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DIY sunflower seed butter is a delicious and nutritious alternative to peanut butter. Learn how to make it with no added oil, little money and minimal effort! A keto option is available.
Table of Contents
- Sunflower Seed Butter Instead of Peanut Butter
- Ingredients
- How to Make Sunflower Seed Butter
- Step One: Roast the Sunflower Seeds
- Step Two: Grind the Seeds
- Step 3: Keep Processing!
- How Should I Store DIY Sunflower Seed Butter?
- Keto Option
- Try it in a Cookie Recipe
- Related Posts:
- DIY Sunflower Seed Butter (oil-free, keto option) Recipe
Sunflower Seed Butter Instead of Peanut Butter
This post is for my sister, Rebecca. Love you, sis.
Rebecca is allergic to peanuts. When we were growing up, she had to fight to convince people that her allergy was “real.” On many occasions (school, friends’ houses, parties), otherwise well-meaning adults would serve her something with “just a little bit of peanuts or peanut butter.” It couldn’t hurt, right? Wrong. It hurt, a lot. I think the repeat experiences contributed to her strength and outspokenness in adulthood.
Flash forward a few decades and (hallelujah!) understanding and acceptance of food allergies has skyrocketed. Along with it, a multitude of allergy-friendly products are making allergy-friendly eating safe, easy, and delicious. But, oy vey, the prices! Until allergy-friendly staples drop closer to “regular” food options, it’s good to have plenty of simple, homemade alternatives.
One of my favorites (and my sister’s, too) is Sunflower Seed Butter, the perfect (and possibly, superior!) alternative to peanut butter. It is eat-off-of-the-spoon scrumptious. Best of all, it can be made with ease for a fraction of the cost of ready-made varieties.
Ingredients
The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post. Toggle between US Customary (volume) and Metric (weights) for preferred measurement option.
- raw sunflower seed kernels (hulled sunflower seeds)–or use roasted!
- coconut sugar (see the notes in the recipe card for keto and other options)
- salt
How to Make Sunflower Seed Butter
Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.
Making sunflower seed butter requires two steps:
- Roasting the sunflower seeds.
- Grinding the sunflower seeds.
The first step takes about 20 minutes of unattended time. The second step takes less time (10 to 15 minutes) but more patience (due to stopping and scraping the mixture as you go). Nevertheless, it is still a simple process (no nut or seed grinding experience required!).
Step One: Roast the Sunflower Seeds
If you are using roasted sunflower seed kernels, skip this step.
Spread 3 cups of raw, hulled sunflower seeds on a large rimmed baking sheet. Push the seeds away from the edges of the sheet pan (1/2 inch or so will do). The seeds can over-brown if they are touching the hot edges.
Roast for 10 minutes at 350F. Open the oven and stir the seeds (for more even browning). Continue roasting for another 8 minutes until golden brown and fragrant.
Watch closely during the final minutes; the seeds can go from brown to black quickly in the final minutes if you are not paying attention (it has happened to me more than once when I was distracted).
Immediately transfer the seeds to the container of a food processor or high-speed blender. You want to get them off of the hot pan so they do not continue browning. Cool completely.
Step Two: Grind the Seeds
Once the seeds have cooled completely, commence grinding!
First, process the seeds until they resemble a coarse flour. Stop and scrape the container, then process again until the flour begins to clump together. Stop and scrape (again :)) and process until the mixture turns into a thick, rough seed butter. It will ball up against the blade. Stop and scrape down the sides again.
Step 3: Keep Processing!
You are almost there! Remember, this is the patience portion I alluded to earlier. Continue to process, stopping and scraping the bowl every once in awhile, until the mixture transforms from a stiff, dry-looking blob to a smooth, drippy seed butter. The continued processing allows the oils to further break down, resulting in a creamy, dreamy spread.
This last phase will take about 4 or 5 minutes. It is soooo worth the wait!
Once the seed butter is smooth, add the coconut sugar and salt (as desired). I have options for using other sweeteners. You can leave out the sugar, too.
