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Toast and peanut butter. Simple, quick, delicious.
Pictured above was yesterday’s lunch…or snack? I don’t know, it was 2 PM, and I needed food. Two slices of brown rice bread (♥), toasted, with Smucker’s crunchy peanut butter, raisins, and my favorite preserves. I could eat peanut butter toast everyday.
What it is about this combo that is so amazingly good?!? The peanut butter above was another sample from The Peanut Butter Boy himself. Check out the chunk factor. Nick, you’ve outdone yourself with this one. I think we have a winner.
I often get asked about my favorite nut & seed butters. So, here they are in no particular order:
1) Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods 365 brand roasted unsalted crunchy almond butter. I’m guessing both are probably a popular name brand almond butter with a generic label slapped on the jar and about $5 shaved off the price. I’ll take it. I’m a roasted crunchy unsalted girl at heart and love these two almond butters as well as the price.
2) Trader Joe’s roasted almond flax butter. When given the option, I usually go for unsalted, but this stuff is amazing. Really, if you have a Trader Joe’s anywhere near you, go buy some right now.
3) Trader Joe’s unsalted crunchy peanut butter – the one with the red label. Runny, chunky…liquid crack in a jar I tell ya.
4) Sunbutter’s organic sunflower seed butter. Nothing but seeds. Perfect.
5) Joyva Tahini. We buy in bulk from Amazon. 6 cans at a time. Can’t beat that!
4) If we’re talking flavored nut butters, my favorites are Justin’s Chocolate Almond Butter & Naturally Nutty Vanilla Almond Butter. Both are amazing but quite sweet.
Honestly, I rarely meet a nut butter I don’t like, and as long as it’s all natural, I’m likely to eat it. The only almond butter I don’t enjoy is Artisana’s raw almond butter as it always taste a bit off to me, but I love the company’s coconut butter and Cacao Bliss. However, it’s much more economical to make your own. Click here for my homemade coconut butter recipe and here for the chocolate version.
What’s your favorite nut butter?
{ 98 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh Heather, I too could eat peanut butter toast every single day. I think if someone manages to figure out the magic goodness factor of it, they will probably soon amass quite a fortune!
i am all about the whole foods and trader joe’s brands of creamy unsalted roasted almond butter. and when i’m feeling bold, i go for the raw stuff. love the deals – i can’t afford $11 nut butter jars!
oh and that spicy jam sounds great.
My favorite nut butter is MaraNatha’s organic creamy roasted peanut butter, with a hint of sea salt. Artisana’s raw cashew butter is also amazing.
I think my favorite nut butter is good ole peanut butter, about any natural peanut butter will do
My favorite is Naturally More. I havet obuy it online (or at Walmart), but it is DELICIOUS! And…… I like to experiment with PB2 powder. I have to agree with you on SunButter- AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hmm….. now I know what I want for breakfast! ha!
If price weren’t an issue I’d go for salted almond butter every time. But price exists, and teddie unsalted chunky peanut butter fits the bill for me everytime. I also fell in love with sunflower seed butter but it got a bit overly sweet for me, so I must try the organic which doesn’t have the added sugar I believe. Tahini is a favorite as well!
Katie,
Yep, the organic Sunbutter is the only one I can find with no sugar or salt. Maranatha’s doesn’t contain sugar either, but I find their version a bit too salty.
I used to love nut butters! But then discovered that for some reason, my nursing baby doesn’t like them so we’re holding off….I can’t wait to go back!
Naturally Nutty Vanilla Almond Butter has my heart! I’m hoping to successfully make it myself one day though…
Teenage Taste,
Well, if you figure out the recipe, please share. Love NN, but my version never tastes as good.
I am absolutely in love with every single Peanut Butter & Co. peanut butter combo there is! Even the spicy one, and that was quite a surprise to my taste buds
I’ve been dying to try Naturally Nutty nut butters but I could never seem to get myself to click the Pay Now/Submit Order button… 
Sylvia,
haha – story of my life. Been tempted so so SO many times, but I can just can’t go through with the order.
Trader Joe’s unsalted crunchy peanut butter – the one with the red label: my faaave! I brought some for my cereal lunch. I also love the smooth kind. mmm. this is a really useful post. one can never get enough nut butter!
your brown rice toast is teasing me! hehe just kidding. Enjoy it
and have a great day, Heather!
Amanda,
Ate my last 2 slices today, and we leave to out of town this weekend for the rest of the summer. So, I’ll be without too.
what about the MaraNatha sunflower seed butter? it’s really nice too, just seeds and some sea salt.
