Cinnamon Almond Butter Whip

One of the reasons I wanted a Vitamix so badly was so I could make my own almond butter, since I was practically living off the stuff, and it can be quite expensive. I was polishing off about 2 jars a week, which if you are lucky and can get to a Trader Joe's or Whole Foods, is 10 bucks each week to feed the addiction. And that's with settling and going non-organic! Organic cost at least twice as much (I've seen it at $14.99 a jar) and would definitely be the better choice, especially when eating so much of it. But with a Vitamix I can make my own organic almond butter for less than the non-organic $4.99/ 16 oz jar price. Fun!

I've read up a lot on using the Vitamix for making almond butter and it seemed that many people weren't having success, which made me apprehensive to give it a go. I already loved the machine so much and didn't want to be disappointed! But yesterday I bit the bullet and made my first batch using raw almonds, cinnamon and a touch of coconut oil. Recently, I've taken to adding cinnamon to my heaps of almond butter before smearing it onto my fruits and veggies, so I thought it would nice to incorporate it into the recipe. Originally, the goal was to make an almond butter that didn't require any extra oil, but one thing I love about cooking is thinking on your feet and improvising, so that's what I did and the results were absolutely delicious! Here is the recipe:

CINNAMON ALMOND BUTTER WHIP makes approx. 13 oz
2 cups raw* unsalted organic almonds
1/2 T cinnamon
1 TB coconut oil

Preheat the oven to WARM. Place almond on a baking sheet (line with parchment paper if you prefer) and put in oven for 10 minutes. You don't want to roast the nuts, but get them to a temperature where they release their oils. The almonds will be warm to the touch. Throw them in the Vitamix and turn the machine on, turn to 10 quickly, then set to high and with the tamper push the nuts into the blades. The almonds will release steam and turn to a meal/powder before turning into a butter. The container will get very warm. After about 2 minutes, turn the machine off and add cinnamon and coconut oil. Scrape down the sides of the container and again, turn the machine on, turn to 10 quickly, then set to high and use tamper. Run the machine for an additional 2 minutes or so, stopping to check for the desired consistency. Use a silicone spatula to scoop out the butter and place into a jar. Let cool (do not refrigerate).



I used a Bonne Maman preserves jar (I keep all glass jars that make their way into the apartment- they are incredibly useful and a shame to waste) and the butter fit perfectly. After about an hour, EH and I had a taste and it was so smooth and delicious and an amazing whipped texture! Talk about happy accidents! I am keeping this unrefrigerated because I don't want it to harden, and coconut oil solidifies below 76 degrees F. Besides, it won't last long. See:



* Most almonds that are labeled "raw" are not actually raw because they are pasteurized, which uses high heat. The term "raw" on the packaging of almonds is more commonly used to differentiate them from "roasted". To get truly raw almonds, look for unpasteurized.