and my cuisinart food processor has been going for 27 minutes, and the almonds have made a paste that clumps together. No oil is being produced. I even tried to add a teaspoon of oil myself, but it makes no difference. I have a big blob of almond paste now. Any advice on what to do with it? I am going to stop before my food processor seriously overheats.
Elaine Gordon says
Hi Fede: I'm so sorry to hear this! I use those almonds sometimes too and have not personally had this issue. I also have a cuisinart food processor. I would say in the future, don't add the oil. You do want to make sure the processor is completely dry before adding the almonds. In terms of what to do with it now I would save it for smoothies like this one: https://www.eatingbyelaine.com/almond-butter-cup-smoothie/ - this way it will not go to waste. Here is a video showing how to make the almond butter: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CfogFX_sjrf/
Jessica Weiss says
Mine is also more of a paste. My food processor is only 300W so could that be it? Had to take breaks to let the motor cool off, but I thought it was working. However no matter how many times I blend it’s still dry.
Elaine Gordon says
I'm so sorry to hear this. I have not run into this issue. Was everything completely dry before you started?
Kim says
This worked for me except my food processor is an old one so it took me double the time and many stops to scrape sides down. So easy and very delicious!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much for the five star review, Kim! I'm sorry it took double the time but I'm happy to hear you found it easy and delicious despite that! Best, Elaine
Jessica says
I'm so sorry you had any less-than-5 star reviews. This recipe is so simple and straight-forward! I have a crappy old Black&Decker processor. It took me almost 2x as long as called for above for me (about 35-40 mins) to make creamy almond butter with raw almonds, with lots of pauses for side-scraping... But that's the catch... It just takes time and patience! That's all. Turned out great! Thank you so much! 😊
Elaine Gordon says
Aw thank you so much, Jessica! I'm so glad this worked out well for you. Thank you!!
Amanda says
I've been processing my almonds for somewhere around 50 minutes (my processor stops after one minute so I lost count!) and it's still far from runny. It's smooth, no chunks, but quite a thick paste still. Do I just keep going? I did start with 3c almonds instead of 2. Leaving 5 stars because it's probably nothing wrong with the recipe!
Elaine Gordon says
Hi Amanda: That is so strange. What type of food processor are you using? Were your almonds fresh? What type of almonds did you buy? Were they raw unsalted (not roasted)? Did you add anything to the food processor while processing the almonds? Please give me a little more information and I can try and help. I'm so sorry it didn't come out smooth and creamy for you!