140 N Main, Bountiful, UT 84010 
801-677-7878
Sunbutter- the creamy butter made from sunflower seeds for those who can’t eat nuts!
We love sunbutter but have noticed that many of the sunflower butter brands include too much added sugar and they are usually too sweet for us.
I decided to make my own version and it’s easy and tastes delicious!
Plain sunflower seed butter can taste quite bitter so it will improve the flavor to add a touch of coconut sugar as a sweetener and some extra oil to improve the final consistency.
The result is a sunflower seed butter you’ll want to add to everything and eat by the spoonful. Since peanut and tree nut allergies are so prevalent these days, sunflower butter is a great allergy-friendly alternative for those who can’t eat nut butter.
This sunbutter gets an added boost from chia seeds! They add fiber, protein, healthy fats, antioxidants, and more, but also a little crunch to this creamy spread.
Let’s get started on this creamy goodness!
It’s a must to start by roasting the sunflower seeds. Not only does roasting give the seeds a nutty, toasted flavor, but it helps the seeds turn into butter much faster. You can use pre-roasted seeds but just make sure they are unsalted.
It will take me about 7-8 minutes in a food processor, although processing times will vary based on your food processor. I always let it run a couple of minutes longer than I think I should just to get it super silky and runny.
I recommend using a heavy-duty food processor to make nut or seed butter as smaller machines can overheat. You can also make nut and seed butter in the Vitamix, but that can be a huge pain to scrape down the sides during the processing and out from the bottom of the container when you’re finished. For me, the food processor for nut/seed butter is the best tool for the job!
PrintSunButter
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 16oz. 1x
Ingredients
2 Tbsp. coconut sugar
3 cups raw shelled sunflower seeds (if roasted make sure they are unsalted, and skip the roasting step)
2 Tbsp. coconut oil, softened
¼ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. cinnamon (optional)
2 Tbsp. chia seeds
Instructions
If your sunflower seeds are roasted (select unsalted), skip this step. Otherwise, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (and spread sunflower seeds on a baking sheet.
Roast for 10-15 minutes, stirring/turning the pan occasionally, until fragrant and light golden brown.
While sunflower seeds are roasting, add the coconut sugar into a coffee grinder or high-speed blender and grind until a powder forms. Leave the lid on and set aside so the “dust” can settle. Or use a mortar and pestle to grind the granules really fine.
Add roasted sunflower seeds to a food processor and process the seeds for a few minutes, stopping to scrape the bowl every minute. It will look dry and powdery at this stage. (If your processor has a chute for adding food while it’s running, leave it open to allow steam to escape.)
Add the coconut oil and process for another couple of minutes. The butter will clump together into a large ball and it’ll start rattling around for a bit. Then, the ball will eventually break down into butter again. Stop to scrape down the bowl as needed.
It should take about 7-8 minutes. Resist the urge to add any additional oil (and especially not water, as it will cause the butter to seize up).
Add ground sugar, salt, cinnamon, mix to combine. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more salt, or more sweetener if desired. (avoid using liquid sweeteners, as they can cause the butter to seize up and lose its form).
Add the chia seeds and pulse just to combine.
Transfer the sunbutter into an air-tight container. Store at room temperature for 1-2 weeks, or in the refrigerator up to 1 month!
This spread is perfect for baked goods, waffles, pancakes, as a dip for apples, celery, and more!
Notes
Add ground sugar, salt, cinnamon, mix to combine. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more salt, or more sweetener if desired. (avoid using liquid sweeteners, as they can cause the butter to seize up and lose its form).
Add the chia seeds and pulse just to combine.
Transfer the sunbutter into an air-tight container. Store at room temperature for 1-2 weeks, or in the refrigerator up to 1 month!
This spread is perfect for baked goods, waffles, pancakes, as a dip for apples, celery, and more! Do not skip toasting the seeds; it’s necessary for the seeds to break down in the processor.
The sweetener is added because sunflower seed butter is bitter; feel free to adjust the sweetener to your own taste.
If for some reason your seeds aren’t breaking down after the specified times, add a touch more coconut oil, a teaspoon at a time. Some machines just might need to run a bit longer though, so be patient!
Don’t add water or liquid based sweeteners like honey or maple syrup, this will cause your sunbutter to seize up, the oils will separate from the water, making it clumpy and difficult to spread.
