New Exercise and Fitness Review
Vital Stats
Name: Anna Sward
Interests: Writing, Cooking, Weightlifting
Book: ‘Protein Pow(d)er: The Cookbook’
Occupation: Creator of Proteinpow.com
Education: BA, MA, PhD
Nut butters are great. Just a smear adds a healthy dose of protein to any meal—and it’s great on toast, on a crisp apple, or directly from a spoon. With a solid average of 15 grams of protein per tablespoon, nut butters are a welcome protein boost in most diets.
In the last year alone, I’ve noticed that dozens of new companies have sprung up selling fancy nut butters, many of them “enhanced” with protein. Most of them are really tasty, but they have one downfall that makes them fatal: They’re expensive—ridiculously expensive.
That’s why, instead of buying them, I make my own. It not only saves me money, but it also allows me to play around with flavors and create something designed specifically for my palate—all while meeting my daily macros.
Below you’ll find four recipes: one for plain homemade peanut butter and three for flavored peanut butter. The aim is to give you an idea of the blends you can create to turn your plain unflavored nut butters into spoon-licking sensations.
If you simply can’t be bothered to make your own nut butters, or you’re just feeling a bit lazy, you can follow the recipes below and add the protein-rich, flavor punch of ingredients to a store-bought plain nut butter. I encourage you to try and make your own at least once though, just so you can see how easy—and tasty—it really is!
1 Basic Homemade Peanut Butter Recipe
There’s nothing like snacking on this creamy peanut butter straight from the jar. When you have a hankering for the original, this recipe is the tops. Not only does it have the rich, silky smooth texture you’re used to, it’s also completely homemade! This original recipe taste great and works well as a base to which you can layer other flavors.
- 2 cups shelled, unroasted, unsalted peanuts (or your nut of choice; almonds are also great)
- 1-2 tbsp peanut or palm oil (optional, but good if you’re not managing to turn your nut butter from grainy to creamy)
- Spread the peanuts flat on a baking sheet.
- Roast them at 350 F (around 180 C) for 8-12 minutes. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn. You’ll know they’re ready when they appear brown and sweaty—that’s when they start releasing their oils.
- As soon as the nuts are ready, throw them in a food processor and pulse them for about 5 minutes. Stop every 30 seconds to give the mix a churn. While it might seem like it’s taking ages, your mixture will turn from a grainy mix to a creamy and beautiful butter. If, for whatever reason, you still have a grainy mixture after 5 minutes, add a bit of the oil to help the process along. While you don’t have to add the additional fat, it will help cut down on the time you have to stand there pulsing the nuts.
- Once your butter is ready, it’s time to flavor it! You can add some sea salt if you want it salty or, if you want it sweet, check out the recipes below. The macros listed are for the entire batch—serving size is up to your discretion.
Nutrition Facts
Recipe Yields: 1.5 cups
Amount per serving
Calories 1,708
Total Fat146g
Total Carbs62g
Protein70g
Important Notes On Flavoring and Protein-Packing
- Adding whey protein to your nut butters will make them a bit grainier. To counter this, play around with the proportions of whey to nut butter until you reach your desired consistency.
- If you want to up the protein content of your nut butters even more, you can use more of the whey protein. Just remember to bind it with the rest of the ingredients by adding a tiny bit of water into your mix—not a lot, though. Remember, we’re not making a soup here!
2 Butterscotch-And-Vanilla Peanut Butter
This is a great nut butter to have on top of a sweet slice of protein bread or a stack of protein pancakes. It’s sweet, but not overwhelmingly so, and the butterscotch and vanilla strike the perfect balance. Dare I say, it’s perfection.
- 3 tbsp peanut butter (45g)
- 1 tbsp vanilla whey protein powder
- 1/2 tsp vanilla pods
- 1/4 tsp natural butterscotch extract
- Using a food processor, mix all ingredients together until you get a creamy mix.
- Use to top a stack of flapjacks or any other sweet treat.
Nutrition Facts*
Recipe Yields: 3.5 tbsp
Amount per serving
Calories 289
Total Fat22g
Total Carbs5g
Protein18g
* When using a plain 100% peanut butter with no oils added.
3 Chocolate Peanut Butter
If you’re like me and consider the combination of peanuts and chocolate to be one of the most perfect unions on earth, you’re going to love this variation. The ingredients might seem pretty basic but, oh boy, does this mixture deliver!
- 3 tbsp nut butter (45 g)
- 1 tbsp chocolate whey protein powder
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp peanut flour (like PB2)
- Using a food processor, mix all of the ingredients together.
- If needed, add a tiny bit of water to further bind the mix together.
Nutrition Facts*
Recipe Yields: 4.5 tbsp
Amount per serving
Calories 381
Total Fat27g
Total Carbs10g
Protein25g
* When using a plain 100% peanut butter with no oils added.
4 Gingerbread Peanut Butter
Here’s a more festive type of nut butter, one that goes really well on top of pumpkin protein pancakes or gingerbread protein bread. After all, ’tis the season! Add your own flair to this butter—play around with the spices until you strike the perfect balance for your palate. Just have fun with this one, because it’s delicious!
- 3 tbsp nut butter (45 g)
- 1 tbsp vanilla whey protein powder
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- Using a food processor, mix all ingredients together.
- Taste the mix after you’re done to ensure that it hits the right spot. Add a bit more spice if you want your nut butter to have that extra punch.
Nutrition Facts*
Recipe Yields: 3.5 tbsp
Amount per serving
Calories 289
Total Fat22g
Total Carbs5g
Protein18g
* When using a plain 100% peanut butter with no oils added.
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About The Author
Healthy Snack Recipes: 4 Protein-Rich Nut Butters
