While visiting my friend in CO, I learned that Justin’s nut butters are produced in CO.  And while on a field trip of the 2nd largest Whole Foods in the country, we sampled some freshly pressed nut butters.  Clearly I’m on a nut butter kick, because as soon as I got home and saw a recipe for homemade almond butter with honey, vanilla bean and sea salt, I got right to making my own.

Making nut butter is very easy, as long as you have a food processor up to the challenge.  With a powerful food processor and a little patience, you’re pretty much all set.  It was so much fun, that after making one batch, I made a second batch with a friend the next day.

Honey-Vanilla Almond Butter

Makes about 1 cup/one jar

Adapted from Ambitious Kitchen

• 2 cups unsalted almonds
• 2 tsp honey
• 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped out
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp kosher salt

Spread almonds on an ungreased cookie sheet and place in oven.  Set oven to 400°F, when the oven has finished preheating, the almonds are probably done.  They should smell delicious, and taste super nutty.  Allow almonds to cool.

Add almonds to the food processor and blend.  It will be super noisy for a minute, but then will turn into a coarse mixture.  Keep blending until a smooth paste forms. (A ball might develop, just keep blending away, it’ll smooth out).  Once the mixture is pretty smooth, add the remaining ingredients and blend again until smooth and well mixed.  Again, the mixture might firm up into a ball, but leave the processor on and it will smooth into a delicious nut butter.

Transfer butter into a mason jar or tupperware and allow to cool before sealing.  Leave at room temperature and mix as needed if butter begins to separate.  Enjoy with bread, crackers, and/or fruit.

Cocoa Almond Butter

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

• 3 cups unsalted almonds
• 4 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 tsp honey
• 1/8 tsp kosher salt
• pinch of cinnamon (optional)

Spread almonds on an ungreased cookie sheet and place in oven.  Set oven to 400°F, when the oven has finished preheating, the almonds are probably done.  They should smell delicious, and taste super nutty.  Allow almonds to cool.

Add almonds to the food processor and blend.  It will be super noisy for a minute, but then will turn into a coarse mixture.  Keep blending until a smooth paste forms. (A ball might develop, just keep blending away, it’ll smooth out).  Once the mixture is pretty smooth, add the remaining ingredients and blend again until smooth and well mixed.  Again, the mixture might firm up into a ball, but leave the processor on and it will smooth into a delicious nut butter.

Transfer butter into a mason jar or tupperware and allow to cool before sealing.  Leave at room temperature and mix as needed if butter begins to separate.  Enjoy with bread, crackers, and/or fruit.