Most commercial peanut butter — including many "natural" labels — contains added sugar, palm oil, and emulsifiers like mono- and diglycerides. The palm oil is there to prevent separation, which is the one natural property of real peanut butter. Homemade has two ingredients and takes less time than a trip to the store.
A food processor gives you the most control over texture — run it for 2 minutes for creamy, or pulse for a chunkier result. A high-powered blender works too but needs a tamper and occasional scraping. Either way, the result is richer, more intensely peanut-flavored than anything in a jar.
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry-roasted peanuts (unsalted or lightly salted)
- ½ tsp fine sea salt (skip if peanuts are already salted)
- 1–2 tsp neutral oil, optional (for a looser consistency)
Instructions
- Add 2 cups dry-roasted peanuts to the food processor bowl. Process on high for 1 minute. The nuts will go from rough and crumbly to a thick ball of paste. Stop and scrape down the sides.
- Continue processing for 1–2 more minutes. The ball will break down and become smooth and glossy as the natural oils release. Scrape the sides once more midway.
- Add ½ tsp fine sea salt. Process 15 seconds. Taste — adjust salt if needed. For a looser, more spreadable texture, add 1 tsp neutral oil and process 10 more seconds.
- Transfer to a wide-mouth glass jar. Let cool to room temperature before sealing. Store at room temp up to 2 weeks or refrigerate for up to 2 months.
- Set aside ½ cup of the peanuts in a small bowl.
- Process the remaining 1½ cups in the food processor until smooth and glossy, about 3 minutes total with scraping.
- Add the reserved peanuts and pulse 4–6 times until they break into pea-sized chunks and distribute through the butter. Do not over-pulse or it becomes creamy again.
- Add salt, taste, and adjust. Transfer to a jar and store as above.
Tips
Tip 1
Dry-roasted peanuts release their oils fastest — raw peanuts take longer and produce a lighter, blander result. Roast raw peanuts at 350°F for 12–15 minutes, cool completely before processing.
Tip 2
Don't add oil at the start — it prevents the peanuts from releasing their own natural oils and can make the butter gummy. Add only at the end if needed.
Tip 3
Natural oil separation is normal and expected. It's not a sign of spoilage — it's proof there are no emulsifiers. Stir before using.
Tip 4
For a richer flavor: roast a fresh batch of raw peanuts with a little sea salt and a drizzle of avocado oil before processing. The fresh-roasted flavor is noticeably more intense than store-roasted.
What you'll need
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