Got a friend who loves almond butter? Gift a jar (or two!) of this sinfully delicious sweet-salty almond butter. Since this almond butter is so good, consider attaching a spoon to the jar with ribbon so the treat can be savored right away.
Ingredients
- 3 1/4 cups raw, unsalted whole almonds
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon almond oil or vegetable oil, plus additional oil if needed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Salt to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 325° F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Combine the almonds, maple syrup and oil in a medium bowl. Stir to combine. Spread evenly onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 9 minutes. Remove pan from the oven. Carefully stir the almonds. Return pan to oven and bake until golden brown, about another 9 minutes.
Remove pan from the oven. Let sit until cool to touch, about 25 minutes.
Remove ¼ cup almonds from the pan and set aside. Place almonds into a large food processor or high-powered blender. Process until the nuts are smooth. This takes several minutes. If the nuts seem dry, stop food processor and add an additional 2 teaspoons vegetable oil.
Pour almond butter into a small bowl. Chop reserved almonds until fine. Stir chopped almonds into almond butter. Add vanilla extract. Stir. Season with salt to taste. Spoon almond butter into a pint jar. Cover. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
Nutritional Analysis:
Calories: 350, Carbohydrates: 17 g, Protein: 9 g, Fat: 30 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 10 mg, Fiber: 6 g
