Make Your Own Peanut Butter!

Making your own peanut butter is unbelievably easy.  All you need is a food processor and some dry roasted peanuts.  There is no need to add any oil or anything else if you don't want to.  Personally, I prefer my peanut butter to be UNsalted.  I accidentally bought some unsalted freshly ground peanut butter from a nearby store not long ago. I didn't think I'd like it, but I do!  Much better.

Here is how I make the peanut butter:

First, you need dry roasted peanuts:

I measured out 1 pound of peanuts, which works out to be about 3.5 cups:

 Pour the peanuts into the bowl of the food processor with a metal blade and then put on the lid:

Turn on the processor.  These photos will show the changes that will occur:

After 2 or 3 minutes, the peanut butter will cling together like this.  Then you will know you are almost done!

Keep it going and it will become nice and smooth and creamy!

This makes about 1.5 cups or a little more.  I keep mine in a glass canning jar:

Some people would say I should keep it in the refrigerator, but I always keep some at room temperature so it will be soft when I need to use it.  I find that it really does not separate readily and might require only a little stirring once in a while.  If you like "crunchy" peanut butter, just throw in a handful of the peanuts when it is done and process only long enough to chop them up some.  Easy!

Once you try this and see how delicious and economical it is, you'll never want to go back!

You may, of course, add sea salt or any number of other flavorings, such as brown sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, cayenne, chili powder, cocoa powder.  Use your imagination!  By the way, this also makes a very nice gift for someone who would appreciate it.

This post is linked up at "Make Your Own Monday!"