Sunflower butter, also called sunflower seed butter, is a delicious, healthy alternative to nut butters. Rich in protein and healthy fats, it is a great option for people who suffer from peanut or tree nut allergies or anyone looking for something new! Sunflower butter is also a great option for nut-free school lunches and snacks.
The most delicious sunflower butter starts with good quality, freshly toasted sunflower kernels. We used maple syrup to add a touch of sweetness but feel free to adjust the amount or type of sweetener, to your taste. Honey or Agave would both work well in this recipe. If you’ve had store-bought sunflower butter, be sure to give this recipe a try. You simply cannot beat the taste of the homemade stuff!
Start off by toasting your seeds. This is one, 1lb bag of Gerbs Raw Sunflower Kernels (approximately 3 cups).
Toasting is essential to get the best flavor and to ensure that the seeds “cream” into butter efficiently. Don’t skip the toast! We toasted in a 325 degree oven for about 14 minutes, stirring the seeds every few minutes. Once they are ever-so-lightly browned, set them aside to cool.
Next, we collected the rest of the ingredients and set up the food processor. Be sure to use at least a 9-cup food processor.
Go time! Add the cooled, toasted sunflower seeds to the food processor and turn it on. At first, the seeds 
will pulverize into a dust-like consistency. (Picture 1) Don’t worry! After a minute or so, the dust will settle (literally!) and the consistency will change into more of a sand-like texture. (Picture 2). After about 3 minutes, add your oil, cinnamon, pinch of salt and sweetener of choice. At this point, the mixture will resemble wet sand. (Picture 3) Now, just let the food processor do the work and be patient. It can take a while for the seeds to cream into a smoother, butter-like texture. It took an additional 18-20 minutes for ours to “come together” but this will vary depending on the food processor. (Picture 4)
Once you’re happy with the consistency, transfer the sunflower butter into an air-tight container. It will last for at least a month in the refrigerator (but we polished ours off MUCH quicker!)
Once you get hooked on this, play around with the recipe and share your family’s favorite combinations (Vanilla extract? Cocoa Powder?) on the Gerbs Facebook page!
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 20 minutes |
| Servings |
2 tablespoon servings |
- 3 cups Gerbs Raw Sunflower Kernels 3 cups = 1 lb bag of Gerbs' seeds
- 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup, honey or agave optional
- 2-3 tablespoons mild oil (such as Sunflower or Light Olive Oil)
- 1/2 teaspoons Gerbs Cinnamon
- Pinch Gerbs Himalayan Salt
Ingredients
| |
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Spread sunflower seeds evenly on a rimmed cookie sheet. Toast for 10-15 minutes. stirring every few minutes, until lightly browned. Set aside to cool.
- Place toasted seeds in food processor. Turn on and pulverize for 3 minutes until seeds reach sand-like consistency.
- Add oil, sweetener, cinnamon and salt. Continue to process until mixture reaches butter consistency, about 18-20 minutes.
- Store butter in jar or air-tight container in refrigerator.
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