A peek into peanut butter and what makes it so loveable!
Peanut butter is made from, you guessed it, peanuts! Just as almond butter is made from almonds, peanut butter is no different. These spreads are made by grinding dry roasted peanuts into a powder and then combined with other ingredients to create the creamy or crunchy, spread.
Nutrition facts of peanut butter
Peanut butter is an odd food product as it is thought of as both healthy and unhealthy, depending on who you ask. Generally, for every two tablespoons of peanut butter, you consume about 180-190 calories, 16g of fat, 208mg of potassium, 8g of protein, as well as other nutrients, including calcium, iron, vitamin B-6 and magnesium. With these nutritional facts in mind, peanut butter is ultimately a healthy food, in moderation. Anything in large amounts can have negative effects on a person’s health and therefore, even peanut butter should be consumed with moderation.
How to Make Homemade Peanut Butter
Can i make peanut butter at home? Why, yes you can! The following recipe is a clear and easy way to do just that!
Ingredients
- 2 cups (16 ounces) raw, shelled peanuts (See Recipe Notes)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1 to 2 tablespoons peanut oil or other oil (optional, for creamier peanut butter)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons honey or other sweeteners (optional, for sweeter peanut butter)
Optional add-ins: 1 to 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon or other spices, handful of chocolate chips, a few spoonfuls of nutella
Directions
- Roast the peanuts (optional). Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350°F. Place the peanuts on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until lightly golden-brown and glossy with oil, about 10 minutes. You can skip this step if you prefer raw nut butter or if you’re using pre-toasted nuts; roasting gives the peanut butter a deeper flavor and also helps make the oils looser and easier to blend into a smooth butter.
- Pulse the peanuts until ground. Transfer the peanuts to a food processor fitted with the blade attachment or blender. If you toasted your nuts, do this while the nuts are still warm. Pulse a few times just until chopped.→ For chunky peanut butter, remove 1/2 cup of chopped nuts and set aside.
- Process for 1 minute. Run the food processor or blender continuously for 1 minute. Stop and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. At this point, the peanut butter will look gritty and dry, almost like couscous.
- Process for 1 minute. Run the food processor or blender continuously for another minute, then stop and scrape down the sides. At this point, the butter will start clumping together. It’s not quite peanut butter, but it’s getting there!
- Process for 1 minute. Run the food processor or blender continuously for another minute, then stop and scrape down the sides. At this point, the butter will be glossy and soft, like very thick peanut butter.
- Add the salt, oil, sweetener, and any other extras. Sprinkle the salt, oil, sweetener, and any other extras over the top of the peanut butter.
- Process for 1 to 2 additional minutes. Continue processing the butter until it becomes completely smooth. Homemade peanut butter will still be a little more gritty than Skippy peanut butter, but should be spreadable at this point. Taste and add more salt or other add-ins to taste. If you reserved some nuts for chunky peanut butter, add them now and pulse a few times to incorporate.
- Transfer the peanut butter to storage container. Scrape the peanut butter into a storage container, cover, and refrigerate. The peanut butter can be used immediately.
So, what makes peanut butter so delectable? In my opinion, it just is! Peanut butter is a delicious spread that can be slathered onto waffles, toast, apple slices and crackers. It can be creamy, crunchy and paired with jelly. Peanut butter is filling without being overbearing and is easy to eat without hesitation.
