Contains No Peanuts. My Favorite Peanut Butter Substitutes.

Peanut butter is beloved by many and aside from the famous peanut butter and jelly sandwhich, peanut butter also plays a role in many other favorite treats. Peanut butter blossoms, scotcharoos, puppy chow, no bake cookies- the list of delicious desserts could go on. As a kid with a peanut allergy, I feel like I missed out. We never made peanut butter blossoms, scotcharoos or puppy chow in our peanut free home. Now that I am an adult, I love to bake- especially cookies. Few things are more comforting than a freshly baked cookie. Over the years, I have tried multiple butters in recipes. Here are a few you should consider trying:

Almond Butter: This is a smooth nut butter made out of almonds. It can be swapped out 1:1 in any recipe that calls for peanut butter. Almond butter does taste like almonds- therefore, it may change the flavor profile of your recipe slightly.

Sunbutter: I love sunbutter. It is a smooth butter made from sunflower seeds and boasts a relatively healthy profile.This is my go to when my son asks for a “peanut butter” and jelly sandwich and I have swapped it out in a 1:1 ratio for peanut butter in recipes. It is also amazing when mixed with chocolate. Did you know, that you can buy sunbutter cups, a peanut free version of a “peanut butter cup”. They are sold by the brand “Free2Be” and if you haven’t tried them you should- they are so good!

Soy butter: Soy butter, also advertised as “WOW Butter” is my go to if I am wanting what I consider a “traditional peanut butter taste” in a recipe. I love to make “peanut butter blossoms” at Christmas time. I remember the first year I made them, my family couldn’t believe that there was no peanut butter in them because they tasted so similar to the original recipe. I also use soy butter in my puppy chow in place of peanut butter- and its delicious.

Nutella: Nutella is made from hazelnuts. Although I love nutella, it has a very distinct flavor and is pre-blended with chocolate. I love to use this for nutella sandwiches, fruit dip, or ice cream topping, but it is not ideal for replacing peanut butter in recipes.

Final Thoughts

As someone who has lived with a peanut allergy my entire life, I understand the frustration of not being able to eat certain things. However, when you control the ingredients in your own kitchen you are free to make any recipe- swap out the peanut butter for a different type of soy or nut better in your sandwiches, cookies, frosting, and sauces. Be creative. Embrace those recipes that you never thought you could make…..and enjoy!