Honey Cinnamon Peanut Butter

We go through A LOT of peanut butter in my house.

And when I say a lot, I mean a lot. My husband is practically addicted to the stuff. So much so that he once asked me, "If we ever have a child with a peanut allergy, can we send them back?"

No joke.

A few months ago I decided I would try to start making peanut butter myself - hoping it might be more cost effective. And I mean, come on, it couldn't possibly be that hard. I only purchase natural peanut butter, which can get mighty pricey. Especially the way my husband goes through it - I buy a new jar at least every other week if not sooner. And that's really all him, I don't partake much in the peanut butter eating. He puts it on everything from oatmeal to bagels.

Yeah, I think the oatmeal thing is kinda weird too...

Regardless, making peanut butter really is not that challenging, as long as you have a good food processor and a lot of patience. Buying peanuts that are already roasted but still in the shell is a bit cheaper (you can purchase a 3-pound bag for between $5-$7, which will yield about 5 half-pint jars of peanut butter). But if you're looking to save yourself the 30-45 minutes of shelling and skinning 1 pound of these slippery little suckers - I would recommend buying a container of dry roasted, unsalted peanuts that are already naked.

This recipe is flavored with a bit of cinnamon and some honey - if you like your peanut butter unsweetened, you could certainly leave out the honey. If you like it sweeter, add more honey to taste. You could also leave out the cinnamon and just have plain peanut butter. It's delicious either way. Promise.

Honey Cinnamon Peanut Butter

Prep Time: 30-40 minutes

• 15 oz Roasted Peanuts, shelled and skinned (don't weigh them in the shells first, weigh them after they've been shelled, or you'll end up with too few)
• 2 tsp Honey
• 1 tsp Kosher Salt
• 2-3 Tbsp Peanut Oil
• 3/4 tsp ground Cinnamon

1. Measure out 1/2 cup of peanuts and set aside. Reserving these until the end will result in a chunky peanut butter. For smoother peanut butter, skip this step and place all of the peanuts in the food processor and begin with Step 2.
2. Place remainder of peanuts, honey, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Process continually for about 1-minute.
3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and replace lid. Turn processor on and slowly pour in 2 Tbsp of peanut oil - allowing processor to continue to run until the butter is smooth.
4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again and add the cinnamon. Process until combined, 1 1/2 - 2 minutes. If the nut butter looks dry or is not coming together, add more peanut oil 1/2 Tbsp at a time. Pour in while processor is running, as before, until butter comes together and resembles the consistency of store-bought peanut butter. Peanut butter should have an oily sheen and be spreadable, but not too runny.
5. Add the reserved 1/2 cup of peanuts and pulse until slightly broken down and combined, 10-12 times.
6. Spoon into mason jars or another air-tight container. Will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 months - although I don't think it will last that long!

*Adapted from: Alton Brown*

~ NOTE: To cut down on overall prep time, use peanuts that have already been shelled/skinned. I would recommend dry-roasted peanuts that are unsalted.

Happy gluten-free cooking!