Almond butter is easy to make in a food processor. It's much creamier and far less expensive than the store-bought version. Great for dipping apple slices or slathering on your morning toast.
Pour your almonds on a roasting sheet and place in the oven for 10 mintues on 325°F or 165°C. (No need to preheat.)
Take the almonds out of the oven and place in a food processor.
Blend almonds on high, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. This might take anywhere from 2 to 10 minutes depending on the power of your food processor.
After the almonds release thier oils and form a smooth paste, continue to blend another 3 to 4 minutes to improve creaminess.
Store in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Do not add water to the almonds while they are processing. Doing this will cause the almond butter to "break," and your almond butter will not come back together to form a smooth paste.
Optional ad-ins include salt, cinnamon, maple syrup, cocoa powder, etc.
This method will work with other types of nut butters, but if you want to make hazelnut butter, you'll need to remove the skins after the nuts come out of the oven. Just place the hazelnuts (about a ¼ cup at a time) into a clean kitchen towel and rub vigorously between your hands until the skins fall off.