Buying guide

Best nut butters for baking

Nut butters bring fat, protein, and flavor. This list separates strong-flavored spreads from neutral or allergy-aware substitutes.

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Picks

8 total

No. 01

Thrive Market

Creamy peanut butter

Classic cookies

Skippy/Jif-style stabilized peanut butter (sugar and salt added) — what most American peanut-butter cookie, bar, and frosting recipes are written around.

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No. 02

Amazon

Natural peanut butter

Lower sugar control

Just peanuts (and sometimes salt) — needs vigorous stirring; expect oilier dough unless the recipe accounts for the missing sugar and stabilizers.

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No. 03

Amazon

Almond butter

Peanut-free richness

Milder than peanut, with slightly less protein and a thinner texture — good in cookies, snack bars, and oat-based bakes.

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No. 04

Amazon

Cashew butter

Neutral creaminess

The palest and softest-tasting nut butter — best when frostings, white-cake fillings, or pale sauces shouldn't read as peanut.

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No. 05

Amazon

Sunflower seed butter

Nut-free baking

A practical school-safe stand-in — but the chlorogenic acid reacts with baking soda to turn the crumb green during baking; pair with baking powder or a touch of lemon juice.

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No. 06

Amazon

Tahini

Savory-sweet bakes

Runnier than nut butters, with a slightly bitter sesame edge — works in brownies, halva-style cookies, dressings, and any bake where a nutty-savory note belongs.

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No. 07

Amazon

Hazelnut butter

Chocolate pairing

Strong, distinctive flavor — the classic pick for gianduja-style frostings, chocolate cookies, and Nutella-adjacent fillings.

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No. 08

Amazon

Pumpkin seed butter

Allergy-aware richness

A peanut- and tree-nut-free seed butter with a denser, more savory profile — good for granola bars, Pepita-flavored cookies, and dairy-free spreads.

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Cook's guide

  • Natural nut butter separates and can make dough oilier unless stirred very well.
  • Sweetened spreads change sugar and texture.
  • Seed butters are useful for nut-free needs but can taste more assertive.