Homemade Sunflower Butter Cups Recipes

HOMEMADE SUNFLOWER BUTTER

Steps:

• Pour sunflower seeds into the container of a high-powered blender, such as a Vitamix®, and secure lid.
• Select Variable 1. Slowly increase speed to Variable 10, then switch from Variable to High. Use the tamper to push sunflower seeds into the blades, and mix until sunflower seed butter develops an oily sheen. Season with salt. Store in an airtight container.

LUXURIOUS SUNFLOWER SEED BUTTER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spread on the seeds in an even layer. Roast for 9-12 minutes, until some of the seeds are lightly golden. Cool the seeds for a few minutes before using.
• Meanwhile, add the sugar into a high speed blender and grind until a powder forms. Leave the lid on and set aside so the "dust" can settle.
• Spoon the toasted seeds into a heavy-duty food processor. (I like to spoon the seeds into my measuring cup and transfer them that way. When I have about 1/2 cup of seeds left on the pan I will use the parchment paper to "funnel" the remaining seeds into the processor.)
• Process the seeds for a few minutes, stopping to scrape the bowl every minute. It will look dry and powdery at this stage. (If you have a chute, you can leave it open to allow steam to escape.)
• Add the coconut oil and process for another couple 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.
• Now, add in the ground sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Process for another few minutes until smooth. Now, slowly stream in the vanilla while processing. Add in the vanilla bean seeds, if using. You can add a touch more oil if you need to thin out the butter (but do not add water or liquid sweetener because it will seize). I like to let the machine run at least another 2 minutes to get the sunflower seed butter super smooth. I process for a total of about 8 minutes, but timing will vary based on your food processor and preference. Some machines may need to run for upwards of 15 minutes to get the seed butter smooth enough.
• Transfer the sunflower seed butter into an air-tight container. Chill in the fridge. Here it'll keep for about 2 months and it will remain "spreadable" even when chilled.

SUNFLOWER BUTTER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the sunflower seeds evenly across a sheet tray and roast until lightly golden brown and fragrant, stirring occasionally, for about 20-25 minutes. Be sure to check on them often to avoid burning.
• Allow the sunflower seeds to cool to room temperature. In a food processor, combine the roasted sunflower seeds with the honey and salt (use more or less salt and honey to taste, if desired).
• Begin processing the seeds. At first the nut butter will clump together in pieces.
• Add the oil 1 tsp at a time, smoothing out the butter and blending frequently, until you reach your desired consistency. Scrape down the sides of the processor as necessary. I like my sunflower butter on the soft, semi-goopy side, so I tend to use more oil. This also helps to keep the butter moist when it is refrigerated, and easier to stir. You can use less oil for a thicker, drier butter if you prefer. Continue processing until smooth.
• Store your sunflower butter in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I typically use a mason jar. Use it within a month for freshest taste. As with most natural nut and seed butters, some natural oils may separate from the butter over time. If this happens, just use a spoon to mix the oil back into the butter.

HOMEMADE SUNFLOWER SEED BUTTER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Add raw sunflower seeds to a baking sheet, and bake for 14 minutes, until seeds are lightly browned and fragrant.
• Allow seeds to cool for about 10 minutes. Add to a high speed blender or food processor when seeds are still warm, but no longer hot. Making the seed butter while the seeds are still warm will speed up the process.
• Process until the seeds turn into a paste, and then continue to process until it has the texture you prefer. I like to process a long time until the butter is very drippy.
• This takes about 3 minutes in my Vitamix, and I stop 2 or 3 times to push the mixture down and clear from the sides of the container. If making in my food process, it takes about 12-14 minutes, and I stop to press down the mixture from the sides 6-8 times.
• If your seeds aren't turning to a butter on their own, feel free to use 1-2 tablespoons of coconut oil or grapeseed oil. Coconut oil will make your butter solidify if refrigerated, but adds a wonderful sweet taste.
• I add 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt to my sunflower butter once it's drippy, and then process another 30 seconds. You can also add coconut sugar at this point.

