INGREDIENTS:

  • 3 cups of raw, organic almonds (*see note below about raw vs. roasted)
  • 1/4 cup oil of your choice (NOTE: Do not use overly processed mainstream brands of “vegetable oil” or canola, etc. Choose an organic, beneficial oil of the highest quality, such as coconut oil or avocado oil. Read more here about Brain Octane coconut oil or Onnit’s MCT oil, for example.)
  • 1 heaping teaspoon of quality sea salt (optional, if you like salted nut butters)

PREP:

The key to this recipe is having the right blender… you can use a food processor, but it will turn out the smoothest and best if you have a high-powered blender like a VitaMix or a BlendTec. These tools are more expensive than normal blenders, but they are “buy it for life” items that allow you to do many things better.

  • Put almonds and salt into blender.
  • Start on variable low-speed and turn the speed up manually before flipping over to the more intense high speed. With a VitaMix, use the tamper tool to force the almonds back into the blades and keep things moving.
  • After the almonds are ground into meal, add the oil.
  • Keep going, and be prepared that it will get very hot due to the power and friction– and may take a while to get creamy. Use the VitaMix tamper to keep it moving until it eventually starts to make a vortex. I push right through and make my VitaMix work pretty hard, and I have done this many times for many years, but just know that it takes some time and it will definitely start to heat up. Don’t be too surprised about this, and if you are nervous, turn it off and come back to it after a cool-down.
  • Store in refrigerator. This makes about 3+ cups (mostly fills a quart-size Mason jar).

VARIATIONS:

  • *RAW vs. ROASTED:  I like to use raw almonds, but if you prefer a roasted aroma and taste, you can roast your own raw almonds. Spread them on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for about 10-12 minutes. Your nose will tell you when they are done. If you use roasted almonds, you will need possibly much less oil than with raw– drizzle it into the blender until you see the creamy texture you desire.
  • Add flavors to your almond butter, like vanilla, cinnamon, cocoa powder, or even a bit of honey (go easy on sweetening!).
  • Mix different types of nuts together, like one cup each of almonds, cashews, and walnuts, for example. Other nuts may blend more easily and require less oil than almonds.