I love almond butter and I love coconut butter, so why not combine the two? This is a super-roasty, toasty nutty spread that you will find an excuse to put on everything: toast, bananas, mixed into oatmeal, scooped into a smoothie, swirled into brownie batter, or just by the spoonful. If you have never made nut butter at home before, it is super simple. Put nuts in a food processor, turn it on, and watch the magic happen. It usually takes about 5-7 minutes and stopping every so often to scrape down the sides, but that is as complicated as it gets.
This is just a little more complicated than your basic nut butter, but the extra few minutes to toast the nuts and coconut really takes this over the top. The only thing you have to be careful about is not burning the almonds or the coconut, especially the coconut. It can burn quickly! Feel free to add a dash of cinnamon to the food processor if you want a little spice, but it is delicious as is.
I had leftover cherries in the fridge, so I slathered some multi-grain bread with the coconut and almond butter, topped it with quartered cherries, and drizzled it with local honey. It was the perfect afternoon snack.
What's your favorite nut butter?
Toasted Coconut and Almond Butter
2 cups raw almonds
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 pinches of sea salt
2 1/2 teaspoons honey, preferably local (or use maple syrup or agave if vegan)
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the almonds in a single layer, and toast in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from pan immediately so that they do not continue to toast.
Sprinkle the coconut over the same pan, place in the oven, and toast for about 3 minutes. The coconut will start to toast as soon as it comes into contact with the pan, so watch the coconut carefully. You want it a very light golden color. Remove from the pan immediately when done.
Add the toasted almonds and toasted coconut to a food processor. Add 2 pinches of sea salt, and turn the food processor on. Scrape down the sides every minute or so, but it will take about 5-7 minutes total to get to nut butter consistency. When the desired consistency is reached, add the honey and pulse a few times to incorporate the honey. If you add the honey sooner, the mixture tends to be a bit gluey. Enjoy! Makes about 1 cup nut butter.
