Sunflower Seed Peanut Butter
I made a hybrid using both sunflower seeds and peanuts, and it’s creamy, drippy, has a velvety smooth texture, and is nothing like the texture of most commercially-made peanut butter. You’ll need a full-sized food processor, put the seeds in first, and let them process for 10 to 15 minutes, or until you see the early stages of sunflower seed butter before adding the peanuts. Nothing ‘bad’ can happen by ‘over-processing’ and if anything, the longer the better an ultra-smooth spread. It’s silky smooth with such rich flavors. It’ll be very hard to resist dipping you spoon into the jar over and over.
Ingredients
- 2 cups sunflower seeds shelled (I use roasted and lightly salted; use your favorite)
- 2 cups peanuts shelled (I used roasted and lightly salted here; honey roasted are excellent)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional and to taste
- pinch salt optional and to taste
Instructions
- To the canister of a full-sized food processor (not a mini, Magic Bullet, etc.), add sunflower seeds and process on high power until broken down, creamy and beginning to smooth out, about 10 to 20 minutes. Stop to scrape down the sides of the canister if necessary; however, I find the less scraping and interruptions, the better. The seeds go through stages: crushed, crushed into a fine powder, a paste, a thicker paste, a big ‘dough ball’, and then the ball breaks down into runnier sunflower seed butter.
- At the point the sunflower seed butter is runny or nearly so, add the peanuts through the feed tube. Process for about 10 minutes, or until the spread is as smooth, buttery, and as creamy as desired. I’ve never experienced harm in ‘over-processing’ and always process about 2 minutes more after I think the spread is done to ensure it’s as silky smooth as possible.
- Optionally, through the feed tube add vanilla, salt, and process until incorporated, about 1 minute.
- Transfer to an airtight container, preferably a glass jar with lid. Spread firms up some as it cools, but stays quite soft and runny; it doesn’t separate. Spread will keep airtight at room temperature for weeks and for months in the fridge (hardens some but softens at room temp). No preservatives are added so use common sense with storage. Recipe as written is vegan and gluten-free.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 16 ounces
Amount Per Serving
Calories 195
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1 | |
| Calories | 195kcal | 10% |
| Carbohydrates | 6g | 2% |
| Protein | 8g | 16% |
| Fat | 17g | 26% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 13g | 76% |
| Sodium | 1044mg | 44% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.