This post contains affiliate links and is brought to you by Manitoba Harvest. All opinions are 100% my own.
My heart breaks when I hear of a child that is allergic to peanut butter, or that peanut butter is banned from a classroom because a student has peanut allergies.
As a former peanut butter addict, I can’t imagine someone growing up without ever having a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Or celery with peanut butter.
Or stiry-fry with a spicy peanut nut butter sauce…
Oh gosh, can a childhood truly be a childhood without peanut butter?!
Don’t get me wrong – I know allergies are no laughing matter. Whether small or life-threatening, zero-tolerance rules both at home or away are there for good reasons. It’s just that peanut butter is so darn GOOD and that I feel bad these kids are missing out on something so delicious!
There are other options, including homemade nut butter than can be made from any nut you want. But that doesn’t do you much good if you’re allergic to ALL nuts… or if a class is determined to be a nut-free zone.
But WILL do you good is some delicious, cinnamon cocoa hemp heart butter. Oh. Yeah.
Before you think I’ve gone looney and suggesting you make a psychedelic nut butter for your kids, here’s a quick lesson in hemp.
- It’s not the same as marijuana.
- Ever heard of a Chihuahua? A wolf? Both come from the same breed, but only one would make a great pet.
- Hemp and marijuana are similar. Same breed, two totally different plants. Eat hemp, adopt a Chihuahua.
- Don’t eat marijuana, don’t adopt a wolf.
If that’s not sufficient for you, Manitoba Harvest has put together this awesome FAQ.
Ok, now that the PSA is out of the way, let’s talk about this creamy, chocolate-y, cinnamon-y, nut-buttery goodness that you can whip up in less than a minute.
First, it stars one of my new favorite ingredients: hemp hearts. I found Manitoba Harvest‘s hemp hearts last summer while working on recipes for my book and immediately, we hit it off. If you can believe it, these little affordable seeds are packed with nutrition and contain more protein per ounce than chicken!
Their simple, nutty flavor works in so many different recipes… from stirring into a bowl of oatmeal, tossing onto a simple salad or even adding to trail mix – these little seeds never cease to amaze me in their versatility. No wonder why we get along so well!
Next, this amazing nut-free butter features two more of my favorite ingredients: chocolate and cinnamon. You wouldn’t ordinarily find these two ingredients sharing a recipe together, but this past summer I experienced the deliciousness of chocolate cinnamon ice cream that literally made my taste buds feel like there were sparklers in my mouth.
So much chocolate. So much cinnamon. So much goodness… It’s my new favorite flavor.
Finally, this hemp seed butter is sweetened with honey – nothing artificial or processed here. We’re keeping it au natural, and enjoying every last bite. Vegans or anyone else who happens to find themselves without honey (a slight side effect from a no-spending challenge?) can easily substitute maple syrup. The end result will be just as delicious – I promise!
Cinnamon Cocoa Hemp Heart Butter
A creamy, cinnamon-y, chocolate-y smooth hemp heart butter that folks with or without nut allergies will love. The perfect nut-free butter for your pantry.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 0 mins
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: approx 12 oz 1x
- Category: Sauces & Condiments
- Method: Blender
- Cuisine: American
Scale
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups hemp hearts
- 3 Tbsp coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled (measured after melting)
- 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Melt coconut oil over a double boiler or in the microwave. Set aside.
- Using either a Blendtec or a food processor, combine hemp hearts, cocoa powder, honey, cinnamon and salt. Measure coconut oil into the jar.
- If using a blender, process on level 9 for 20 seconds, twisting the lid counterclockwise while blending.
- If using a food processor, process on high for 20 seconds.
- Taste and adjust flavors as desired. If the butter is too thick, add 1 more Tbsp of melted coconut oil and process on high for 10-20 seconds.
- Store in a glass jar with a lid, in the refrigerator. Hemp heart butter will be good for up to two weeks.
Additional Recipe Tips
I just have three tips for you on this recipe, and they’re both for your own good (so don’t ignore me here, okay?)
#1. Don’t process this recipe on level “low.”
These little seeds naturally contain healthy omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which kinda makes them fragile. If you stick them in your Blendtec or food processor and turn the speed on low thinking you’ll slowly get delicious, creamy butter, you won’t. You’ll damage the seeds and end up with sticky, goopy, chunky butter in oil. Trust me on this one.
#2. Hemp heart butter on it’s own is green.
The seeds themselves are tan-ish, but their outer coating is a green-ish hue. That green is magnified when combined with other yummy flavors like vanilla and maple, which makes for an absolutely yummy spread… that just so happens to be green. (For this flavor combination, omit cocoa and cinnamon above. Add 1 tsp vanilla and substitute maple syrup for honey. YUM!)
This is just a heads up. Your kids probably won’t notice if it’s already in a sandwich, but there’s no hiding it if they’re dipping or catch you with the jar and a spoon. If that’s the case, this cinnamon cocoa flavor is just what you need. My kids literally ate the cinnamon cocoa flavor by the spoonful but turned their nose up at maple vanilla (although I thought it was just as tasty!).
#3. Get creative with the flavors!
Just because we’re not using peanuts doesn’t mean your butter has to be boring! Try mixing cinnamon with raisins, or subbing white chocolate chips or even dark chocolate for the cocoa powder. I’ve heard adding a few shakes of chili flakes is good too, although you might just save that for the adults-only jar.
Ever thought of a nut-free Nutella? Oh yeah… add more cocoa and more sweetener and you’re well on your way!
Cost Breakdown
- Hemp Hearts – $6.36
- Coconut Oil – $.56
- Cocoa Powder – $.28
- Honey – $.33
- Cinnamon – $.15
Hemp seed butter itself is not necessarily frugal, but making it yourself costs approximately $7.68 for 12 ounces, which is MUCH more affordable and saves you roughly 64% over this 8oz jar priced at $14.25. It’s also a much better option (in my opinion) than completely missing out on the creamy, nutty goodness of nut butter your whole life.
The best deal I found for hemp hearts is at Costco, where they cost as little as 53¢ per ounce. Amazon offers them for 73¢ per ounce and if you happen to have a local health food store, I suggest printing off a $1 coupon from Manitoba Harvest’s website and waiting for a sale.
Have you ever made your own nut butter? Seed butter? Do you have any delicious flavors to share with us?
Crumbs is honored to partner with Manitoba Harvest, whose mission goes beyond manufacturing the highest quality hemp food products, but also educating the community on the health and environmental benefits of hemp, while striving for sustainability in all that they do.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Manitoba Harvest and all opinions are 100% my own. As always, I only endorse products I wholeheartedly believe in, and I would never recommend anything on Crumbs that I wouldn’t recommend to a close friend or neighbor. This post contains affiliate links. By making a purchase through those links, I will earn commission that helps to keep the lights on in the Crumbs house – with no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Crumbs in this way. Read my full disclosure statement here.
