The other day, my son expressed some serious boredom at his breakfast options. I can’t say that I was particularly sympathetic to his plight, because there are about 5 different cereals (mostly gluten-free) on the go in our cupboard, and he could always make himself toast (gluten-free) instead. He’s finally at an age where he can get his own breakfast and I love that fact. And he loves making it, sometimes for himself and the two girls as well, so I just let him have at it. But apparently, breakfast-making ennui has already set in and the multiple choices available to him are not enough. I guess the novelty wears off quickly.
Now, I am not the sort of mother to indulge my child’s every whim, but putting something a little more interesting on the breakfast table seems like an easy way to make him happy. Besides, it gave me an opportunity to make something I’d been thinking of for a while. I’d noticed the cocoa almond butter at Trader Joe’s several times and thought it looked mighty tempting. But I knew without even picking up the jar that it would be packed with sugar. Not exactly what I want my kids eating first thing in the morning…or ever. I also knew that making my own would not only be far more healthful, but less expensive and more satisfying. Still, it was one of those things that sat on my to-do list, until my son expressed his breakfast boredom.
It doesn’t take much to whip up your own nut butters. Really it’s just a matter of grinding the nuts, adding a little oil and whatever flavourings you want, perhaps a little sweetener too, and plopping it in a jar. I originally just planned on cocoa powder for the chocolate, but as I taste-tested, I found that it didn’t quite seem chocolatey enough. I could have kept on adding cocoa powder, but that would have made it far more dry. So I figured an ounce or so of melted chocolate would amp up the flavour, and indeed it did.
And my son has a new reason to get up in the morning and make breakfast. He loves the stuff! So do I. It’s hard not to just sit with the jar and a spoon and devour the whole thing!
- 2 cups almonds
- 5 tbsp almond or avocado oil
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup powdered Swerve Sweetener or powdered erythritol
- 1 oz unsweetened chocolate melted
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 15 drops stevia extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Spread almonds in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Roast 7 to 8 minutes, or until lightly browned and more fragrant.
- Transfer almonds to a food processor and process until finely chopped. With processor running, pour oil through spout and continue to process until smooth.
- Add cocoa powder, powdered erythritol, melted chocolate, vanilla, stevia and salt and process until well combined.
Makes about 10 to 12 servings. Each serving has 6 g of carbs and 3 g of fiber. Total NET CARBS = 3 g.
Diane {Created by Diane} says
looks DE-licious!
Judy says
I think I just want to come sit in your kitchen and eat whatever you make. Wouldn’t you know it, I have a huge Costco bag of raw almonds in the freezer, and everything else I need in the pantry. Thanks for all the good food!
Carolyn says
Come on over! 😉
Erin @ Texanerin Baking says
Wow, that looks beautiful! Love how drippy it is. I’ve never added oil to my nut butters but I guess it makes sense here with the addition of chocolate. Your son is a lucky kid!
Trishie says
This looks soooo good! Now I’m anxious to try this with hazelnuts and make my own Nutella!
Vicki says
If Judy gets to come sit in your kitchen, can I too? I have almonds also….
Carolyn says
Sure, swing on by.
Jeanette says
Wow, now that is a treat – my kids would be all over this!
Alison @ Ingredients, Inc. says
I could eat all of this right now
Gluten Free Traveller says
MMmm, that looks so delicious! I’m a huge fan of both almond butter and chocolate so I’ll definitely have to try this out. What a great idea! 🙂
Debbi says
Love this recipe will try it out on my son he loves chocolate spread. I wonder if hazlenut would work ok to make a homemade Nuttella. Thanks for the recipe love your site.
Debbi says
Just seen Trishie had same idea lol
Alice B. says
Oh my! This looks and sounds so very incredible. WOW!
Kate says
Looks fantastic! I’d be so excited to eat breakfast if I had this.
kim@hungryhealthygirl says
Yum! This would be so good swirled in with some oats. I’m going to give this a try with hazlenuts.
foodwanderings says
Love this chocolate almond butter. Absolutely scrumptious!
Gerry @ Foodness Gracious says
Love the sound of this! I’m trying to give breakfast some pizazz too and I’ve noticed that my daughter, as her reading had developed, has begun telling me about all the nonsense and free offers on cereal boxes. She even quotes sentences from boxes shouting at me along the aisle “Dad, these are part of a balanced diet, can we get them?” my reply “No… they’re blue and green!” ay ay…
Carolyn says
Kids…the ultimate target of so many of those marketing sound bites!
Kiersten @ Oh My Veggies says
This + a banana would be my ideal weekday breakfast. It looks so rich and delicious!
Roxana | Roxana's Home Baking says
I’m so happy your son got bored with his breakfast choices, this way you had to make this amazing almond butter and share the recipe with us. Brilliant!
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes and Desserts says
Oh my heavens, this looks incredible!! The perfect breakfast options for just about anyone!
Bev says
Carolyn, thanks so much for the great recipes! We’re waiting for hurrican Isaac to arrive and I decided to try this chocolate almond butter. We love almond butter. WOW! THIS IS SO GOOD! I carefully measured out a serving size of 2 TBSPs, ha! could easily get carried away. What a wonderful treat!
Carolyn says
Oooh, boy. I hope Isaac misses you!
theSuperfoodess.com says
Carolyn, you’re my hero!
I did some swapping (guilty of this too!) and used hazelnuts, coconut oil, a pat of butter, and a little extra Swerve.
SUPERB.
p.s., how long do you thing it’ll stay in the fridge? And could I freeze it (you know, for moderation)?
crystal says
I just made this tonight & it was good, although, I think next time I make it, I, too, will try hazelnuts instead…if they’re low enough in carbs, that is…also, I noticed on Nutella’s list of ingredients that palm oil is used, so I’m gonna give that a try, too next time I make it, as I used a sunflower oil blend tonight. either way, I’m still ecstatic to have found this recipe in the first place. I just need to buy some jars next time I get to the cracker barrel cause I was actually saving an empty Nutella container to put this in! lol
Carolyn says
Hazelnuts are quite low carb, so that’s a good substitution. Another way to amp up the hazelnut flavour in homemade nutella is to use hazelnut oil. THat Rocks!
Catherine H. says
Another winner. I wanted a chocolate almond butter recipe, and since I’m too lazy to think up my own, I said to myself, “I bet I know who’s already done the work.” Sure enough, I was right. I halved both the erythritol and the oil (used light olive), upped the stevia, added an extra half ounce of unsweetened chocolate and some chocolate extract just for kicks, and it is beautiful. I need to revisit your Nutella recipe, because it turned out too drippy for me last time, and I’ve concluded it’s because I dumped in all the oil at once instead of adding it bit by bit and testing the texture. Gotta go get some hazelnuts!
Sandra | Sandra's Easy Cooking says
This does look incredibly delicious! I just want a spoonful 😀
Angela says
Can this be done with a good blender? I don’t have a processor.
Carolyn says
Not sure because I didn’t try, but it’s worth a shot!
Mary says
How long does a batch keep? Assuming that you refrigerate it, too? (Might be a moot question as this looks absolutely delicious!)
Carolyn says
At least a few weeks. In the fridge, nuts keep for quite some time.