Here's everything worth knowing about almond butter and how to pick it, what it is, how to store it, and what to use instead, plus 23 recipes to cook tonight.

What is almond butter?

Almond butter is a smooth or crunchy paste made by grinding almonds until their own oils release and the nuts turn into a spreadable cream. It is the almond world's answer to peanut butter, with a milder, sweeter, more delicate nuttiness and a slightly looser texture.

Good almond butter is just almonds, sometimes with a pinch of salt. The natural kind separates in the jar, with a layer of oil rising to the top, which is a sign of a real, unstabilized product rather than a flaw.

Beyond its role as a spread, it earns a place in baking and in sauces, where its richness does the work of both fat and flavor.

How to Use Almond Butter

The first thing to know is stirring. Natural almond butter separates, so when you open a new jar, stir the oil back in thoroughly before the butter sets up firm in the fridge.

Storing the jar upside down for a day helps the oil redistribute on its own.

As a spread it goes on toast or apple slices, and it folds into oatmeal or yogurt for staying power at breakfast. It is the binder and richness in no-bake snacks like No Bake Energy Bars, Breakfast Energy Bars, and Dried Fruit & Nut Granola Bar.

In baking it adds moisture and a tender crumb, working beautifully in Almond Butter Cookies and Banana Chocolate Chip "Cakies". For gluten-free and grain-free baking it pulls double duty in recipes like Paleo Almond Bread, since it contributes both fat and structure.

It is not only for sweets. Whisked with soy sauce and lime and a little honey, it becomes a quick noodle or satay-style sauce, and a spoonful enriches a smoothie or even a savory dressing for slaw.

Nutrition

Almond butter is calorie-dense, like all nut butters, but most of its fat is the heart-healthy monounsaturated kind.

A 2-tablespoon serving runs around 190 to 200 calories and delivers roughly 7 grams of protein along with fiber.

It is a notable source of vitamin E and magnesium. Per USDA FoodData Central, almonds are among the richest common food sources of vitamin E, an antioxidant. Buy the unsweetened, unsalted kind if you want the cleanest nutrition.

Substitutes and Storage

Peanut butter is the obvious swap, usable one for one, though it is more assertively nutty and a touch saltier, so it will change the flavor of a delicate cookie.

For a closer match in baking, cashew butter trades in more neutrally. Sunflower seed butter is the standard nut-free option for school snacks.

In a recipe that just needs almond richness and body, tahini works in many sauces and dressings, bringing a similar texture with a more bitter, sesame note.

Natural almond butter keeps well at room temperature for a few weeks, but the oils eventually go rancid, so refrigerate it for longer storage where it lasts several months.

Cold storage firms it up considerably. Let a scoop come toward room temperature, or warm it briefly, when you need it spreadable.

Quick facts

Where to find almond butter: Almond butter is usually found in the condiments section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

In Chinese

杏仁酱

British (UK) term

Almond butter

en français

beurre d'amande

en español

mantequilla de almendras

Recipes using almond butter

There are 23 recipes that contain this ingredient.

All 23 recipes