The classic debate of Jif vs. Skippy is almost as fierce as that of Coke vs. Pepsi. However, unlike that time-honored soda debate, the peanut butter one is slightly more complicated. Unlike soda, which serves one purpose, peanut butter is a diverse food that can be used in various different ways.
It is almost impossible to taste a spoonful of peanut butter and declare it best overall without taking into account the various ways peanut butter can be used. That’s why I’ve tried different ways and declared a winner for 3 categories: for dipping, for sandwiches and for peanut butter cookies. Let the games begin!
1. For Dipping…
Dipping is a difficult category because both savory and sweet things can be dipped into peanut butter. For example, a sweeter peanut butter would pair better with pretzels and a saltier peanut butter would complement apples or other fruits.
After dipping apples and pretzels in both peanut butters, the winner for both was clear. Jif wins the “dipping salty foods” category because the sweetness of the peanut butter accents the saltiness of the pretzel without being too overpowering. However, for fruits and other sweet foods, the winner is Skippy.
Winner: Tie
2. For Sandwiches…
When faced with picking the perfect peanut butter for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, it almost seems wrong to try a sandwich slathered with peanut butter other than the one that you grew up on. For the sake of this debate, it must be done.
In this category the perfect peanut butter has to accent both the jelly and the bread. It has to be salty enough to pair with the jelly, but sweet enough to compliment the bread.
With these requirements in mind, the winner is Jif. It perfectly sticks to the bread without making the sandwich difficult to chew and is the ideal partner for the jelly. Jif balances the sweetness and saltiness and evokes the most elementary school nostalgia.
Winner: Jif
3. For Peanut Butter Cookies…
Baking with peanut butter is a completely different challenge. The perfect peanut butter for peanut butter cookies has to stay moist throughout the baking process, be smooth enough to create a well-textured cookie and be salty enough to complement the sweetness added from the sugar.
With all of this in mind the clear winner is Jif. Unlike Skippy, Jif stays rich and creamy throughout the baking process. It also helps the cookie to stay impeccably sweet, but also salty without either flavor taking over.
Winner: Jif
2/3 times, Jif trumped Skippy. Even though, Jif may not be ideal for every use, its flavors are evolved enough to be the perfect match with almost any food. So, to all you peanut butter junkies out there, make sure to always have a jar of Jif on hand.
Overall Winner: Jif