Peanut butter is a wonderfully delightful food that can be made easily at home with peanuts grown right in your own yard. The ingredients and tools are simple and the outcome is delicious and nutritious peanut butter! While homemade peanut butter is a bit different form store bought brands, it’s also healthier as it contains far less added sugar. In the same breath it also has a drawback in that it easily separates. In any event, let’s look at just how easy it is to make your own peanut butter at home.
What You’ll Need to Make Peanut Butter
Peanuts and a food processor or high powered blender are the only two ingredients you need to make peanut butter. Unlike most things you make at home, peanut butter couldn’t be simpler. You just need to grind the peanuts until smooth! If you’re using fresh peanuts from the garden, you will also need an oven to roast your nuts before you blend them smooth.
Easy Steps to Make Peanut Butter
- Shell your fresh peanuts and lay out on a baking sheet.
- Roast your peanuts in a preheated 350F oven for 15-25 minutes.
- Let peanuts cool to room temperature before adding to your food processor.
- Blend peanuts on high. You will want to take breaks every 2-4 minutes periodically to keep your motor from burning out. Continue blending until smooth creamy peanut butter forms.
- Jar your peanut butter for later use!
Improving On Basic Peanut Butter
Peanut butter can be improved with two ingredients: salt and sugar. A little bit of salt will go a long way to enhance the taste. If like your peanut butter a bit sweeter you can add sugar to taste, but you can add quite a bit of sugar before it tastes like what you get at the store, so be mindful you’re taking something that is mildly healthy and turning it into a desert.
If you want to go further peanut butter can be made crunchy just by adding some additional roasted nuts on the last blend.
Some people also like to mix their peanut butter with other foods. Using a piping bag you can “ribbons” of jelly or chocolate to your peanut butter, but again, this is making it a desert. All in all, you can doctor it up just about any way you like.
The one big downside to homemade peanut butter is that the oil separates out over time. You simply have to mix it back in before use if you want to have nice creamy peanut butter.
A Simple Snack From A Simple Nut
Peanut butter is so easy to make that you almost wouldn’t believe it. It comes together quick, stores easily, and can last for up to 3 months in the fridge. Just remember that homemade peanut butter doesn’t contain any extra preservatives so you can’t store it as long in the pantry as you would something from the store. Trust us though, you won’t have any problem using up this delicious and simple treat made in your own home, right from your own garden.