Ingredients

1 lb. raw almonds

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

2 tbsp. honey (optional)

1 to 2. tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil (optional)

Preparation

Step 1Preheat oven to 325°. On a large baking sheet, spread almonds in an even layer and toast until fragrant and lightly golden on the inside, 15 to 17 minutes.Step 2Let almonds cool until pleasantly warm, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer almonds to a high-powered blender or food processor. Add salt and blend on medium-low speed, stopping every minute to scrape down sides and incorporate almonds, until almonds are completely pulverized and a ball forms, 3 to 10 minutes. Continue to blend until butter is completely smooth, loose, and shiny, scraping as needed, 3 to 7 minutes more, depending on your machine. If motor overheats, unplug and let rest until cool.Step 3Add honey and oil, if using, and continue to blend until smooth and runny (mixture will seize at first), 7 to 10 minutes more.Step 4Transfer butter to a clean jar and store in the refrigerator 4 to 6 weeks.

Just beware of overheating your appliance. Making nut butters at home requires patience, and you might have to periodically take a break to prevent your appliance’s motor from burning out. If the almond butter starts to generate steam or you can smell a vague burning plastic scent, chances are your appliance is struggling to churn through the nuts in one go. If that’s the case, unplug and let the machine cool down for 10 minutes before resuming. The easiest almond butter is just 2 ingredients: almonds and salt only. It’s important that you start the grind with nothing but toasted nuts and salt. Introducing other ingredients like oil and sweetener too early in the process can result in a much less emulsified and chunkier end product, which is totally fine if you prefer it slightly gritty in texture. I recommend adding some sweetener to offset the natural bitterness of toasted almonds, like honey or maple syrup. Do take note that once a liquid sweetener is introduced, the butter will seize and clump. It’s important to be patient and to continue letting the blending process smooth it out with time. Oil is optional; it won’t necessarily make a smoother, runnier butter, but incorporating a touch of it will add a bit more body and airiness. Once you’ve made a batch, drop us a comment down below and let us know how it went!