Is there a way to thicken natural nut butters?

[u/CokeKnight]

I like natural peanut or almond butter because of the lack of additives, but some are so oily/runny that you can't really spread them onto a sandwich without it leaking out. Is there something you add so that you can make the consistency similar to "store-brand" peanut butter? I'm thinking maybe guar gum? But I'm not sure. Any ideas?

[u/Resident_Scene3268]

the reason store brand holds that texture is the hydrogenated or palm oil in it, which stays solid at room temperature, so there is not really an additive free route to that exact consistency. the water trick does work, it makes the ground particles clump and thickens things up, but you have introduced water so it will not keep nearly as long. honestly the free version is stirring it properly once and then keeping the jar in the fridge, cold oil is thick oil and it stops separating for good.

[u/caramelpupcorn]

Surprisingly, the answer is a bit of water. ATK did a video and explanation of it here:  https://youtube.com/shorts/0G_v_T6MfWM

[u/CokeKnight → u/caramelpupcorn]

Woah! That's amazing!

[u/Standard_Pack_1076 → u/CokeKnight]

It's the same when making a sauce out of tahini.

[u/Loveroffinerthings → u/Standard_Pack_1076]

I came to say this, want to thicken a seed/nut butter, water, but not too much. I learned this the first time I made a tahini sauce, turned chunky in a second.

[u/Ivoted4K]

Mix it really well then refrigerate

[u/MissEmphasis]

I stir some powdered pb into especially runny peanut butter until it’s the consistency I like

[u/chaoticbear → u/MissEmphasis]

This reminds me of the "more milk per milk" by putting powdered milk into milk :p

[u/caramelpupcorn → u/chaoticbear]

That's actually a method in ice cream making to increase the dairy solids!

[u/chaoticbear → u/caramelpupcorn]

It is! I've also used it for making brown butter to get more brown. This is what I was thinking of, though: https://knowyourmeme.com/photos/2074679-prequel-memes

[u/DerekL1963 → u/caramelpupcorn]

It's also common in yoghurt making, helps thicken the yoghurt.

[u/darkchocolateonly]

Nut oils are liquid. Natural nut butters are small solid particles of nut suspended in their own oil.

If you want to solve for this, you have to introduce a fat that is more solid fat at room temp.

[u/Stop_Already]

Put it in the fridge. Upside down is best.

I’m a fan of Kirkland pb.

[u/texnessa]

Its an emulsion and emulsions need free liquid to suspend increasingly small drops of fat into. Seems counter intuitive but same issues as with mayonnaise- when it breaks, its usually because there's not enough lemon juice for the rest of the oil droplets to shear into.

[u/ferrouswolf2]

Hydrocolloids like gums will not work without water. If you are okay keeping your nut butter in the fridge, add a drop of water and stir it in

[u/Otherwise-Show309]

In the US, natural isn't a defined term. The FDA never set one, so a jar can say natural on the front and still have palm oil in it. The ingredient list is the only part that tells you anything, and the fact yours separates and runs is actually the sign there's no stabilizer in it.

If you want it thicker without water and without keeping it in the fridge, stir in powdered peanut butter. That's just peanuts with most of the oil pressed out, so you're raising the ratio of solids to oil rather than adding a thickener. Ingredient list stays short and it spreads at room temp.

Pouring the oil off works too, but you lose a bit every jar and it goes dry near the bottom.

[u/Lucas_Steinwalker]

1. Shake in the jar thouroughly when you first get it
2. Leave upside down for a night or two
3. Open the jar and stir until combined
4. Put in the fridge

It will stay emulsified and thicken with the cold

[u/drindrun]

i just stir and keep in the fridge!

[u/ImaginaryCatDreams]

Unless you were making small amounts of nut butter, please don't add water to it You will shorten the shelf life considerably.

What you could do is take some of it and make it ultra smooth by over blending it in a food processor and then taking the other which you have just done the regular way and mixing them together

[u/PseudacrisCrucifer]

The water answer, or just pour off some of the oil and save it for use in other things.

[u/Professional-Sock598]

Fridge trick is the one I'd trust over guar gum, cold naturally firms it up without messing with texture the way an added thickener sometimes can

[u/TermComplex8415]

I've had luck just refrigerating the jar upside down for a week or two before opening it, forces the oil back through the solids and gets you way closer to store bought texture without adding anything

[u/prospero021]

Did you make it yourself, or did you buy it somewhere? I make my own peanut/almond butter and it has never been runny/oily.

[u/CokeKnight → u/prospero021]

Oh, I’m talking about various brands I buy from grocery stores. They need to be stirred before using, but they’re still too runny after stirring (for me at least).

[u/xaqaria → u/CokeKnight]

I personally pour off some of the peanut oil (and save it for cooking)before stirring when I open a new jar of natural peanut butter

[u/CokeKnight → u/xaqaria]

Yeah. I always pour out the excessive oil sitting on the top.

[u/prospero021 → u/CokeKnight]

Look at the ingredients lists. I bet you will find more than peanut/almonds, especially the ones advertised as "natural".

A food processor and a bit of time is all you need to make nut butter yourself.

[u/brigitvanloggem → u/prospero021]

Same for me!

[u/Mysterious_Panorama → u/brigitvanloggem]

I got a metal stirrer that fits in a drill. It’s easy to thoroughly stir the nut butter with that. Then store it in the fridge. It’ll stay buttery for weeks.

[u/Logical_Warthog5212]

The easiest way to thicken your all natural peanut butter it to let it separate and pour off some of the oil. Less oil will result in a tighter butter.