Equipment
Ingredients
Base
- 500 g raw blanched peanuts, whole
Seasoning & Adjustments
- 3 g sea salt
- 15 ml peanut oil
- 15 ml honey
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 188 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbohydrates
- 6 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 78 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Potassium
- 221 mg
- Calcium
- 29 mg
- Iron
- 1.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 53 mg
- Phosphorus
- 118 mg
- Zinc
- 1.0 mg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 0 mcg
- Folate
- 0 mcg
- Water
- 0 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 175°C/350°F. Spread the raw peanuts in a single even layer on a large baking sheet.
Roast the peanuts for 10-15 minutes. Shake the pan halfway through. The goal is a deep golden brown color and a strong roasted aroma. Watch closely in the final minutes to ensure they do not burn.
Remove from oven and let cool for exactly 5-10 minutes. They should still be warm to the touch (warm nuts release oil faster), but not hot enough to melt plastic processor parts.
Transfer warm peanuts to the food processor bowl. Process on high. The mixture will go through stages: first crumbs, then a dry ball, and finally it will collapse into a creamy liquid. This takes 2-5 minutes depending on machine power.
Once the butter is smooth and fluid, add the salt and optional sweetener. If the texture is still too thick or dry, add the optional oil 1 teaspoon at a time. Process for another 30-60 seconds to incorporate.
Pour into a clean, airtight jar. The butter will be liquid while warm but will firm up as it cools to room temperature.
Chef's Notes
- Patience is the only secret ingredient here. The transition from 'dry crumbs' to 'liquid gold' happens suddenly; resist the urge to add oil immediately.
- For 'crunchy' style, reserve 50g of roasted peanuts, chop them roughly by hand, and fold them in after the main batch is fully smooth.
- Spanish peanuts (red skins) have the highest oil content and often yield the smoothest butter, though Runner peanuts are the standard for consistency.
- If adding honey or maple syrup, the mixture may stiffen slightly due to the water content in the syrup seizing the oils. A splash of oil helps counteract this.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 months — Refrigeration prevents oil separation but hardens the texture. Let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.
Freezer: 6 months — Store in an airtight plastic container.
Troubleshooting
Mixture remains dry and crumbly after 5 minutes
Cause: Peanuts were too old/dry or food processor is underpowered
Fix: Add neutral oil (peanut or canola) 1 teaspoon at a time until smooth
Prevention: Use fresh, high-fat peanuts and process while warm
Peanut butter tastes bitter
Cause: Peanuts were roasted too dark (burnt)
Fix: Add a small amount of honey or sugar to mask bitterness, though burnt flavor is hard to hide
Prevention: Remove from oven immediately when they smell fragrant and look golden
Cultural Context
While the Incas and Aztecs ground roasted peanuts into paste centuries ago, modern smooth peanut butter was patented in the late 19th century in North America as a protein source for patients with bad teeth. It has since become a staple of the American pantry.
