How To Freeze Dry Peanut Butter

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Many freeze-drying guides out there will tell you that oily food can’t be freeze-dried because oil doesn’t freeze well. But after a bit of research, we found a video of how to freeze dry peanut butter, and it worked well!

What do I need to freeze-dry peanut butter?

Here’s what you need to make your own freeze-dried peanut butter:

• A saucepan for “cooking” your peanut butter.
• 2 cups of water
• 16oz of peanut butter (crunchy or smooth is okay)
• Whisk for mixing
• Spatula
• Flat baking tray
• Paper towels
• Freeze dryer

How to freeze dry peanut butter

1. Place 2 cups of water into a saucepan.
2. Add in the 16 oz or 2 cups of peanut butter and mix using a whisker. What you have is a 1:1 ratio of water and peanut butter. You can adjust the measurement accordingly if you want to experiment with a small batch.
3. Bring the peanut butter to a heavy boil at medium-high heat. This renders the oil from the peanut butter.
4. You’re nearly done when the peanut butter starts to pull away from the side. Keep on going for 2 minutes more until the peanut butter effortlessly slides away from the sides as if you’re using a non-stick pan.
5. Turn off the heat, then keep mixing until the pot cools down. This will keep the peanut butter from burning.
6. Once it’s cool enough to handle, spread it on the baking tray evenly.
7. Bring the peanut butter to room temperature and place it inside the fridge.
8. Take it out once the peanut butter is at refrigerator temperature.
9. Use paper towels to remove as much oil as you can from the peanut butter. Place the paper towel evenly on the surface and pat gently. Do this carefully so you won’t end up with pieces of paper towel on your peanut butter.
10. Keep on using paper towels to take out as much oil as you can. You know you’re down when there’s close to no more sheen on top of the peanut butter.
11. Place the peanut butter inside your freeze dryer and process.
12. You have the option of buzzing the peanut butter in a food processor to make it easier for you to use the freeze-dried peanut butter. Better check your local weather station on the humidity before you do this. The drier the air, the better.

How do you store freeze-dried peanut butter?

Always go for an air-tight container that will keep moisture away.

One of the popular options is to store freeze-dried peanut butter in Mylar bags. They’re air-tight, the least expensive, and won’t take up a lot of space. You can seal the bag with an impulse sealer or even just a hot/flat iron.

Another is #10 cans, but you might need to invest in a can sealer.

How to use freeze-dried peanut butter

Reconstituting freeze-dried peanut butter is easy but does take some care.

Add a bit of warm (not hot) water slowly until you get the consistency of regular peanut butter. Add a bit of water at a time, whisking or mixing each time you go.

Depending on how dry your freeze-dried peanut butter will be, you may need to add more or less.

It’s best practice to start with less as it’s easier to add more water than it is to add more freeze-dried peanut butter.

You can use this to make peanut butter spread for a quick snack.

If you’re feeling adventurous, you can add it to Asian sauces and bring in an exotic taste to your dishes.

You can also try baking with it. Just adjust the measurements accordingly on both wet and dry ingredients since the freeze-dried peanut butter doesn’t have any moisture.

How long can you store it?

Because of the oil level of the peanut butter, it can last for more than 5 years, but not up to 10 years. Not too many people have tried this yet because of the high-fat content. If you want to try it out, it’s best to start with a small batch and see if it can last for months stored in air-tight containers.

Just keep in mind to keep moisture out as it can shorten the lifespan of your freeze-dried peanut butter.

Were you able to try this out? Do share your method on how to freeze dry peanut butter in the comment section.