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Made with slow-roasted almonds, a splash of maple syrup, and a pinch of salt, this roasted blanched almond butter is incredibly smooth, deeply nutty, and perfectly balanced between sweet and salty. Swirl it into oatmeal, spread on toast or crêpes, or even use it as a base to make sauces!
Do we need a guide on how to make almond butter? Absolutely! So many things can impact the result, including texture and flavor.
I have been improving my recipe each and every time until I made the best batch I have ever made.
The difference between this recipe and your basic almond butter lies in the ingredients and process. Here, I use blanched almonds that are slow-roasted for almost 2 hours with maple syrup and salt. It results in the smoothest and tastiest almond butter. Ever.
If you have ever tried Barney’s almond butter, this one is very similar but a bit thinner as it contains no palm oil or refined sugar. Let’s do it!
⭐️ Why It’s a Must-Try
Creamier, smoother, better than ever.
It’s time to say goodbye to gritty and bitter almond butter. I was not the biggest fan of almond butter myself until I tried blanched almond butter. And I’m not talking about the raw, bland kind with that pale beige color. Nope, I’m talking about the roasted, rich, nutty version!
My almond butter is exactly that – ultra creamy, perfectly nutty (think bold flavor without any bitterness), wonderfully rich, and balanced with just the right touch of sweetness and saltiness. I have no doubt that once you try it, you won’t go back to the regular kind!
4 ingredients. Simple process.
You will need only four ingredients: raw blanched almonds, maple syrup, oil, and salt. The process is easy – just toss the almonds with the rest of the ingredients, spread them out on a baking sheet, and roast until golden brown. After that, it’s just a matter of blending until you get a smooth, creamy almond butter!
Pro tip: Roasting time and temperature greatly impact the flavor of your almond butter. If you roast too briefly, the flavor will be flat. Too long, and you risk a bitter aftertaste. I had the best results by slow-roasting the almonds. This technique makes almonds evenly roasted from the inside out. Plus, you have fewer chances of burning them. Don’t worry, I will walk you through all the details in the instructions below!
Readers love it!
Don’t just take my word for it, see what readers are saying!
Ellie, a reader, said: “I can’t tell you how happy this recipe makes me! It’s AMAZING! I really disliked store-bought almond butter, but this stuff is even better than peanut butter! My cheap blender struggled mightily, however, so I’m already planning on getting a new one just to make more of this. ★★★★★”
Toastie said: “I followed the recipe precisely and the outcome was silky smooth golden almond butter with perfectly balanced flavours. Far better than any other almond butter I have tried. ★★★★★”
Birgit said: “Oh my! This is the most delicious almond butter I’ve ever had! Or any nut butter, for that matter! Kid approved, too, btw. Even the “I don’t like nut butter!” kid asked for it on bread with some homemade jelly! Thank you for the great recipe! ★★★★★”
📘 What Is Almond Butter?
Almond butter is a condiment made from either raw or roasted almonds processed into a paste. It’s similar to peanut butter but made with almonds!
🧺 A Quick Look at the Ingredients
Almonds
The “secret” to get super smooth and delicious almond butter is to start with blanched almonds. Leaving the skin out gives you a creamier consistency (bye-bye grittiness!) and an overall better flavor.
I used to blanch almonds by myself, and trust me, it’s very time-consuming. Save yourself the time and effort by buying them already blanched. Totally worth it!
Best almonds to use: If you can find Marcona almonds, go for them. They are rounder and a bit sweeter than regular almonds. Don’t worry if you can’t get your hands on it, though. This recipe works great with traditional blanched almonds! Note: The almonds in the photos of this article are regular blanched almonds, but my favorites are still Marcona!
Love almonds? How about taking a look at my praliné paste recipe (caramelized hazelnuts + almonds) or these sweet and salty almonds!
Maple syrup
I use maple syrup to add a very subtle sweetness and help the almonds caramelize.
Substitute: Feel free to replace the maple syrup with agave syrup or regular granulated white sugar.
Oil
Not much, just a tablespoon to help the salt stick to the almonds during roasting.
Salt
A generous pinch of salt enhances the nuttiness of the almonds!
🥣 Here’s How to Do It
- Toss the almonds. In a large mixing bowl, combine the almonds, maple syrup, oil, and salt. Toss to coat.
- Transfer to a baking sheet. Next, transfer the almonds to a baking sheet and spread them into an even layer.
- Roast. Roast for roughly 1 hour and 50 minutes, stirring halfway through baking, or until the almonds are golden brown.
To ensure your almonds are perfectly roasted, remove one from the oven, let it cool for 3-5 minutes. Break it in half. It should snap, and the inside should be evenly golden brown. If it’s still pale in the center, roast for a few more minutes.
