Have you ever made really good homemade Sunbutter (aka – sunflower seed butter)?
If not, you are in for a treat! As a long-time peanut butter lover (understatement), I have really picky ideas of what sunbutter should taste like. I have made a bunch of variations on this recipe until I finally nailed it with this combo and I think it’s awesome.
The secret ingredient in this How to Make Sunbutter tutorial is Ghee.
Now, I know that kind of sounds like a pain in the butt thing to either have to make something else first or buy something you don’t usually use. I am telling you that the addition of just a couple teaspoons of Ghee turns ordinary sunbutter into a rich, creamy and yes, buttery treat you will be swiping fingerfuls from every time you open the fridge.
BTW-Aren’t these photos stunning? They are the work of the ever-talented Pamela Bolig, who is slowly, steadily and very patiently giving me photography lessons. She did what I always strive to do (but don’t accomplish nearly enough) with my food photos- she made the dish look as good as it tastes.
NOTES:
- If you are Vegan, try substituting extra light olive oil. If you want to use organic virgin coconut oil, please note that I have found that it needs a lot more sweetener.
- Store in a glass container in the fridge for up to two weeks.
- You may need more salt or more sweetener depending on your taste preference but don’t add more Ghee (or oil) until you have fully processed this as the seeds really need time to release their oils.
- This Homemade Sunbutter is Paleo and naturally Gluten-Free.
RECIPES THAT USE SUNBUTTER
Sunflower Seed Butter and Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
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How To Make Sunbutter. Paleo Sunbutter
- 1 pound raw sunflower seeds
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons ghee
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Preheat oven to 350F. Divide sunflower seeds up on two baking sheets.
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Roast for 4 minutes. Rotate trays and toss seeds. Place back in the oven and roast for another 4 minutes.
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Carefully transfer to a food processor (or high powered blender) and add sea salt.
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Process for about 1 minute until seeds become powdery.
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Process 16 to 18 minutes, stopping every 2 minutes to scrape down the sides.
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Add the ghee and maple syrup at about the halfway point. Here are some photos of what this looks like.
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This might sound like a lot but it takes a while for the sunflower seeds to release their oil.
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If you stop too soon, the sunbutter will NOT be creamy.
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Trust me on this and be patient.
Did you make this recipe? Tag @EverydayMaven on Instagram with the hashtag #EveryDayMaven and please give a star rating below.
Maureen says
quick question…I’m in enjoying my first batch of sfsb…is there any way to thin it out just a bit w/o losing flavor? Or would it be less thick if I continued processing it?
EverydayMaven says
Hi Maureen! If it is too thick, you probably need to process it longer. You could always add an additional bit of oil – start slow with 1 tsp at a time but I recommend processing so the natural oils release before doing that.
Maureen says
I’m so glad you said to be patient…at first I thought I was doing something wrong…and then…voila! it turned into butter. I LOVE IT! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
EverydayMaven says
So glad to hear Maureen! It is really tricky the first couple of times but you just have to stay with it and then the seeds suddenly start to release their oils and it’s an “A-Ha” moment! 🙂
Sarah G says
Thank-you!!
Sarah G says
Can you just use already roasted sunflower seeds and can you think of a diabetic friendly sweetener?
Thanks!!
EverydayMaven says
Hi Sarah,
You could use a bit of liquid Stevia. I wouldn’t recommend using already roasted nuts as they are most likely roasted in canola or sunflower oil, you have no control over how much oil is on them, they nuts could be very dry and old. There are so many variables that will impact the texture and final taste.
Deborah says
This looks amazing. How much sunbutter does this yield?
EverydayMaven says
Great question Deborah – I’ll have to measure next batch I make and come back and update. I think it’s 1.5 cups (approximate!) but need to double check.
Willow says
I just made the sunbutter and it is fabulous! My daughter has been asking me to buy her some since she’s not crazy about almond butter but, instead, I made your recipe. It tastes much closer to peanut butter than almond butter and I couldn’t stop myself from licking the bowl.
EverydayMaven says
So glad to hear it Willow!!! Thanks for letting me know 🙂
Jessica says
I don’t know what cup size my food processor is. I am going to give it another try. It turned out just took really long!
EverydayMaven says
Good Luck Jessica!
Amanda@ChewTown says
I totally had no idea what sun butter was! I just saw the title and thought… I need to know that that is! So, here I am. Thanks for teaching me something new 🙂
EverydayMaven says
Yep! This is also a great substitute for PB when you have to feed little kids (often nut-free nowadays).
Leea says
Followed the recipe to a T and it is the best recipe I have tried (and no I haven’t tried but one or two). None of the others told you about how long the processing would take. My processor is not a straight processor. It’s more of a salad shooter and that makes it a pain but well worth it! Tastes soooo goood!!!
EverydayMaven says
So glad to hear it worked out for you Leea!! 🙂