Homemade nut butter

Ingredients:

• 2 cups raw unsalted nuts, such as peanuts, cashews, almonds, or hazelnuts
• 2 tsp maple syrup, honey or date syrup
• Flavorings such as cocoa powder, vanilla extract, or cinnamon

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the nuts on the prepared baking sheet and toast until fragrant and lightly golden, 12-15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes.
2. Place the nuts in a food processor and add 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Process on high speed, stopping as needed to scrape down the sides of the bowl, until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy, 5-7 minutes; the nuts will be coarsely chopped at first, then turn into a flour, and eventually become a smooth paste.
   
   Experiment with texture!
   
   If you are making hazelnut paste, after the nuts have been roasted, gently rub them with a kitchen towel to remove the skins.
   
   If you prefer a crunchier nut butter, toast another 1/4 cup of nuts, let cool, then coarsely chop and stir into the finished nut butter.
3. Add sweetener, if using, and any flavorings (see below) and continue blending until smooth. Store nut butter in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or at room temperature for up to 1 week..
   
   Try these flavor combinations!
   
   Add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder and 3 tablespoons of honey to the peanuts.
   Add 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of honey to the almonds.
   Add 0.5 tsp of ground cinnamon and 2 tbsp of honey to the cashews.
   Add 1/4 cup cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/3 cup sugar to the hazelnuts.