- Let them cool. Let the almonds cool for 10-15 minutes before transferring to a blender.
- Blend. Transfer the roasted almonds to a powerful blender. Blend at high speed for 5-8 minutes, scraping down the sides if needed, until it is very smooth. At first, it turns into a powder, then a thick paste, and finally into smooth butter. The longer your blend, the smoother the almond butter.
Blender vs. Food Processor
I have tried this recipe with both a blender and a food processor. Both work, but the blender is the best option as it yields a much smoother consistency.
Don’t waste the leftovers!
After transferring your almond butter to a jar, you will probably have some sticking to the sides of your blender. Just add about 2 cups of water and blend for 10–15 seconds. You’ve got yourself a quick almond milk! Strain it through a fine mesh sieve and use it in baking, to cook your morning oats, or simply enjoy it on its own!
📔 Tips
Adjust the baking time.
Depending on the size of your almonds and your oven, you might have to slightly decrease the baking time. For Marcona almonds, I found the sweet spot to be 1 hour and 50 minutes. If you’re using smaller almonds, though, you’ll likely need to decrease baking time by about 15 minutes.
Use a powerful blender.
If you are using a basic smoothie blender, I would suggest skipping this recipe, as you might struggle to achieve a smooth consistency. With that being said, any good-quality blender will work great! For reference, I use a 1300W, and it took roughly 5 minutes for the almonds to turn into a thin paste.
Don’t be afraid to keep blending!
It might be tempting to stop blending once the almonds turn into a powder or a thick paste, but for that super smooth texture, you need to keep going. I’ve heard from a few readers that their almond butter turned out a bit grainy. That’s usually just because they didn’t blend long enough.
🍫 Tweak It!
Here are a few fun ways to customize it:
- Crunchy: Set aside about 1/2 cup of the almonds before blending the rest into a creamy butter. Next, add the almonds and blend for 5-7 seconds or until the almonds are roughly chopped. Alternatively, you can chop them by yourself and then add them to the almond butter.
- Vanilla: Add either a teaspoon of vanilla extract or the seeds from one vanilla bean before blending.
- Chocolate: Add 2-3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder.
😋 What to Enjoy It With
You can use this almond butter basically anywhere you would use peanut butter. This means you can use it to make almond butter and jelly sandwiches, smoothies, drizzle on top of crêpes or waffles, or add a dollop to your morning oatmeal!
It also works great in salad dressings or pasta sauces!
❄️ Storing
- To store: You can store this almond butter for several months at room temperature. Keep in mind that the oil might separate after a few weeks. This is normal. Just give it a good stir.
💬 FAQs
It’s not. You can barely taste any sweetness. The maple syrup just helps create a hint of caramelized flavor and balance the subtle bitterness of the almonds.
Yes, you can completely omit the maple syrup for sugar-free almond butter.
Sure! Once your almond butter has reached a smooth consistency, add 1-3 tablespoons of powdered sugar and blend for another 10-15 seconds. Do not try adding any liquid sweetener, as this would cause the almond butter to thicken into a grainy paste.
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How to Make the Best Almond Butter
Ingredients
- 2 cup (300 g) raw blanched almonds (Marcona if possible)
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) maple syrup
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to
240 °F (115°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. - Toss the almonds. In a large mixing bowl, combine the almonds, maple syrup, oil, and salt. Toss to coat.
- Transfer to a baking sheet. Next, transfer the almonds to the prepared baking sheet and spread them into an even layer.
- Roast. Roast for roughly 1 hour and 50 minutes, stirring halfway through baking, or until the almonds are golden brown.Note: To ensure your almonds are perfectly roasted, remove one from the oven, let it cool for 3-5 minutes. Break it in half. It should snap, and the inside should be evenly golden brown. If it’s still pale in the center, roast for a few more minutes.
- Let them cool. Let the almonds cool for 10-15 minutes before transferring to a blender.
- Blend. Transfer the roasted almonds to a powerful blender. Blend at high speed for 5-8 minutes, scraping down the sides if needed, until it is very smooth. At first, it turns into a powder, then a thick paste, and finally into smooth butter. The longer your blend, the smoother the almond butter.
- Transfer the almond butter to a clean glass jar. You can store this almond butter for several months at room temperature. Keep in mind that the oil might separate after a few weeks. This is normal. Just give it a good stir.
Notes
Adjust the baking time.
Depending on the size of your almonds and your oven, you might have to slightly decrease the baking time. For Marcona almonds, I found the sweet spot to be 1 hour and 50 minutes. If you’re using smaller almonds, though, you’ll likely need to decrease baking time by about 15 minutes.Use a powerful blender.
