How To Never Buy Nut Butter Again

Prices for almond and specialty seed butters are steep enough to make us wince even when just writing it down on our shopping list. But it's easy enough to save yourself—and your wallet—a trip to Whole Foods and put nuts in bulk and food processor you already have to use by making your own nut butter. 

The benefit to mixing your own spread is that you control the portions. If you’re going through something and want it in excess, you don’t have to stop at just eight ounces. Keep yourself stocked for as long as you’d like. But if you know you only like dipping apples on the occasional health trip, keep a small container stored. You’re also the captain of crunchy and have the last say in how smooth the butter will be. Set the texture juuuuust right. It’s incredibly easy to do, and you’ll wonder why you haven’t started this sooner. 

Go nuts and process any combination of seeds and nuts together for concoctions you won’t find on shelves. But first, here’s a simple how-to recipe to learn the technique (and patience) for creating your own almond butter. Learn how to start slathering sandwiches with something homemade below.

Almond Butter

Makes 1 cup 

Life hack: Add melted chocolate to make your own version of Nutella.

Ingredients:

2 cups almonds, unsalted and raw

Directions:

Roast almonds at 375 degrees F for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

In a food processor or strong blender, process nuts until they’ve reached a thick, silky texture—about 10 minutes.

Serve immediately on toast, apple slices, or pancakes. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.