This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure and privacy policy.
I can’t believe how EASY it is to make peanut butter at home. Homemade peanut butter takes less than 5 minutes to make in your food processor, and you don’t have to do any extra prep work to get started!
How To Make it
How do you make peanut butter? All you need is peanuts and a food processor. Do not add any extra oil, as the peanuts will release their natural oils as you go.
If you’ve ever made homemade almond butter, making peanut butter is even faster.
Unlike almonds, which need to be heated to help them break down faster, peanuts break down surprisingly fast in the food processor.
How Long Does it Take?
I actually timed myself while making this homemade peanut butter, and it takes only 1 minute and 30 seconds for the peanuts to break down into a thick paste, as pictured above. It almost reminds me of play-doh.
Just 30 seconds later, it looks like the thick peanut butter consistency below.
Within 4 minutes of your food processor running, your peanut butter should look something like the photo below.
I don’t even stop to scrape down the machine! The peanuts easily break down on their own, so the process is hands-off.
Getting a Runny or Drippy Consistency
Within 4 minutes, you should have a creamy peanut butter. For a runny and silky-smooth peanut butter, let the food processor run for 1 more minute.
You’ll hear a “sloshy” sound as the peanuts release their natural oils, becoming very runny.
This is when I usually add any extra seasoning to my peanut butter, like salt or honey.
How Much Salt Do You Add?
For a 16 ounce jar of peanut butter, I like to add 1/2 teaspoon of fine sea salt for a “salted” peanut butter flavor. However, you can start with just 1/4 teaspoon of salt and see if that’s enough for you.
The nice thing about making your own is that YOU get to control the flavor.
Is it Cheaper to Make Your Own Peanut Butter?
Oddly enough, it’s NOT always cheaper to make your own peanut butter. When comparing prices at the grocery store, a pound of unsalted peanuts is $3.49 (not organic), while a jar of non-organic peanut butter (with nothing else added) is just $2.49. So you actually save a dollar by buying it instead of making it.
A jar of organic peanut butter here in the Midwest is $3.99, and I can’t find organic peanuts cheaper than $6.99 per pound on their own. (Crazy, but maybe this fluctuates in other areas?)
So, in this case the only advantage to making your own peanut butter at home is that you get to control the flavor and texture.
My homemade peanut butter is smoother than any option I’ve found at the store, and the flavor is unbelievably good! The fact that it’s hands-off and ready in 5 minutes is even more reason that I love it.
More Homemade Nut & Seed Butters
Ingredients
- 16 ounces dry roasted peanuts (about 3 cups)
- fine sea salt , to taste
Instructions
- Pour the peanuts into a large food processor fitted with an "S" blade. Secure the lid and process until broken down.
- Within about 2 minutes of processing, the peanuts should become a relatively smooth paste.
- When you process it for 2 more minutes, the peanut butter will become even more smooth, and you'll start to hear a "sloshing" sound as the peanuts release their natural oils, making the peanut butter have a runny texture.
- Within 5 minutes, the peanut butter should be very smooth and runny. Add up to 1/2 teaspoon of fine seal salt, and process again until evenly incorporated. Pour the peanut butter into an airtight jar and store it in the fridge until ready to use.
- Homemade peanut butter should last up to a month in the fridge as long as you don't introduce moisture to the jar. Always use clean utensils and return it to the fridge for best shelf life.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
If you try this homemade peanut butter, please leave a comment below letting us know how it goes. And if you make any modifications, I’d love to hear about those, too!
–
Reader Feedback: Have you ever made your own nut butters before?
However many times I try, making peanut butter without oil doesn’t work. Also, you should say that a 600W mixer is the minimum power you should use or it’ll burn the motor.
Peanut butter here is very expensive, between 7 and 13 euros per kilogram. Peeled peanuts cost only 3 euros. With a heavy roast on a pan that inevitably causes some burnt spots, very little salt is needed. About 2.5g to 3g over 600g of peanuts (one load). The nut mix has a strong savory flavor. To minimize cleaning effort, I process several portions with a period of cooldown between.
You have a good food processor. A blender with a narrow base works better. The layer of nuts at the top prevents matter from being sprayed upwards by exposed blades, and the liquid paste can be thoroughly mixed with salt or another powder after it has been chopped. A blender can’t do “crunchy”, because it processes unevenly, and the result is always a liquid.
I buy a 1 lb jar of roasted peanuts with sea salt, or cocktail peanuts, for around $2.00.
I have never seen natural peanut butter, with nothing added, for less than $3.00, and that might not have even been a pound jar.Maybe the price depends on where you live and shop.
Sounds easy peasy.
Can I do this successfully in a Nutra Bullet or so I need to use a food processor?
Is it best to use dry roasted or regular peanuts?
Regarding price, no added sugars, no added fat, no artificial ingredients, no stirring sounds like a win to me. I use to go to the St. Louis area we could stop at Fresh Thyme and grind our own butters. (Peanut, Honey Roasted Peanut, Cashew and Almond). LOL OH MY!
I have made peanut butter at home in my Nutribullet but they wanted me to add fat, I skipped that step and probably didn’t process it enough but it was a very nice extra crunchy peanut spread, and I used some of it to make some awesome peanut butter cookies.
I can’t wait to try this method.
I’ve always had the best luck using a food processor to make homemade nut butters, compared to my Vitamix blender which has a narrow base. I’m not as familiar with the Nutribullet blender, but I’d love to hear if you try it.
Can raw peanuts be use for making the peanut butter?