Gingerbread Cookie Dough Peanut Butter (gluten-free with vegan option)
Move over Biscoff & Cookie Butter. This tastes like gingerbread cookies & it’s DIY in 10 mins! Making your own peanut butter is fast, easy, and homemade tastes nothing like storebought. It’s creamy, buttery smooth, and this blend is so indulgent. This is like a very amped-up version of Cookie Butter or Biscoff spread, although much bolder, and prominently flavored with molasses, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Make it when you’re not trying to squeeze into a holiday dress because it’s sinfully decadent. It’s inherently gluten-free, and easily kept vegan by using plain peanuts and vegan white chocolate chips. I recommend a full-size (not mini) food processor and prefer my food proc to Vita-Mix for the task.
16ounces1 pound honey-roasted peanuts (or your favorite type of peanuts)
⅓cuplightmedium, or dark molasses (not blackstrap, too pungent)
1tablespoonvanilla extract
1tablespooncinnamonto taste
1teaspoonnutmeg
1teaspoonground cloves
1teaspoonground ginger
pinchof saltoptional and to taste
one 10-ounce bag white chocolate chipsor white chocolate bar, chopped; melt the chocolate first if your food processor is weaker or older
drizzle of coconut oil]canola oil, or vegetable oil, optional and only if needed (I used about 1/4 cup [coconut oil
Instructions
Add peanuts to the canister of a food processor, process on high power until creamy and smooth, about 5 minutes. Stop to scrape down the sides of the canister if necessary. However, I find the less scraping and interruptions, the better.
The peanuts will go through stages of: crushed, crushed into a fine powder, a paste, a thicker paste, a big “dough ball”, and then the ball will break down into runnier peanut butter. At the point the peanut butter is runny, continue processing for about 1 to 2 more minutes, making sure the peanut butter is as smooth as desired.
Through the feed tube with the processor running, add the molasses, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and optional salt.
Slowly add the white chocolate chips about 1/2 cup at a time, allowing time for chocolate to become integrated and broken down after each addition. If your food processor is weaker or older, melting the chocolate first is highly recommended so mixture doesn’t turn gloppy and seize up.
If needed, drizzle in oil to help mixture smooth out. If you run into any issues with thick or pasty peanut butter which can happen after adding the chocolate, troubleshoot by adding oil which will help thin it out. Secondly, simply allowing extra processing time and just letting the machine run for 10 to 15 minutes will usually help thin out any pasty peanut butter.
Transfer peanut butter into glass jars or other airtight containers with a lid. Store peanut butter in the refrigerator or at room temperature. At room temperature, it firms up somewhat as it cools, but stays runny and soft. In the refrigerator, because of the chocolate and optional coconut oil, it hardens and solidifies, but softens up again after 10 minutes at room temperature. It can be stored at room temperature for at least two weeks and in the refrigerator for months; let common sense be your guide. Recipe is gluten-free provided that the peanuts and chocolate chips used are gluten-free. To keep vegan, use plain peanuts and vegan white chocolate chips.