Ever wondered how to make peanut butter? Here’s a very simple and quick method that will allow you to have this iconic spread at home, so emblematic of the United States.
Peanut Butter and Peanuts
Recipe for 500 grams
- Preparation Time: 10 min
- Cooking Time: 10 min
- Total Recipe Time: 20 min
Ingredients for Homemade Peanut Butter:
- 450g roasted or unroasted peanuts (2 cups)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 to 2 tablespoons peanut oil or neutral oil (optional)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar or honey (optional)
I’ve wanted to share this recipe for a long time because many of you have told me that you struggle to find peanut butter or find it at a reasonable price. Others simply want to make their own peanut butter (or “beurre de peanut,” as they say in Quebec) for health reasons and to avoid additives (go organic!).
How to Make Peanut Butter:
Making your own peanut butter is extremely easy and takes very little time. The only decision you’ll have to make is whether to add a sweetener to the mix. I don’t, but if you want to replicate what’s found commercially, you’ll need to add some, as store-bought recipes don’t shy away from adding more flavor. Honey works well if you choose to add it.
Note that if you want crunchy peanut butter, you’ll need to add some crushed peanuts at the end, after the mixture is already well blended. If you want your butter smooth, leave it as is.
Like any nut butter, the goal of the recipe is to work the oil naturally present in the peanut using a blender or food processor to obtain a spreadable texture. Once you’ve achieved a peanut butter to your liking, you can add other ingredients, such as cocoa powder, peanut pieces, or flavoring.
Peanut Butter in the USA:
Peanut butter, as it’s called in the USA, essentially replaces Nutella and is available in many varieties: organic, non-organic, with chocolate, without chocolate, and even in powder form (convenient for incorporating into a preparation when cooking without changing the texture of the mix).
You can find it literally everywhere in the USA, even though other countries appreciate it and incorporate it into recipes like peanut chicken, where peanuts are found in the cream.
Tips:
There are a few tips to make obtaining peanut butter easier.
The first is to roast the peanuts in the oven, as cooking will liquefy the oil present, saving you time with the blender or food processor.
The other tip concerns taste. It’s easier to play with the base ingredients, so start directly with salted peanuts if you know that’s the final result you want to achieve.
The last tip is about patience. The peanut paste obtained in the kitchen will go through different stages, and you can’t rush the process too much. Peanuts will take time to turn into butter, and you must resist the urge to add liquid to speed it up. Milk belongs in your coffee, not in the peanut paste in the making!
What to Do with Peanut Butter:
Okay, I’ve made my butter with this version of the recipes found online, poured the milk into the coffee and nowhere else, and even broke up the peanuts so my homemade version is easier to blend.
But what can I do with it?
Personally, I find that peanut butter integrates very well into a cake, especially if you opt for a version without additives, au naturel.
But don’t hesitate to use it in a sauce; it’s delicious (try it with chicken breast).
Steps for Making Peanut Butter:
- Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F).
- Place the peanuts on a baking sheet.
- Roast for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let them rest for a few minutes.
- Place them in the food processor bowl.
- Process in 1-minute intervals.
- You’ll see the consistency change gradually.
- When you achieve a smooth texture, add the salt and sugar/honey if you’re using them.
- Store at room temperature or take it out well in advance if you’re refrigerating it.
