Makes 16 ounces (about 2 cups)
I hoard nuts in my freezer like no one’s business! Cold temperatures keep the nuts from going rancid. I just toast them for optimum freshness. Sometimes, when the freezer gets too full and I need to make space, I’ll whip up some homemade nut butter, which is as simple as whizzing the nuts in a food processor until smooth and creamy. I make homemade chocolate-hazelnut spread, gingerbread pecan butter, and salted chocolate walnut butter, but my all-time favorite is actually mixed nut butter—I love how the flavors come together, and the seeds offer incredible texture and crunch (plus, there’s more room in the freezer when I use those up too!). Don’t worry about measurements here; they’re just a suggestion.
1 pound assorted raw nuts, such as almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, and cashews (about 3½ cups)
1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
2 teaspoons hemp seeds
2 teaspoons chia seeds
2 teaspoons flax seeds
1 Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2 Spread the nuts on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until they are toasted and fragrant.
3 Transfer the nuts to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the S blade. Add the salt and blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed (this can take a few minutes, depending on your machine’s power).
4 Transfer the nut butter to a 16-ounce glass jar. Stir in the hemp, chia, and flax seeds and mix with a spoon until evenly distributed.
5 Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 month.
6 Serving suggestions: Spread the nut butter on toast and drizzle with honey or jam; sandwich between crackers; use as a dip for pretzels; spread over apples or bananas; drizzle into yogurt.