How to Make Almond Butter in a Vitamix vs Blendtec

How to Make Homemade Almond Butter in a Vitamix or Blendtec Blender

We show you how to make almond butter in this Vitamix vs Blendtec nut butter blend-off!

Most of us loved peanut butter as kids, and probably still do.

However, it’s hard to deny the nutritional advantages of almond butter. So why not start making it yourself?? It’s more affordable and you can mix up the flavor and texture to your exact taste.

At Blender Babes we love to make “nice cream ice cream” with almond butter, spread it on whole grain or gluten-free toast, or of course add a spoon or two to a smoothie (this is delicious and makes an awesome meal replacement or post-workout snack).

Why is it so healthy? Almond butter is….

• Packed with Omega 3’s and healthy fats
• Great source of protein that helps you feel satiated and energized
• High in magnesium and iron
• Super high in vitamin E (which is a powerful antioxidant). 1 spoonful provides almost 1/3 of your daily requirement

If you’re wondering how to make almond butter with a Vitamix or Blendtec, here is a rundown of how each brand will perform in the quest for perfect almond butter.

Are Vitamix and Blendtec blenders designed to make nut butters?

When it comes to power, Blendtec and Vitamix machines are commercial grade blenders. When cranked up to their higher speeds, they are a force to be reckoned with and can transform almonds into nut butter within minutes.

You won’t need any clunky, messy equipment that takes up the whole counter (in fact, almost every Blendtec and most Vitamix models fit under kitchen cabinets – and they are VERY easy to clean).

Vitamix and Blendtec motors are seriously powerful.

Vitamix blenders have either a 2 peak or 2.2 peak horsepower motor.

Blendtec blenders have either a 3 peak or 3.8 peak horsepower motor.

So when it comes to grinding a hard nut into a smooth butter, you can do so easily and quickly.

Check out the Vitamix vs Blendtec in our almond butter blend off!

How to Make Almond Butter in a Vitamix vs Blendtec

Learn how to make almond butter with each of these types of machines (see our recipe for almond butter here).

For either blender, it’s best to blend up to 2 cups of almonds at a time.

Vitamix models with a Low Profile 64 oz compact container have a 4 inch wide base and requires more ingredients than their other containers to blend properly.

Unless you get a Vitamix with a 64 oz tall standard jar (with a 3 inch base), I recommend getting a smaller Vitamix container if you plan to make nut butters, such as their 48 oz or 32 oz jars (I find them cheaper sometimes here on Amazon).

How to Make Almond Butter in Vitamix Blenders:

1. Place almonds in jar. Add oil and optional salt. Secure lid.
2. Select VARIABLE Speed 1. Turn machine on and slowly increase speed to VARIABLE Speed 10/HIGH. Blend until smooth using the tamper to press ingredients into the blade.
3. You will hear a high-pitched chugging sound. Once butter begins to flow freely through the blades, the motor sound will change to a low, laboring sound. Stop machine.

How to Make Almond Butter in Blendtec Blenders:

1. Place almonds in jar. Add oil and optional salt. Secure lid.
2. For Blendtec Twister Jars: Add almonds to Twister jar, and place lid with tines onto jar. Hold lid with one hand, and with other hand select Speed High. Turn lid counterclockwise during blending. Blend until smooth, about one minute.
3. For Blendtec Fourside/Wildside Jars: Use Speed Low for 15 seconds, the increase to Speed High for remainder of cycle. If blade spins freely stop machine. Remove lid and using a spatula, move contents of jar towards the center. Add additional oil if necessary. Replace lid and continue blending on Med to Med-High until smooth, repeating until desired consistency.

The KEY is oil

What most people don’t realize is that almond butter is the hardest nut butter to make, even with a power blender.

This is because almonds are very starchy in comparison to peanuts or cashews.

The key ingredient I have found to get a creamy almond butter if you’re using raw/roasted almonds (that are not warm*) is a little bit of oil, usually between 1-2 tablespoons. I like to use coconut oil, hemp oil, flax oil, walnut or peanut oil.

Note: I have to use less oil when I use the Blendtec Twister Jar to get creamy than I use with Vitamix or Blendtec Wildside/Fourside jars.

*I highly recommend using freshly roasted almonds. This softens and warms up the nuts, gives you a quicker and easier blend, and helps the almond oil separate from the almond. You may still want to add a touch of oil to warm nuts to get a nice creamy blend, but you will need much less if any with freshly roasted almonds.

If you’re starting with raw almonds and wish to roast them, it’s super easy – just place them on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for about 10-12 minutes. (That delicious ‘roasty’ scent will let you know when they’re good to go).

Additional tips for both blenders

Almond butter is versatile – you can play with the texture, making it as creamy or chunky as you like. You can also create your own flavors! Try experimenting with vanilla, cinnamon, raw honey, or some raw cacao or cocoa powder for a chocolatey almond spread – yum!

For either machine, if you’re adding in extra ingredients, do so right when the nut butter is becoming creamy, and then blend for an additional 30 seconds – 1 minute. You may need to add a tad more oil depending on the quantity of cacao or other mix-ins.

Most prefer adding a bit of sea salt but that is also a matter of taste. (If you are using salted almonds, remember to go easy on the additional salt).

Can you make RAW almond butter in a Vitamix or Blendtec?

In all tests we’ve done making almond butter with either blender – even when using the Blendtec Twister Jar which is the fastest – the power from the machines and working so hard to pulverize almonds produces a lot of heat, making the almond butter really warm.

That being said, don’t let me steer you away from raw almond butter!

If you desire raw almond butter, follow the steps above but only make a little bit at a time such as 1/2 cup almonds (Note: you will need the Blendtec Twister Jar or the smallest Vitamix 32 oz jar).

Or you can try blending on a lower speed and as it starts to get warm stop the machine and let it cool off before continuing. It may be a bit more of a task and require more blend time, but we think it’s possible.

Vitamix vs Blendtec – Which blender wins the almond butter blend-off?

Vitamix and Blendtec machines will both create tasty homemade almond butter in just a few minutes.

Here are the advantages of each:

If you are using a Blendtec, regardless of which model you have, the Twister Jar is your best bet for flawless almond butter.

• Blendtec’s Twister Jars were created for extra thick blends.
• The Twister Jar Lid rotates in a such a way that it pushes ingredients off the sides and into the blending vortex (so you will not have to stop the blend to scrape almond butter off the jar with a spatula).

Vitamix models, on the other hand, come with a tamper tool which is designed to assist thick blends.

• Using the tamper (which you will need to do manually) removes air pockets and speeds up the blending process in general.

• The tamper will NOT touch the blades and rather than stopping the blend to scrape almond butter off the sides, you can use the tamper while the Vitamix is running.

Final Thoughts

If you want to create almond butter on autopilot, Blendtec will do most of the work for you – provided you are using the Twister Jar.

When not using the Twister Jar, Blendtec has no major advantage.

In these cases, you may prefer a Vitamix almond butter as the tamper will allow you to stir your nuts without having to interrupt the blend or use a spatula.

Bottom line: neither a Vitamix or Blendtec model will disappoint. These ultra-modern commercial grade blenders will allow you to make homemade almond butter in a matter of minutes.

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