If you are using a basic smoothie blender, I would suggest skipping this recipe, as you might struggle to achieve a smooth consistency. With that being said, any good-quality blender will work great! For reference, I use a 1300W, and it took roughly 5 minutes for the almonds to turn into a thin paste.Don’t be afraid to keep blending!
It might be tempting to stop blending once the almonds turn into a powder or a thick paste, but for that super smooth texture, you need to keep going. I’ve heard from a few readers that their almond butter turned out a bit grainy. That’s usually just because they didn’t blend long enough.Nutrition
Note: This recipe was first released in July 2018 and updated with new process shots and detailed instructions in June 2025. You can see the older photos below.
About the Author
Thomas Pagot is the founder, photographer, and recipe developer behind Full of Plants. He created the blog in 2016 as a personal cookbook for vegan recipes. Through years of recipe development, Thomas has successfully grown Full of Plants into a trusted resource for plant-based recipes.
Leave a Comment
Just attaching correct email for the above. T
Hi. If I use slivered blanched almonds which are already in the pantry here then how long do you think they should be roasted?
I plan to make a turmeric humus with this almond butter.
Thank you!
Hi Tess,
I’m afraid I have no idea as slivered almonds will roast very quickly. Maybe half the roasting time?
It look amazing. Will try it. Thank you for sharing!
I did SO many things “wrong” with this recipe and still wound up having the BEST almond butter ever. I refuse to buy store-bought because I never like them, but I have a big bag of pre-sliced almonds (not blanched as the slices still have skin) AND I didn’t go back and re-read the instructions so I wound up roasting my almonds without the oil and syrup (doh!). Fortunately (?), I just experimented with a half batch.
1. I used sliced (non-blanched) not whole
2. I roasted in my Ninja Multi-Purpose Air Fryer (290, 20min + 10min).
3. Added the remaining ingredients and processed. Had to add a couple Tb of water to loosen, most likely since they didn’t get the oiled roasting.
So yes, it didn’t get entirely creamy, but it was creamy enough and the flavor was amazing! Thanks Thomas for creating a recipe so amazing it could withstand my booboos and still taste great. Will definitely make again, the right way!
Glad you still liked the recipe Sharise! Be careful not to add water next time as it will usually thicken your almond butter and reduce its shelf life.
This is delicious! I modified only slightly as follows: reduced the maple syrup to 2 Tbsp and I added some salt during the blending process. Thank you for the recipe!
You are welcome Liz! Glad you liked this almond butter 😉
I followed the recipe precisely and the outcome was silky smooth golden almond butter with perfectly balanced flavours. Far better than any other almond butter I have tried. I’m so impressed I now have blanched hazelnuts slow roasting in the oven to make more nut butter.
So glad you liked this almond butter! Thanks for sharing your feedback 😉
Can I use honey instead of maple syrup ?
That should work!
I’ve only got a 700W blender and it was struggling a bit so my butter isn’t as gorgeously smooth as yours looks but this is a very tasty recipe. I will definitely be making this again although hopefully with a better blender next time!
Thanks for your feedback Billy 🙂
I’m going to add my voice to the choir of praise with this simple but oh-so-effective recipe which turned out marvellously well! I just finished my first-ever batch of almond butter, following your instructions to a fault and there it is, in my jar, smooth and tasty as possible. I thought there may be some liquid to add before the blending, but no, and I double checked the time needed, so I can testify to the fact that yes, you do need to mix it for quite a while before the almonds first turn into a coarse sand, then a flour and finally a smooth cream that tastes heavenly.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you again, Thomas, for sharing!
Petite note en français aux francophones, donc, recette extra qui m’a permis de réussir sans encombre ma première verrine de beurre d’amandes avec un goût exquis et une saveur sucrée qui n’est pas écoeurante (juste 3 petites cuillers de sirop d’érable, rien de bien méchant). J’ai utilisé de l’huile de pépins de raisins pour sa neutralité). Une vraie réussite. Je vais tenter à présent la bûche dont la recette se trouve sur le blog aussi et si c’est un succès, je vous dirai. 🙂
Avec toute ma reconnaissance,
Aurélia
Merci beaucoup pour ton retour Aurélia, content que la recette t’ai plue !
Thx Thomas! After reading many nut butter recipes, I’m going with yours – I like slow roasting the almonds (vs burning ) and how creamy smooth yours looks.
I know I’m lucky here in No CA, USA to have fresh, raw almonds from a ranch nearby. Do support local farmers whenever possible, for your sake as well as theirs! These make the best almond milk. I presoak the raw almonds overnight, changing the salted (helps w/enzymes) water a few times as needed. Then the skins slip off easily too next morning.
I’ll make this later today and let you know my thoughts in an update. Note: I plan on using almond extract and vanilla both.
Hope you will like it Marlene!
Have you ever canned vegan butter,, if so how?
Canned butter? I have never heard of or tried that, sorry.
