We buy nuts butter all the time and use it copiously in our vegan recipes to replace dairy products and as a protein boost. But you know what? We are silly! Making nut spreads at home is so easy, we should have been doing this all along.
Today, we'll show you how to make nut butter using brazil nuts, and nothing else. Zero refined ingredients, just the yummy stuff. You can follow the same process for any other nuts, but we thought you would like to try brazil nut spread first.
Why? Well, because it's quite unusual. While you likely had peanut, cashew, or almond butter already, you may not have tried one made from brazil nuts yet. And trying new things is funny, isn't it? This butter is super tasty so spread it on a toast with jam, tip it in your smoothies, or use it in a fancy sandwich. You won't be disappointed.
One word of advice, though. Nut spreads are a much healthier alternative to classic butter. They have a fraction of the fats, and most of those fats are actually good for you. But they still have a few saturated fats, so you shouldn't slurp down a full jar in one go!
Brazil nuts are very healthy and are a ridiculously rich source of selenium. Imagine that on average, a single nut will give you 140% RDI of selenium[1]. While this mineral is good for you, overconsumption can be harmful. As the recommended serving size is 1 to 3 nuts [2], we recommend limiting your consumption to one teaspoon (8g/0.3 oz) per day. If you have this spread only once or twice per week, you can have up to 3 teaspoons per day, top.
The good news though is that even a single teaspoon of brazil nut butter is plenty flavourful. And by limiting your consumption, it will last you forever! Oh, and remember to stir the nut butter after you take it out of the fridge, as the nut oils will float to the top. Enjoy!
What can I add to homemade nut butter?
This vegan spread tastes incredibly good as it is, but you can boost its nutty flavour with many add-ons.
Try adding vanilla extract, cinnamon, salt, ginger, or ground cardamom. You can even stir in some cacao powder for a chocolaty treat.
Do I have to roast the nuts first when making nut butter?
Roasting the nuts before adding them to the food processor means your nut butter will be creamier and more flavourful.
Toasted nuts have a unique aroma, and they release more of those natural oils that are needed to convert ground nuts into a smooth butter.
How long does it last?
When stored properly, this brazil nut butter can last from one to three months.
Make sure you have sterilised the jars correctly before filling them and avoid keeping them at room temperature. Instead, store your homemade butter tightly sealed in the fridge for up to 4 weeks and use a clean spoon every time you want to dig in.
Alternatively, you can freeze it for up to three months and leave it to defrost overnight in the fridge, ready for the next day.
Ingredients
| Raw Brazil Nuts | 170 g |
Step 1
Arrange the brazil nuts flat on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
Then, roast them for 10 minutes in the preheated oven at 180°C (355°F) for static ovens or at 160°C (320°F) for fan ovens.
Toss the nuts every 2-3 minutes to ensure they don't burn and return them to the oven.
Step 2
Now, leave the nuts to cool a few minutes before adding them to a food processor and blitz them until finely ground (1).
Make sure the nuts are nicely packed in the bowl of your processor, or there won't be enough friction to blend them properly.
Keep blending until the mixture turns into a smooth paste, keeping in mind that the longer your blitz, the runnier the nut butter will become (2).
It will take about 5 minutes for the whole process, but make sure to give your blender a break in between pulses or it will overheat.
Step 3
Finally, transfer the brazil nut butter into jars filling them almost to the rim, and close them tightly with the lid.
Make sure your jars are sterilised and totally dry before you proceed.
Check out our FAQ below for more tips on how to store your homemade nut butter.
Tips
To sterilise your jars:
Wash the pots and lids in hot soapy water and then boil them in water for 10 minutes.
Transfer them onto a baking rack and keep them in the oven at 160°C (320°F) for at least 15 minutes.
When they're completely dry, take the jars out of the oven without touching the inside and fill them with nut butter.