Lena,
I like the Maranatha brand but both jars I’ve had are a bit too salty, especially when I get to the bottom of the jar. They definitely need to be stirred really well, which I obviously did not do.
and you ask me why I find these things irresistible? it’s all because of your magnificent blog I say!!
Thanks Nadia.
Or perhaps I should say” Sorry”?
no thank YOU for introducing me to new things and giving me lots of great ideas! xo
I really really like Jif Natural — to me, that taste is so good. But, lately I’ve been buying the big Maranatha roasted almond butter from Costco and I LOVE IT! Tastes good and I get a huge jar for about $5. You can’t beat that! Now if it would only come pre-stirred, then I’d be in heaven.
2nd Jif Natural. My sister spent months doing a taste test and cost-benefit analysis of natural and organic brands, and Jif won! She really hates to mix it, though, so I suspect less oil separation is what gave Jif the edge, haha.
I’m not a peanut fan, but Trader Joe’s unsalted raw creamy almond butter, or sometimes salted (it sneaks in every so often), is a staple. I love to add local honey on top and claim I’m treating my allergies!
PB&Co’s dark chocolate dreams is nice for a flavour, and I’ve always been very happy with the one I get from from Costco ’cause it’s so cheap. Is that Artisana? Might be.
And yesterday, when I googled “how do you make nut butter”, didn’t the HEAB “Homemade Nut Butter” post come up first?
I’m taking matters in hand and making cashew butter today. Whee!
Stephanie,
Costco sells Maranatha. I like it too but I prefer crunchy. How funny I came up first. Makes me feel loved – enjoy your cashew butter!
Definitely almond butter for me and I’ve only seen one brand here in Ireland, it’s called Meridian. I love it with spread on apple slices or just straight out of the jar!
HA! I love your “I don’t know, it was 2PM and I needed food” comment!! That’s how I often feel when I’m in need of food. I eat any any/all hours of the day … I should just start calling it “feed-time”.
Kayla,
I know right? I used to have to eat at the same times everyday, and now I’m like whatever, whenever. Get in when you can folks – my motto these days.
I love, love, love TJs crunchy salted peanut butter, and Teddie smooth
Costco’s Kirkland brand Peanut Butter is my all time favorite. It’s dirt cheap, soooo creamy, tastes just like pb should, organic, and no added sugars or oils
Alex,
I love all things Kirkland brand…except for their paper towels. Hehe, CD cringes when I make him buy Bounty, but they really are better. I do like their PB as well, but wish they had crunchy. Guess I could add my own roasted chopped nuts. Might try that!
I’ll go either way-creamy or crunchy. But I grew up on creamy, so I tend to gravitate toward it more. It is just so gooey, stick to your mouth, no need to chew, and, well, creamy! But I like the idea of adding roasted nuts!
Favourite nut butter = (slightly) roasted almond butter, preferably unsalted. Chocolate almond butter is amazing too!
I’m not really picky. I love natural peanut butters and Barney butter is such a treat for me. I’m pretty cheap in the nut butter department, so I make my own when it comes to the fancy stuff. Cashew butter is absolutely heavenly. The last time I had that is when I made oatgurt and had it banana split style…so good!
I just love Justin’s maple almond butter and PB&Co.’s maple peanut butter. Basically, if it has maple, I’m on board.
sun nut butter is a favorite and I heard barneys butter is good, but its a little $.
Did you ever get my coupon for Rudi’s bread? Hope so!
Lindsay,
Yes! I thought I left you a comment on your Facebook page thanking you, but maybe I didn’t. Sorry, I can’t keep up sometimes with my to-do list. Ha, totally meant to thank you. So, THANK YOU. Taking them to MI and hoping to find some Rudi’s while we’re there.
I <3 Maranatha creamy almond butter or 365 chunky almond butter. My next favorites would be Naturally Nutty's Cinnamon Vanilla AB and Butter Toffee PB weeee
so DELICIOUS
I am a nut butter addict. I realized I have problem when: the other day I thought we had an extra jar of Trader Joe’s Raw Almond Butter in the cabinet (my fav, crunchy or creamy- i go in phases) and we didn’t. I was completely distraught. It was little disturbing! I always have extra jars of nut butter, so I don’t know what happened- must have been the gnomes. Those pesky gnomes (we collect Travelocity gnomes, weird I know).
Tracey
I thought about making my own, but I never want to take a chance with loud kitchen appliances when Evelyn is napping.
PS…I know the gnome comment was random, but it’s a random kind of day!