HOMEMADE SUNFLOWER SEED BUTTER, EXTRA CREAMY

Steps:

• In the bowl of a 14 cup food processor, place the toasted sunflower seeds and process. (If you have a smaller processor, reduce the seeds proportionately. There needs to be enough room for the seeds to move to convert to butter!)
• As mixture goes from a flour like consistency to clumping together (the oil is starting to be released from the heat of the machine and friction), add in 2 tablespoons of light tasting oil. Be patient, this can take a several minutes.
• Continue processing, and as the mixture continues to warm and the oils release, it should turn creamy and smooth and whir happily, easily inside the bowl. If not, it is OK to add a bit more oil until the mixture is runny and whirring smoothly.
• Continue to process for another 2-3 minutes.
• Add in the stevia (or any low/no water sweetener), and salt to taste, and process to mix. Your sunflower butter should be ready at this point...but....
• For an extra creamy punch, if you own a high powered blender, pour the mixture while still warm and liquidy into the blender cup and process one to two full cycles. (I have tried making it in my blender alone before and EVERY TIME it seemed like my blender was working WAY too hard to accomplish this, so I found the food processor/blender combo to be my best bet). If you do not have an high powered blender, it is also OK to process several more minutes in your processor for additional creaminess.

SUNFLOWER SEED BUTTER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF and spread the sunflower seeds out into an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast the seeds for 8 to 10 minutes, or until they smell fragrant. When you stir the seeds, they should glisten from their natural oils being release. Let the seeds cool for at least 10-15 minutes, so they won't melt the plastic of your food processor or blender container.
• Add the warm (but not piping hot) seeds to the bowl of a food processor or blender and process for 2 minutes. Stop and scrape down the sides of the machine, as needed.
• Continue processing the seeds, until they start to stick together and form a thick paste. This is a good sign! The seeds will need to process for roughly 5 more minutes, until a gritty sunflower seed butter starts to come together.
• Keep processing the seeds for another minute or two, until the sunflower seed butter becomes more runny and drippy in consistency. When it looks relatively smooth, you can add any seasonings you like, such as salt and granulated sugar, if you want to counter-balance the bitter flavor of the seeds. Process briefly to evenly distribute the seasonings, about 60 seconds.
• Transfer the sunflower seed butter to a glass jar, and let it cool completely before securing the top with a lid. (This way the jar won't steam from the heat, which could cause it to spoil faster.) Sunflower seed butter can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 month.

HOMEMADE SUNFLOWER BUTTER CUPS

Steps:

• Make the chocolate layer: Gently melt the chocolate in a double boiler (a fitted bowl over a pot of simmering water), stirring the sides with a spatula so the chocolate does not stick or scorch on the edges.
• Spread 8 to 10 cupcake liners (or 12 to 16 small ones) on a baking sheet and spoon a thin layer of chocolate in the bottom of each, 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick. (This should use half of the melted chocolate. Keep the remaining chocolate warm over warm water.) Place the baking sheet in the freezer for at least 15 to 20 minutes and up to 4 hours to allow the chocolate to set up.
• Make the "butter" layer: Drain the excess oil off the top of the sunflower butter. Add the sunflower butter (or cinnamon cookie butter) to a medium bowl. Sift the confectioners' sugar (use 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar if using cookie butter, or 1/2 cup if using sunflower butter) over the top of the butter and fully combine using a rubber spatula. Roll the butter into tablespoon-sized balls for the large cups, or teaspoon-sized balls for the small cups. Flatten gently between your palms. Remove the baking sheet from the freezer and place the flattened butter patties on top of the chocolate, pressing down lightly. Tap the tray on the counter a few times to help flatten the layers. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.
• Remove the baking sheet from the fridge, then gently press any uneven layers down and spoon the remaining melted chocolate over the butter layer on all of the candies. Refrigerate until it hardens, at least 1 hour and preferably up to 12 hours. Keep refrigerated and wrapped in plastic if serving the next day. (If using white chocolate, store finished treats in the freezer.)