You will be amazed how easy it is to make your own peanut butter from whole peanuts. It tastes great because it’s so fresh, and it doesn’t have any of the not-so-great-for-you ingredients — like lots of sugar, salt, and oil — that most store-bought peanut butter contains. If you like, try adding a pinch of cayenne pepper for spice, or a pinch of cinnamon for warmth.
kitchen gear
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Measuring cup
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Measuring spoons
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Food Processor (adult needed)
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Rubber spatula
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Lidded container
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry-roasted peanuts
- 1⁄4 teaspoon salt, less for salted peanuts, more for unsalted
Instructions
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Put the peanuts in the food processor and process until they break down and bunch up into a glob that goes around in the food processor bowl, about 1 minute.
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Stop the food processor, take off the top, and scrape around the inside of the bowl with the rubber spatula. Add the salt, put the top back on, and continue to process, stopping two or three more times to scrape the bowl, until the peanut butter is smooth, about 1 minute longer.
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Use a spoon to taste a tiny bit of the peanut butter. If you like it saltier, add a tiny bit of salt, replace the top, and turn on the food processor to mix in the salt, about 3 seconds.
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Use the spatula to scrape the peanut butter into the container with a tight-fitting lid. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 weeks. When you take the peanut butter out of the fridge, it will be a little bit hard and difficult to spread, but it will soften after a few minutes on the counter or, if you pack it in a microwave-safe container, you can microwave it for 5 to 10 seconds to soften it.
