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Lifestyle

Favorite Nut Butters Ranked Worst to Best

This article is written by a student writer from the Spoon University at Denison chapter.

Nut fan? Butter fan? Looking for something to pair with jelly? Just got your wisdom teeth out and can only consume soft foods? No matter what the cause, nut butters have got you covered. Be weary of which you choose though…some are better than others.

8. Peanut Butter

Is peanut butter a liquid dairy product coffee
Caroline Ingalls

I know what you’re thinking – this girl is NUTS, peanut butter is a classic! But most peanut butters these days a sugared up with added sweeteners which can really add up when you find yourself consuming the whole jar at once (admit it… you have). Yeah, yeah, yeah, you can try the natural PB all you want, but I can almost guarantee you’ll find nothing but disappointment. For a tasty AND healthy nut butter, PB is not the move.

7. Hazelnut Butter

galentine's day hazelnut pasture
Amelia Hitchens

No, no, no… I’m not talking about the ever elusive Nutella that practically the whole world (including myself) has grown to love. I’m talking about straight-up ground hazelnuts. This one doesn’t make the top of the list simply because it will never compare to Nutella (and hence, disappointment yet again).

6. Sunflower Seed Butter

better skin herb sunflower
Xinwei Zeng

Not the worst thing I’ve tasted but definitely not the best either. Some things are good the way they are and should be left that way and sunflower seeds just happen to fall under that category.

5. Mixed Nut Butter

nut butters walnut sweet
Caitlin Shoemaker

A great choice for indecisive eaters. This one is for times when you just realllllllly can’t decide between that classic peanut butter, a fluffy cashew butter (peep #2), or the bitter sunflower seed butter.

4. Pecan Butter

nut butters pecan bread
Katrina Cuthbertson

While this nut butter is a bit higher in fat than the others, it is definitely worth the occasional splurge. Perfect for when you’re craving the sweet taste of pecan pie at Thanksgiving dinner at the wrong time of year i.e. in August (so close yet so far).

3. Walnut Butter

flight walnut nut
Christin Urso

This one is an interesting choice for sure, but highly recommended for walnut-lovers or adventurous eaters. Similar to pecan butter, this one is pretty high in fat but a great switch-up from the ever elusive peanut butter (which probably also has a lot of sugar, depending on what kind you eat).

2. Cashew Butter

Finals Week cashew nut
Kristine Mahan

Commonly seen at the bar to nibble on with your favorite beverage or on a cheese plate to accompany the other flavors, cashews are a flavorful classic. So what better idea than to whip ’em up into a nice fluffy butter?

1. Almond Butter

dorm-room almond butter Nut butter
Julia Gilman

Ah, a fan favorite. Not too basic but not too adventurous and just the right amount of protein and health benefits. Nothin’ beats almond butter. The best for you AND the best tasting (fact), almond butter will always be #1.

So, there you have it. A full ranking of the most common 8 nut butters. If you don’t believe me, purchase them all and try for yourself next time you’re at Whole Foods but always remember, peanut butter is just NOT the best.

Effie Henry

Denison '18

A gluten-free gal living in a gluten-full world.