“Using almonds to replace peanuts” Disclaimer: None of the information provided in these posts should be taken as medical advice. Please consult with your doctor before trying recommendations or if you have concern
Some posts may contain affiliate or third-party links.
Hello, dear readers! I was going to publish a post about what to expect when getting tested for allergies, and I will, but that post became a monster that will probably end up being a two-parter. Instead, today, I’m going to share some tips on using almonds to replace peanuts.
Why almonds? Honestly, because that is my largest go-to when replacing peanut butter in recipes. Speaking of recipes, I’m going to offer another one today, and it’s a pretty easy one: No bake Cookies. Keep reading after the recipe for more tips.
I have loved these cookies since I was a kid! It was something simple that Grandma would make with my sister and me. My Mom may have been the person to teach me how to cook, but Grandma 100% taught me how to bake.
Grandma’s No-bake cookies
Grandma used instant oats. I have a tendency to use rolled oats. Both work.
1 ½ cups sugar (white, though light brown can make for an interesting flavor)
½ cup butter
½ cup milk (oat or almond milk if you need dairy free)
1/3 cup cocoa powder
½ cup almond butter (could do sun butter or soy butter if needed)
3 cups uncooked oats
1 teaspoon vanilla
Lay out wax paper or aluminum foil onto a flat surface. Combine the sugar, butter, milk, and cocoa powder in a medium-to-large saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Boil for 1 ½ minutes, then remove from heat and stir in the almond butter. Stir in the vanilla and oats, mixing until the oats are fully coated. Scoop or spoon teaspoon or tablespoon size drops onto the wax/foil. Let cool and harden. Makes 1-3 dozen, depending on cookie size.
The Spruce Eats has a similar recipe that doesn’t include any nut butters in the recipe, if you want to check it out.
Brie, why do you put the recipe first? Because I don’t enjoy scrolling down to get the recipe anymore than anyone else does.
Almond butter
As I said in my last post on ways to swap out peanuts, I was rather devastated to find out I was allergic to them, since peanut butter had been such a large part of my diet growing up. Nothing went with chili better than a peanut butter sandwich (learned that from both home and school, because the peanut allergy hadn’t yet exploded into the massive challenge it is today.) Almond butter sandwiches (on gluten-free bread for me, of course) do make a good substitute.
After my allergy testing in 2010, I started finding ways to use almond butter to replace peanut butter (I honestly wasn’t one who sat and ate peanuts out of a jar, so that wasn’t as much of a replacement issue). Grandma’s peanut butter cookies recipe was the first attempt, and they really are good, though they still don’t taste as good as hers did and not because of the almond butter; Grandma was a three-pack-a-day smoker, so my sister thinks the difference might be the lack of nicotine. Neither of us smokes; I have asthma, so that makes sense. Also, neither of us are willing to test this theory.
I have also used almond butter to make bread (a recipe that will be in a cookbook I’m working on) and the no bake cookies listed above; it seems to also go well with apples. I find almond butter to be pretty versatile. Give it a try and see what you think.
Almond milk
I have had both store bought and home-made almond milk. Homemade is definitely better, because you can control the thickness of the milk. Store bought is definitely more convenient, despite the additives. Pro tip on homemade: make just enough to last about 3-4 days, because that lack of additives means lack of preservatives, as well.
There are several ways you can make almond milk. The Minimalist Baker has an interesting recipe that includes soaking almonds overnight and using a nut milk bag(?), but I have no desire to buy one of those, so my method involves a little bit of “cheating.” I add about 1-1 1/2 cups of almond flour (which is really just ground up blanched almonds) to 4 cups of water and blend it in a blender for about 3-5 minutes. Sometimes I’ll add a teaspoon of honey for some sweetness. A pinch of salt can bring out the flavor a little. But, honestly, almond flour and water are all you really need.
Another trick to making almond milk is to use almond butter and water. Mix 2-3 tablespoons of almond butter, 2 cups of water, and a pinch of salt (unless you use salted almond butter)- in a blender for about a minute. Mix a whole jar of almond butter in with about 5 gallons of water, and you have enough almond milk to make Almond Milk Rice Pudding for about 200 people (that’s a recipe…and story for another day).
That’s all for today. If you have any comments, please feel free to leave them below.
Be safe. Eat safe. And savor life!
Want to receive posts in your email? Subscribe below.