Tracey,
They’re all random days now…I get it.
One more gnome note…I guess we really don’t collect them (there’s only 4 and we have 2). They add a little umph to our minimalist decor! Happy Thursday! Off for a walk now!
I’ve never met a nut butter I wouldn’t eat. I eat them all. I actually don’t “love” almond butter. It’s just too…boring? for me. Sorry, my dear
I love Sunflower seed butter. And the TJs brand is my go-to. I know it has sugar in it which isnt your scene but it sure is mine!
I also buy all kinds of cheap PB. Jif, Skippy, whatever is on sale. And I have posted about it before that I do enjoy the faker, more processed nut butters at times. What can I say (Im honest!) I lived a life in my early 20s on Jif Reduced Fat, Triscuits, and lots of vodka and you know what…great memories!
Averie, your comment actually made me laugh out loud. I hear ya re: “faker” nut butters. I don’t eat peanut butter much these days (TJ’s almond is my pick), but creamy Skippy on Saltines is a childhood memory and definite comfort food!
Diana,
I grew up eating Peter Pan PB on Saltines…with marshmallow Fluff. Great combo on Ritz Crackers as well. Will have to give the Natural Jif stuff a try.
Haha, Heather – taking it to the next level, as always! Fluffernutter!
It’s funny how peanut butter is such a kid favorite – maybe it was just cheap and easy on our mothers? Or a crowd pleaser for little picky eaters?
I also have vivid memories of my mom packing PB&J sandwiches for the beach, and to this day, I expect some salty, grainy “extra flavors” when I eat one. Maybe that’s subconsciously why I prefer creamy… sand adds enough texture!
I didn’t love the raw almond butter either. The texture and flavor were hard to get used to, for whatever reason. I’m pretty loyal to Trader Joe’s almond butter and sunflower seed butter. I’m kinda bummed I just ate lunch because now I want some!
Justin’s Maple Almond Butter is my absolute favorite!!!! I don’t know how he does it, that Justin, but the flavor is just supremely better than all the other almond butters.
You, dear HEAB, also turned me on to Naturally Nutty Pepita sun seed butter and i love it so very much, although it can be hard to find. It tastes like fall, in a jar.
And, finally, I make my very own chocolate hazelnut butter in the Vitamix!! Thanks to you! I use the darkest chocolate and stevia – perfect!
Julie,
Yes, totally like fall in a jar! We’re headed to MI this weekend, aka the Land of Naturally Nutty, and I cannot wait to get my hands on some!
I do not discriminate and haven’t found a nut butter that I don’t care for. I love making my own and Ashley’s recipe for Roasted Maple Cinnamon Almond Butter (Roasted Maple Cinnamon Almond Butter) is fantastic!
Sarah,
I have so many of Ashley’s recipes bookmarked. Love that girl!
I’m in love with my homemade pecan butter. After blending, I either add some maple syrup and/or shredded coconut and blend away – such a dangerous combo for me
Cynthia,
Why have I never made coconut pecan butter? Why?!?!? Thanks for the idea.
Yum, I love peanut butter toast!
Wow, you take your nut butter seriously. Clearly, I need to get out there and try some more.
I like alkanater tahini. It’s the kind we’ve always used in my house since I was a kid. Also, it’s only like $6/kg .
I think I may have died of pleasure just a little bit the first time I had TJ’s organic Crunchy Valencia PB… I could have sworn they added sugar it was sweet and salty and delicious all at the same time but they hadn’t. Magical, I tell you!
I must have salt in nut butters, but don’t particularly care for sweet, Justin’s chocolate hazelnut excepted. I got one jar of Naturally Nutty and it’s been in the fridge for months. It is so sweet that I don’t think the sugar content listed on the label could possibly be accurate.
Hooray for nut butters! When money is no object, my favorite is MaraNatha Creamy Raw Almond Butter (but Trader Joe’s version is more than sufficient for my taste and wallet).
So interesting that you mention being underwhelmed by the Artisana RAB. I have the exact same opinion of it. Seems dry and does taste “off”. But they are a great company with many other fine products.
I’m not surprised you’re getting so many comments on this post! Bloggers and their nut butters, I tell you what.
My favorites are Joyva tahini (I have 4 jars in my cabinet!), Maranatha Sunflower butter (3 jars!), and Smucker’s Natural (Ooooh, reminds me I’m out).
I also really like the Artisana cashew butter, but that is a rare treat. Super expensive!
futters! and, maranatha chocolate almond.
