Sweet sprouted almonds make the best almond butter, period. With this easy method, you can make your own delicious homemade sprouted almonds butter that is more nutritionally dense and tastes far superior to anything you buy at the store. Not to mention, it is customizable with your favorite stir-ins and significantly cheaper than ones you find elsewhere. Once you try this creamy and sweet sprouted almond butter, you’ll be convinced this is the best there is!

Why Sprout your Almonds?

Sprouting almonds is not intended to make things harder or to add another step to a recipe.  Sprouting your nuts and seed like almonds actually has a nutritional and dietary purpose!

When you sprout foods like nut, seeds, beans and grains, you increase the bioavailability of the nutrients within them by reducing the levels of phytates that exist in the seed.  Phytates, also known as phytic acid is actually an antioxidant, but has a negative impact on the absorption of minerals such as zinc, magnesium, calcium, and iron.  It does this by binding to these minerals and hindering their absorption in your small intestine [1].

By sprouting your lentils before eating, you reduce the amount of phytates in the seed, therefore increasing the absorption of minerals from your meal.  Sprouting also increases the nutrient content of the seeds as well as the fiber and protein content by making the nutrients more available.

• “Soaking removes or reduces phytic acid and tannins as well as neutralizes toxins and enzyme inhibitors.
• Soaking almonds also releases enzymes, which in turn help with digestion.
• Vitamin E in soaked almonds works as an antioxidant, which inhibits free radical damage that prevents aging and inflammation.
• Soaking makes the proteins more readily available and increases the amounts of vitamins, especially A, C and B vitamins.
• Soaked almonds help in lowering and maintaining glucose levels and regulating high blood pressure.”

Why Almonds are So Good For You!

Almonds originated from the western regions of China and Asia and eventually made their way for cultivation around the world. Almonds are members of the prunus family which included stone fruits such as peaches, plums, and cherries. There are two types of almonds, bitter and sweet, with sweet almonds being the ones that we know and have grown to love from almond butter, to nutritious snacking. Let’s dive into some nutrition facts!

Vitamins

• Vitamin B2 (riboflavin): Converts carbohydrates to adenosine triphosphate (ATP) which supports energy production [1].
• Vitamin B3 (niacin): Essential in healthy metabolism, supports healthy cholesterol and blood pressure [2].
• Vitamin E: A powerful Antioxidant that is essential in vision health, skin health, and reproductive health [3]. It also works to reduce oxidative stress by neutralizing free radicals that are produced during metabolic processes or from environmental exposure.

Minerals

• Copper: Essential in the production of red blood cells.
• Manganese:  Necessary in brain and nervous system health and supports metabolic pathways.
• Iron: Iron is an essential mineral that your body needs and in plants we have non-heme iron.  Non-heme iron is more difficult for our bodies to absorb [1], so pairing it with vitamin C rich foods, such as a homemade jam increases the absorption of the non-heme iron in our diets.
• Calcium: The most abundant mineral in the body and is essential in maintaining health teeth and bones as well as heart, muscle and nerve function [4].
• Magnesium: A mineral that is essential in healthy metabolism, nervous system regulation, detoxification, and blood sugar regulation.
• Potassium: Plays a role in your body’s hydration and cellular fluid balance, with sodium being the counter balance.

Fiber

• Insoluble fiber: Almonds are a fabulous source of insoluble fiber which helps in keeping things moving along the GI tract and also aids with toxin and waste elimination.

So grab some raw organic almonds, and let’s get sprouting!

Stir-ins to Add to your Sprouted Almond Butter

My go to is usually just a pinch of sea salt, however, sometimes I love to jazz things up and here are a few suggestions of some stir-ins to add to your homemade almond butter:

• Ground Cinnamon
• Ground Cloves
• Pumpkin Spice
• Maple Syrup
• Pure Honey
• Raw Cacao Powder
• Shredded Coconut
• Pure Vanilla Extract
• Ground Cardamom

Let’s your tastebuds guide the way, I’m sure whatever you choose, it won’t last long!

Sprouted Almond Butter Ingredients

Makes approximately 12 ounces

2 cups Raw Organic Almonds

1 tsp Fine Sea Salt or Pink Salt

6 cups Cool Filtered Water

How to Make Sprouted Almond Butter

1.  Add the almonds to a medium bowl and cover with 6 cups of cool filtered water. 

2.  Add the salt and give it a quick stir.

3.  Set aside and let the nuts soak at least 8-hours to overnight.

4.  After the nuts are done soaking, drain them into a colander and give them a quick rinse.

5.  Spread them in an even layer over a rimmed baking sheet or in a dehydrator.

6.  Dehydrator: set the temperature to 110-115 degrees and dry until the nuts are dry, around 6-10 hours. Stir the almonds every few hours to rotate.

Oven: set the oven temperature to the lowest setting (my oven goes to 170 degrees) and bake the almonds for about 90-minutes to 2-hours with the door slightly open until the almond are dry.*  Stir the almonds every 30-minutes to rotate and test the almonds.

7.  While the almonds are still warm, add them to a high speed food processor or high speed blender (I love my Vitamix!)  and process until the almonds come together as almond butter. 

• You may need to stop and scrape the sides a few times in-between.
• If you do not have a high speed, powerful food processor or blender add a few tablespoons of high quality oil (avocado, MCT, coconut) once the almonds have been processed for a few minutes.  This will help the almond butter come together easier.

8.  Add in any flavors you want: sea salt, cinnamon, honey, etc.

9.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 2-weeks.

Enjoy!

*I like to stick an oven mitt at the top of the oven door to allow the heat to dissipate so it keeps the oven a little cooler preventing the almonds from roasting.

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FAQs

Q: My almond butter isn’t coming together as smoothly as I like, what can I do to help it along?

A: Add some neutral oil, like avocado oil or MCT oil, 1 Tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.

Q: Do I have to sprout my almonds before making the almond butter?

A: No, you don’t, but by sprouting your almonds first you increase the nutrient density of your almond butter.

Q: I dried my almonds too long, is there a way to save them for the almond butter?

A: Sometimes if I over dehydrated my almonds, I’ll just add them to a jar and use them for salads or snacking, however, you can still use them, just add some neutral oil, like avocado or MCT, to the almonds while they are processing until a creamy consistency is reached.

Q: Is it normal that my almond butter separates in the refrigerator?

A: Yes, it is completely normal for the natural oils to separate out from the almond butter. Just give it a quick stir and you’re all set.

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