This year I decided to give more homemade gifts. Nothing in stores have particularly caught my eye and I haven’t really jumped on the online shopping bandwagon quite yet. I was lucky this term to have dodged the final exam hell experience so my Christmas break started a week ago. With the extra week of vacation and being homebound from the snowfall, it was the perfect situation to make homemade almond butter. Gingerbread and chocolate orange almond butter!
We just had our fourth substantial snowfall last night. (Well by the time this post goes live it would have been a few nights ago.) I was going to use the word ‘major’ instead of ‘substantial’ but all other Canadians would scoff at us. But hey, Vancouver has barely gotten any snow since 2008. This year the snow has not only stuck and accumulated, but it has stayed for several days! There is actually hope for a White Christmas! I know snow causes traffic issues and exam delays, but the snow capped evergreen trees and white backyards are sure pleasant to look at. Every morning so far, my mom has come downstairs in her pajamas just to ooh and ahh at the pretty snowscape.
This particular snow day was spent rushing around the kitchen making eggnog waffles, more gingerbread muffins (because mom requested them), and these almond butters. I kid you not, I did not stop moving from 9am to 2pm. I even had a camera malfunction scare near the end. The shutter got stuck and every photo turned out black. Luckily, after dad did some figeting it worked again. But don’t worry, it will not take you 5 hours to make almond butter. In fact, after you roast the almonds, it should only take 10 to 15 minutes. Easy Christmas gifts, check!
When making the flavoured almond butters, the powders tend to cease up the butter, making it into a clump. That is why the extra oil is needed to keep your butter spreadable. If you like your nut butter more fluid, use the full tablespoon or even a bit more. If you like it more thick, use 2 teaspoons. I chose to go with coconut oil but any neutral flavoured vegetable oil will work.
- 1 lb. (454g or 3 cups) almonds
- If using raw almonds, spread them out in a single layer on a cookie sheet and toast them at 325°F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until fragrant and a few almonds are starting to crack in the middle. Feel free to give them a toss every 5 minutes; it's not absolutely necessary but will help the almonds evenly toast. Watch them like a hawk because they can go from perfectly toasted to burnt in seconds! If using roasted almonds, skip this step.
- Place all the almonds in a food processor and blend for 10 to 20 minutes, or until a butter forms. If the almonds are still warm, it will turn into a butter faster. Resist the urge to add any liquid or oil. Be patient and let the almonds naturally release their oils.
- Once a butter is achieved, transfer to containers or flavour them with the 2 festive combinations below!
Gingerbread Almond Butter
For each 1 cup of classic almond butter, add:
- 1 tbsp melted coconut oil
- 2 tsp molasses
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- A pinch of salt
Chocolate Orange Almond Butter
For each 1 cup of classic almond butter, add:
- 1 tbsp melted coconut oil
- 2 to 3 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- Zest of 1 orange
- A pinch of salt
YESSSS to Christmas flavored AB! I could see myself eating both flavors by the spoonful