My favorite peanut butter is Krema. Hands down all-time favorite brand. It’s peanuts only (unroasted), and the flavor is incredible. And the best part is it’s always runny/melty – however you want to describe not turning into a hard blob in the fridge. It’s perfect. I like to eat it by the spoon, or use it as ‘frosting’ on black bean brownies. Mmm!
Erin,
Yes, a friend gave me a jar of Krema a couple of months ago, and I flew through it. Good stuff!
My favorite is Skippy Natural creamy PB. I don’t live near any TJ’s unfortunately!!
Hi Heather. Like you, I never met a nut butter I didn’t like. My favorite these days is a hazelnut butter that a vendor at our local farmer’s market sells. However, it’s only available for a short time, so I have my “plan b” – almond butter made by a company called “Nuts to You”. OK…now I’m officially craving toast and nut butter!
Have a great day.
We’re FINALLY going to get a Trader Joe’s!!
I’m so excited you’ d think I’d won the lottery. Hehe…
I hear a lot of their name brand items are fabulous:-)cc
ClaireRose,
You will love Trader Joe’s. I have so many favorite items there, I wouldn’t even know where to begin…well, start with the nut butter aisle and go from there.
As a “healthy” food blogger, it’s a little sad that I haven’t tried many nut butters yet.
I tried fresh tahini from a farmer’s market and while it was realllly good with pita and hummus, I just couldn’t have it alone.
Too bitter!!
And I’m afraid that’s what sunflower butter will be like
Healthy E,
Yeah, although I love tahini, it’s not for everyone. A lot of people think it’s too bitter, but I promise that is not what sunflower seed butter tastes like. It’s not bitter at all and naturally sweet. I prefer the unsweetened version, but TJ’s and Sunbutter both make a sweetened sunflower seed butter that is really good. So, perhaps try that one first and don’t be scared. It’s delicious!
This is perfect timing for a post like this– my almond butter jar has just run out
Thanks Heather!
Why does the UK have such boring nut butter selections?? As far as I know only peanut butter has more than one maker and we still don’t get any exciting flavours…bah humbug!
Elisee,
No idea. Often wonder the same thing myself. You should start a petition and take virtual signatures. I’d be the first to sign it. BRING NUT & SEED BUTTERS TO THE UK!
Have you ever been to the Whole Foods in Kensington? Perhaps they carry something other than PB?
Smucker’s Natural peanut butter hands down! I have tried many fancy nut butters, but I keep going back to the one I’ve eaten my whole life.
My favorite peanut butter is Maranatha creamy “hint of sea salt” variety. Just peanuts and a bit of salt – perfect for me!
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My favorite almond butter is any kind with the ingredient list of only dry roasted (or even raw) almonds. (Sounds like what you like too
As far as flavored, I love PB and Co Dark chocolate and white chocolate pbs, and I love all the Justin’s nut butters.
Oh and sunbutter is pretty fantastic. And coconut!!!! Coconut may just be my fave (may, I still love my peanut butter
Have you tried pasta with almond butter? It’s SO GOOD!! When I eat almond butter that way, it’s definitely my favorite.
I hope you have the most wonderful rest of the week!
<3 <3
Alexandra,
I love your list – you’re a nut butter lover after my own heart.
And yes, love almond butter or peanut butter with pasta. So good!
Nothing can beat peanut butter! Though, I really want to try cashew butter!
when i have a long day ahead i do my pb on whole foods multigrain bread. but now i’m curious on the brown rice bread. i tried the brown rice tortillas from trader joes and they were awful.
VanillaSugar,
The key to the brown rice bread is toasting it. I don’t like it as is, but toasted and slathered with nut butter takes it to a whole new level.
i just got some pistachio butter from the farmer’s market that i’m obsessed with. OBSESSED. too bad it makes almond butter look inexpensive…
Sally Kate,
It’s really easy to make your own. Just throw roasted pistachio kernels in your food processor. There you go.
I too have not met a nut butter I didn’t like. Or ANY butter! Cow, apple, coconut,…I like all butters!
We share a favorite! Trader Joe’s roasted almond flax seed butter. OH MAN I love that stuff! I always stock up on it when I go home (to California) since there are no TJ’s in Canada. Always on the lookout for similar nut butters here but if you think they’re expensive in the states, you can almost double the price here. Whew…one of the expenses that’s worth it to me though.
Thanks for sharing – I’d love to expand my repertoire!
Mmmmm, my favorite nutbutters are Skippy Natural PB (crunchy and smooth are a-okay in my book), and Trader Joe’s brand creamy almond butter.
