Honey Cinnamon Almond Butter

If you've never tried almond butter before then I urge you to give it a try! I used to be a faithful peanut butter lover until I first tried it, and now I'm addicted to almond butter. Not only is it delicious, but it's also a great source of healthy fats and protein. You can buy it at the store next to the peanut butter, but making your own is super easy and usually cheaper too (if you have a food processor). The addition of honey and cinnamon in this recipe are optional but definitely worth it and pair perfectly with the almonds.

Ingredients:

2 cups roasted, salted almonds - You can use natural almonds if you prefer, but I just like the flavour of roasted salted almonds better

1 Tbsp. liquid honey

1 tsp. cinnamon
You may also need just 1-2 tsp. of oil (either canola or coconut oil will work great) if the almond butter isn't coming together smoothly, depending on your food processor

Directions:

Put the almonds in a food processor and process on the highest speed until smooth. This will take about 5-10 minutes and you may have to stop and scrape down the sides of the processor with a rubber spatula a few times to ensure everything is evenly processed. At this point you can transfer the almond butter into a container and be finished if you just want plain almond butter.

Add in the honey and cinnamon and continue to process until combined. Once you add in the honey, the almond butter will become a little more thick and gummy, but don't worry it will still be smooth enough to spread. If you find the almond butter really isn't coming together smoothly after about 8-10 minutes of processing, try adding in 1-2 tsp. of oil. This should help to smooth it out.

Scoop the almond butter into a sealable container or jar and store in the refrigerator for up to one month. As with any natural nut butter, there may be some separation between the oil and the solids as it sits, but just give it a little stir before using to recombine them and it will be fine. Use as you would peanut butter!

*Recipe by Brooke McMillan