I can’t tell you how happy this recipe makes me! It’s AMAZING! I really disliked store-bought almond butter, but this stuff is even better than peanut butter! My cheap blender struggled mightily, however, so I’m already planning on getting a new one just to make more of this.
Thank you! You should do this to peanut butter, too 🙂
Thanks Ellie, glad you liked this recipe 🙂
Regarding peanut butter, peanuts are already shelled and usually we use them without the skin already.
I don’t know what I did mines crumbled
Crumbled?
Hi Thomas, have been looking for a good recipe for sometime now and tried it as per your steps and very happy with the outcome………smooth and absolutely tasty, the best I’ve tasted compared to store bought varieties. Thank you for sharing. Look forward to trying out some of your other recipes as well.
Awesome! Glad you like this almond butter 😉
Can I use “slivered” almonds? I’ m assuming just bake less time? I’ve tried other recipes and it didn’t turn out, even with oil it was much too dry. Your recipe seems wonderful! Cant wait to try it.
I DID IT! I used the slivered almonds, It is delicious and looks just like the picture! I only baked it for 1 hr and 14 min. (first 40 min, then 30 min, then 4 min) then I was concerned that I over bake, but probably could have baked a little longer. I used my vitamix, it took no where close to 10 min, but I really don’t know how long I blended it. The hardest part of this process was getting it out of my Vitamix. LOL. It was a little too sweet for me. I’ll use half or 1/3 of the maple syrup next time. Thank you for this delicious and easy recipe!
Awesome! So glad you liked this recipe Cissa!
Regarding the sweetness, did you weight the almonds or used the same amount in cups for silvered as noted for whole almonds? I guess volume is a bit different.
I did not weigh them, just measured 2 C. That is actually the whole package that I bought. Fisher brand, bought at Walmart. Thanks for this recipe! My husband loves it!
I used 2 cups, the whole package that I got at the grocer, a common brand found in the baking dept. I don’t know the weight, and the package is gone now. My husband loves it. It will be a staple in my home!
As long as you like it! Thanks for the feedback 🙂
Ohmygod! This is delicious and so much better than store bought! I blanched my own almonds cos it’s cheaper and it’s easy… boil them for 1 minute, run under cold water and squeeze them gently, skin will pop right off xxx
Good tip, Kathryn. I was buying the blanched almonds which are quite expensive. Thanks.
Thanks so much for your rating Kathryn! 🙂
Can I try it without maple syrup
No you can not. The audacity!
Thank you very much Thomas!! Your recipe banana bread Is beautiful!!
You’re welcome!
Hi Thomas, I’m very excited to discover your page and try things out!
What oil did you use?
Hi Jane,
Any neutral oil will work, I usually use rapeseed oil.
The taste of this almond butter is great. I only have a food processor so I have to be happy with a more granular butter.
Glad you like it Charles! The longer you process the smoother! Also, it helps to make a double batch if using a food processor, it usually yields a smoother texture.
Work to roast almonds plain, then add the syrup, oil, and salt when starting them in the blender?
Work to roast almonds plain, then add the syrup, oil, and salt when starting them in the blender?
Update: I went ahead and tried it that way; it seemed to work well.
PS – Those on a vegan diet better supplement certain vitamins, like some of the B’s that are only/mostly in meat.
What does being vegan or not have to do with making almond butter?
Oh my! This is the most delicious almond butter I’ve ever had! Or any nut butter, for that matter! Kid approved, too, btw. Even the “I don’t like nut butter!” kid asked for it on bread with some homemade jelly! Thank you for the great recipe!
Awesome! I’m so happy to hear you and your kids liked this almond butter 😉
Thanks for the feedback and rating Birgit!
Hi Thomas, it looks absolutely perfect !! As I am fond of low temperature cooking, I am going to do it 🙂
Do you need a super blender to do it (2000 W) or a 1000 W blender is sufficient?
Thanks for sharing !
Hi Claire,
Thanks! 1000W should be enough, mine is 1200W and the butter is very smooth! Just be patient and let it run until you are satisfied with the texture 😉
This is definitely the smoothest looking almond butter I’ve ever seen! At some point I gave up on making an almond butter version of my favorite peanut butter cookies, because they were never smooth enough and always got kind of crumbly and gritty. I sort of declared to myself that almond butter just couldn’t work as a stand-in for peanut butter because of the texture, but I feel like your version without the skins and with slow roasting might be a game changer on that. Thanks for sharing, I’m really excited to try it out! Did you ever try it without the added sweetener?
Thank you Shannon! Well, I guess you won’t find your cookies gritty with this one 😉 I haven’t tried without added sweetener though, but I think it should work pretty well too. Even with the added maple syrup, it’s not overly sweet and you can still use it in savory dishes.