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12 of the best nut butters for toast, smoothies and baking
These are the best peanut, almond, cashew and pistachio butters to buy now
Nut butters are an incredibly versatile ingredient to have on standby, as they can be used in baking, smoothies or simply for topping toast. Providing a fantastic source of protein, healthy fat and fibre, the healthiest nut butters contain nothing but ground up nuts, and sometimes a pinch of salt (just watch out for ones with added sugar).
Best nut butter 2023
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Best for supporting gut health
Knotty's Nutri-Butter Gut Friendly Peanut Butter with Turmeric & Ginger 180g
Read review - 5
What is the issue with palm oil?
Although many brands manage to make peanut butter without the use of palm oil, this hotly debated ingredient is still commonly found in many jars to keep the nut butter smooth and creamy. The issue is that in order to obtain it, huge chunks of rainforest are being wiped out, which in turn endangers animals such as the orangutan.
Although it is possible to harvest palm oil more sustainably, we’ve made it clear where recipes include it in case you’d prefer to avoid. Where it’s not included, you might need to rely on a little extra elbow grease to counteract any oil separation.
How we test nut butters
The Good Housekeeping Institute and a consumer panel, tried 24 jars of nut butter from supermarkets and leading brands to see which was the tastiest spread. Classic, flavoured, smooth and crunchy, we tried them all to see which ones are worth buying.
Score: 90/100
When it comes to peanut butter, Manilife has somewhat of a cult following. The brand roasts its Argentinian nuts in a similar way as you would with coffee beans, resulting in a deeper, more intense flavour. You’re left with a dark, chunky blend containing whole and half peanuts and just a pinch of sea salt.
We tested the deep roast, but it also comes in a smooth and original version, all of which can be ordered on subscription so you never run out!
Score: 86/100
With nothing but peanuts and salt in the recipe, Pic’s crunchy nut butter is a healthy, unsweetened choice. Our panel found a generous scattering of peanuts throughout and reported no oil separation. They thought this one smelt of a Snickers bar, and tasted similar to Crunchy Nut Cornflakes — a winning combination.
Score: 84/100
You’ll need to give this one a good stir before getting stuck in as there was lots of oil separation, which made it hard to combine. However, the panel enjoyed the surprisingly sweet, nutty flavour from the organic cashews, and thought the mild flavour would make a delicious waffle topping.
Knotty's Nutri-Butter Gut Friendly Peanut Butter with Turmeric & Ginger 180g
Score: 83/100
For a gut-friendly start to the day, look no further. Knotty's clever formula includes live cultures. It's flavoured with turmeric, ginger and cayenne pepper, so it's a little different to your regular nut butter, but works well in savoury dishes such as curry. Our experts found it smooth, creamy and perfectly balanced.
Score: 76/100
Not quite crunchy, but not smooth either, this "smunchy" slightly salted spread is ideal for the indecisive. Testers enjoyed the inconsistent texture, describing it as buttery and rich.
Score: 75/100
Yumello has whizzed up smooth almond butter with dates, coconut and Cornish sea salt in this sweet and salty spread. The panel thought the caramel-like flavour would work a treat in a milkshake or slathered onto a crumpet. Yum!
Score: 74/100
Containing no added sugar or salt, this healthy jar contains nothing but whole roasted skin on peanuts. We found it needed a good stir to combine but thought the pure peanut flavour would make a fantastic addition to satay sauce — try it in this tofu noodle soup.
Score: 73/100
This inexpensive, smooth spread is gently balanced with sugar and salt for a classic nutty flavour, reminiscent of peanut butter brittle. Ideal for kids’ pack lunch boxes, this is a textbook nut butter that won’t break the bank, however it does contain palm oil.
Score: 71/100
Despite containing no added sugar, salt or oil, this silky smooth pistachio butter is naturally sweet. A great alternative to your regular spread, it also works well on top of vanilla ice cream.
Score: 71/100
If you’re feeding a family, it can be easy to get through little jars of peanut butter pretty rapidly. This one-kilo tub of smooth spread should keep you stocked up with the good stuff for a while longer. Made from organic peanuts and nothing else, the flavour is very creamy and the perfect balance of sweet and salty.
Score: 70/100
Why choose one nut to spread when you can have buttery almonds and crunchy pecans in one? These are combined with mood-boosting maca powder (a Peruvian "superfood" thought to balance hormones) that naturally tastes like caramel — win-win.
Grenade Carb Killa Hazel Nutter Protein Spread 360g
Score: 70/100
All nut butter is a good source of protein, however this chocolate and hazelnut butter also contains whey, making it a good alternative to your traditional protein bar.
It's sweeter than most, due to added sugar, with a smooth consistency similar to Nutella. We'd recommend adding to pancakes and shakes for a protein-packed start to the day.
Contains palm oil.
Stacey looks after all food and drink reviews — from coffee pods and veg boxes, to natural wine and tequila. Stacey is also founder of Crummbs, where she’s written nearly 2,000 restaurant and hotel reviews since 2013. Prior to this, Stacey wrote hundreds of in-depth buying guides for the Independent, i newspaper and BBC Good Food, as well as reviewing restaurants and interviewing celebrities in her column at Balance Magazine. Stacey has also appeared in BAFTA-nominated BBC documentary Blood, Sweat & Takeaways, where she investigated South East Asia's food production industry, appearing on both Newsnight and BBC World Service to share her findings. Regularly checking out the latest restaurants, bars and product launches, Stacey also loves experimenting with recipes at home, and is a WSET-certified wine and spirits expert, with over 10 years of experience in the business. You can follow Stacey on Instagram @crummbs_uk
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