One batch will make 2 cups of sunflower seed butter.
How Should I Store DIY Sunflower Seed Butter?
Transfer the sunflower seed butter to jars or other airtight containers and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 months (ha! It never lasts that long at my house :)).
Keto Option
The sunflower seed butter is 100% keto if you (1) leave out the sugar or (2) use a keto-friendly (liquid or granular) sweetener in its place.
Try it in a Cookie Recipe
Ready to use the sunflower seed butter in a recipe? Try it in my Vegan Sunflower Seed Chocolate Chip Cookies! They are flourless and oil-free, too!
Happy blending!
Related Posts:
- 1-ingredient Pepita Butter {vegan, keto}
- DIY Almond Butter {1 ingredient, so easy}
- DIY Sunflower Seed Flour (nut-free, keto)
- DIY Coconut Butter {vegan, keto, paleo, 2 ingredients}
- Vegan Keto Sunflower Seed Bread {nut-free, grain-free, oil-free}
DIY Sunflower Seed Butter (oil-free, keto option)
Ingredients
- 3 cups 372 g raw sunflower seed kernels (hulled sunflower seeds)
- 3 tablespoons 36 g coconut sugar (see notes for options)
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F (175C).
- Spread the sunflower seed kernels in an even layer on a large, rimmed baking sheet (try to avoid getting the seeds close to the edges of the pan).
- Bake for 10 minutes; open the oven and stir the kernels. Bake for another 8 minutes, or until the seeds are golden brown and fragrant (be careful during the final minutes; check often to avoid over-cooking).
- Immediately transfer the kernels to the bowl of a food processor or high-speed blender to stop the cooking. Cool completely.
- Process until the kernels resemble a coarse flour. Stop and scrape the container and continue processing until the mixture begins to clump. Stop and scrape again. Process until mixture begins to pull together into a very rough looking “butter.” Stop and scrape again.
- Continue processing for 4 to 5 minutes, stopping and scraping occasionally, until the oils begin to release from the seeds and the mixture turns very smooth and creamy (it takes time, but it will happen!).
- Add the coconut sugar and salt; process until combined. Taste the butter and adjust the sweetener and salt, as desired.
- Scrape the seed butter into jars or other tightly covered containers. Store in the refrigerator.
Extremely impressed! It actually works. Most recipes don’t tend to work for me, but this indeed did become “butter” in due time. I have a food processor from the 1980s I inherited from my step-father and it still worked. I highly recommend this recipe. It requires some effort and waiting for the 5 minutes of processing time to turn the seeds into the right texture. Thank you so much for the recipe. I did only 10 minutes of roasting this time. The longest part was roasting the 3 cups in 3 separate batches. I might do it for more time next time. 🙂
I am thrilled to read this, Hiroshi! Some of those older food processors are the BEST: much sturdier construction and powerhouse motors. A great inheritance! I’m so glad it worked for making the sunflower seed butter. Cheers 🙂
Such a perfect recipe. Thank you for sharing, it is great to be able to make this. For those who are wondering, I use an ancient food processor (from garage sale, circa likely the 70s) and it works great.
This is a staple at our house! My husband and I eat Paleo and our little one has peanut sensitivities. It is so cheap to make when you buy the seeds in bulk! Thank you so much!
Hi Camilla, I found your blog today searching for a lara bar copycat recipe. But I’ve wanted to make sunflower seed butter, so I made this first. So easy and so good! My whole family thanks you!
This is brilliant, thanks so much for giving the step by step! I tried with other nut/seed butters but did not realize you had to keep going those final minutes. That does the trick! I’ll be making your almond butter recipe next.
I’m impressed with how much you are able to accomplish! Teaching spin classes, running, motherhood, and coming up with so many wonderful recipes. I love this sunbutter recipe, thank you! Cannot wait to try more of your recipes.
what a beautiful website! I found you by googling “how to make sunbutter” because I bought I am determined to stop spending $8 per jar! I cannot wait to make this and I’m so happy to have found your site!