My favourite go to meal/snack is and always has been toast and peanut butter. Even when I’m not feeling well…this seems to do the trick. My favourite nutbutter is http://seemichellecook.com/2011/04/08/honey-and-cinnamon-almond-butter/
My absolute “everyday” favorite is the Valencia peanut butter with flaxseed from TJs. Perfect amount of salt! You know about my sweet tooth, but I like my PB with a little kick of salt and it must contain ROASTED PEANUTS
Maranatha makes a dark chocolate almond spread that is out of control delicious-almost like frosting!
I actually haven’t had PB in ages. I switched to AB a while ago and have been addicted since. Since then I discovered Cashew Butter (love) and Sunflower Seed Butters and those are my top 3 for sure! Coconut butter too…but I don’t know – I don’t really “count” that as a Nut Butter…should I? I’m assuming it is still “nuts” – but not a tree nut…hmm…?
No TJ’s here
– but ROASTED AB all the way for sure!! Love the MaraNatha brand. It’s crack. For real.
I am always *superbly* envious of the wonderful array of nut butters available in the US. In the supermarket we get peanut butter (one flavour, although lately it does come in unsalted and we do get crunchy and smooth), ABC butter and almond butter (you can get macadamia nut butter at the occasional health food store and hazelnut butter is the same). Flavoured peanut butter? Forget it
Luckily I am mostly happy with plain old unsweetened, unsalted peanut butter, although throwing in a dash of maple syrup or serving it with some chocolate makes it even better.
I like Dark Chocolate Dreams, Maranatha Almond Butter and oddly enough, generic Kroger brand natural pb.
Lee,
Before Nashville got a Trader Joe’s, the generic Kroger brand was my go-to PB. It’s really good. Love their crunchy!
I really wish I had a TJs close to me. I have a lot of favorite nut butters, but everybody seems to love TJs butter so much more!!
I’m a peanut butter fan, and oddly enough, I like the Smucker’s natural stuff more than anything else. It’s saltier and grittier than other PBs to me, which I love.
Cate,
Love me some runny grit as well.
Oh Heather, you didn’t! You DID, and I appreciate you for it. Thank you for this survey of peanut and almond butters. I could talk PB all day long and not get sick of it. Trader Joe’s and the Whole Foods 365 brands are my homeboys, but my love is conditional and I sometimes find myself drifting towards flashier nut butters, such as Smuckers Natural, any of the PB & Co flavored numbers, and SunButter sunflower seed butter. As far as I’m concerned, nut (and seed) butter makes the (food) world go round.
Definitely Barney Butter, I think it’s the best almond butter out there hands down!!
i have just started eating toast/bread again… its been years, its always been a fear food for me…
but when I have bread, it has to be toasted, with nut butter and jam… preferably blueberry jam and raw almond buttah
Hi Heather,
Love your posts, and of course just must comment on this one. So proud SunButter made your fav list. I tend towards the crunchy (with flax) version, but the organic is so nice and pure. We appreciate you!
By the way, thanks for the people and pooch friendly birthday “cake” recipe last week. Our “5th born” (springer spaniel) turned 1 the other day, so of course we used your creation to celebrate (I did sub SunButter for the peanut butter, and it still was all licked up!). Take care.
Hi Elizabeth.
Oh my gosh, thanks so much for reading, and of course you guys made the list as you really do make the best sunflower seed butter out there. Our pediatrician gave us the okay to give it to Summer, and I can’t wait for her try it.
Makes me so happy to hear you celebrated your springer spaniel’s birthday with a homemade cake. Your pup is well loved.
Heather!
You started my obsession with Dark Chocolate dreams, and really the whole Peanut Butter and Co. Brand! I saw in the store yesterday, a new flavor! “The Heat is On!” and totally thought of you. Naturally, I had to buy it. It is made with cayenne and other spices. I am going to my your easy peanut sauce with it tonight. I don’t why I never thought of making peanut butter spicy! I think it’s such a novel idea!
Elizabeth,
Sadly enough, I have never tried the Heat Is On, but I KNOW it will make an amazing peanut sauce. Oh, the fun I could have with that stuff, and I have no idea why I’ve never bought it. Perhaps you will have inspired a PB&Co. obsession for me now. So thank you.
I love my Walnut Almond Butter! SO good! I also love Costco’s Peanut Butter.
YUM!
Target has an excellent selection of nut butters the store brand Archer Farms has one I love which is Almond, Peanut & Cashew Butter umm good plus their price is reasonable on one already mentioned – my favorite when I need a chocolate fix – Dark Chocolate Dreams.