I realize that’s a pretty bold statement. The best peanut butter, ever? I mean, how could anyone even know that?

Trust me, when you taste it, you’ll know. You also might be wondering just what is so special about this peanut butter? Isn’t peanut butter just peanuts ground up? It can’t possibly be that much better than the other peanut butters. Right?

Wrong! This peanut butter is not just thick, creamy and smooth, it’s also whippy, drizzle-able (is that a word?), delicately sweet, and hmm… something else you probably won’t be able to put your finger on, yet you’ll find irresistible. That’s right, this peanut butter has personality. And a few tricks up its sleeve… erhm, jar.

I love making my own peanut butter, even though I don’t make it nearly often enough. It’s so much better and tastier than store-bought. It tastes fresher, has a better texture and, in my experience, doesn’t separate the way store-bought peanut butter does. You can make an excellent peanut butter with just peanuts and maybe a pinch of salt, but if you really want a treat, make this dreamy recipe. The secret to this peanut butter? Just a few extra ingredients. A little of this and a touch of that and voilá! You’ve created the Best Peanut Butter, Ever.

Ok, I’m going to tell you the secret now. I think I’ve built up the suspense long enough. It’s coconut. Now, you coconut haters, just hold on, holllllddd on a minute. I think even you guys will love this one. The coconut here is so subtle, so faint, and pairs so well with the peanuts that I bet you wouldn’t even notice it. I might even wager that it could make a coconut lover out of you. Ok, that might be going a bit far. Maybe you won’t start putting coconut in and on everything that’ll sit still, like yours truly, (by the way, I was once a coconut hater myself!) but I have a feeling you’re going to fall for this luscious peanut butter all the same.

The Best Peanut Butter, Ever

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of dry roasted peanuts (mine were lightly salted. Ingredients on the package: just peanuts and sea salt)
• 1 cup of unsweetened coconut shreds
• 1 teaspoon of coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon of coconut sugar (optional)

Directions: I use my Vitamix to make this and dump all the ingredients in the pitcher. Then, put the lid on and use the tamper, turning the dial from 1-10 and then flip to high using the tamper to push the nuts into the blades. You don’t want to churn on high for more than a minute. The nut butter will quickly become smooth and liquidy, and that’s what you want. It takes just 1 minute to make this in a Vitamix.

You can also make it in a food processor, and that’s the way I used to make it before I got my Vitamix. You may have to scrape the sides down periodically, and it may take around 3-5 minutes or so depending on your machine. The texture will be a little bit thicker, and not quite as silky as the results with the Vitamix, but still quite smooth and delicious.

Variations:

Try switching up the ratio of peanuts to coconut. If you aren’t a coconut lover, use less coconut and more peanuts.

For a fun variation, try toasting the coconut. This will bring out the coconut flavor and makes for a delicious nut butter.