18 Flavored Peanut Butters Ranked From Worst To Best

From its early days as a "health food" to its widespread use as an affordable staple during the Great Depression, peanut butter has had a long and convoluted history as a part of the American diet. Whether you prefer creamy or chunky, there are now countless brands of this spread on the market. And, if plain peanut butter sounds boring, many of these brands have expanded their repertoire to include unexpected and creative flavored varieties to appeal to virtually any palate.

I had the opportunity to sample a wide cross-section of these flavored peanut butters; what resulted was a ranking based on a number of factors, as described at the end of this article. If you're hunting for a fun, flavorful twist on this pantry staple to add to your culinary arsenal, check out some of these fascinating peanut butter varieties.

Some recommendations are based on first-hand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer/distributor/etc.

As a general rule, I am a white chocolate fan. Unfortunately, I was not particularly fond of this White Chocolatey Wonderful Peanut Butter from the Peanut Butter & Co brand. The peanut butter itself was smooth, creamy, and spreadable, if not slightly dense, owing to the addition of the white chocolate to the mix. The aroma was predominantly peanut forward, with just a hint of white chocolate in the background.

Where this variety fell apart was its flavor. The white chocolate overpowered the peanut butter, masking its inherent nuttiness and leaving a very sweet, somewhat bizarre, aftertaste that I couldn't wrap my head around. Additionally, the mouthfeel was pasty, landing this variety at the bottom of this list.

Second to last on this ranking was the Blissful Blueberry Peanut Butter from the BNutty brand. This peanut butter combines milk chocolate with dried blueberries, which in theory sounds delightful, but in reality left a lot to be desired. The biggest issue I had was with its texture. It was so thick that it was almost impossible to stir and definitely not spreadable. It also had a gritty mouthfeel that was not particularly appetizing.

While the aroma was distinctly that of blueberries, the taste betrayed my nose. The milk chocolate and peanuts dominated, with hardly any blueberries to be found. Moreover, this peanut butter was so salty, it was verging on inedible. Overall, this was an incredibly disappointing variety, lacking nuance and having serious textural problems.

Falling low on this ranking was the Caramel Apple Peanut Butter from Fit Butters. This brand produces small-batch peanut butter made with coconut oil, and when I opened the jar, the creamy peanut butter was topped with a dense layer of oil and dehydrated apples. While the aroma was well-balanced between the caramel, apples, and peanut butter, the flavor was less so. The sweetness of the caramel drowned out the peanuts, making them more of an afterthought.

A bigger issue with this peanut butter was its texture. While I thought it was relatively creamy and spreadable, there was a distinct graininess and a stickiness that coated my teeth leaving a film that was almost sandy in quality. I don't know if this was a by-product of the caramel or the coconut oil, but it definitely wasn't pleasant, leaving me less than enthused.

In theory, the Joyful Cranberry Peanut Butter from BNutty sounded amazing, like a real autumnal delight that could potentially be incorporated into my holiday cooking, such as a kicked up pumpkin pie recipe. In reality, I was underwhelmed by it. Its texture was incredibly thick and difficult to stir. This, and the fact that it was chunky, made it hard to spread.

The aroma was lacking in much by way of notes of cranberry, though there were dried cranberry chunks strewn throughout the jar. The combination between the white and milk chocolate overwhelmed the cranberries and all of these were trumped by the peanut butter, which left a grainy film on my tongue. In short, I was more joyless than joyful about this one.

The next flavored peanut butter on this list is the Honey Granola Crunch Peanut Butter from BNutty. I think the downfall for all of the BNutty offerings was the peanut butter itself. It just wasn't the best, and it was so dense that any additional ingredients rendered the spread virtually impossible to combine. That said, this one was a modicum better than the first two, particularly where the add-ins were concerned. They were more well-balanced and did not mask the peanut butter, which was a win.

The aroma of the granola was notable, giving this a hearty, breakfast-y vibe that was quite pleasant. Its taste was also relatively harmonious, with all the components shining through, but none masking the other. I thought the sweetness level was en pointe and the crunchy and chewy elements helped to offset the slight graininess of the peanut butter itself, making this a decent peanut butter, but not a great one.

The top ranking variety from BNutty is its Raspberry White Chocolate Peanut Butter. I was enthusiastic about this combination because raspberries and white chocolate are a classic flavor pairing that work beautifully together. Like the other BNutty varieties I sampled, this variety needed a lot of stirring to blend it, though it still remained quite chunky and thick. The peanut butter itself was marginally better, or at least more well-suited, to the add-ins.

When it came to smell, the raspberries dominated the nose of this peanut butter, which was lovely. This carried through in the flavor department. What was in short supply, however, was the white chocolate, which was virtually undetectable. That said, this combination had a taste that reminded me of a childhood cereal I used to love, so I had a soft spot for the strong aftertaste, despite the fact that there were some lingering raspberry seeds, which I found distracting.

Unfortunately, Skippy's Roasted Honey Nut Creamy Peanut Butter was just okay. Where Skippy generally shines is in its texture, which is always smooth and spreadable. This offering was no different, though I might have enjoyed it more if there were chunks of peanuts in it. The aroma was pleasantly peanuty, but I did not detect much by way of honey in the nose.

This foreshadowed the taste, which was good, but scant in the honey department. I don't know exactly what I anticipated, but I wanted at least a hint of that floral, rich, sweet flavor that is characteristic of honey. The only sign of honey in this peanut butter was in its stickiness, which was more tacky than what I am accustomed to. Overall, I wanted more, but there wasn't anything specifically wrong or bad about this peanut butter.

If candy bars are your jam, you will probably love the Thicka Than a Snicka Peanut Butter from the American Dream brand. This small batch peanut butter was extremely thick and creamy. The nougat and caramel were mixed into the natural peanut butter, while chopped peanuts and mini chocolate chips dotted the top of the jar, lending extra crunchiness. Once stirred together, the aroma of the components of a Snickers candy bar shone through.

Its flavor did not betray its aroma. This peanut butter tasted like a real treat. It was extremely rich and sweet, almost cloyingly so for my taste, which is surprising considering the peanut butter itself is only sweetened with Stevia. While I gave props to this peanut butter for being what it says it is, it just wouldn't be my personal favorite.

The Chipwrecked Peanut Butter from American Dream is the variety for cookie lovers. This peanut butter was simultaneously creamy, crunchy, and crispy, though once stirred, the dense mixture ended up a little on the grainy side in terms of mouthfeel. This isn't a dealbreaker, just something to keep in mind if you plan to bake with it. The aroma was definitely more chocolate-dominant than peanut-forward.

When it came to taste, again, this peanut butter did exactly what it said it would, fusing peanut butter with cookies. The components were well-balanced and the flavors melded seamlessly. Additionally, though this could have been on the sweet side, it wasn't too heavy-handed on the sugary ingredients, making it a little more suitable for my palate. That said, I'm not a huge Oreo fan, so this peanut butter just missed the mark for my taste buds.

Among the varieties I had a chance to sample from the American Dream brand, the White Chocolate Pretzel Peanut Butter was my favorite. It had the sweet and salty combination that I love, though perhaps not quite in the ideal ratios. The peanut butter itself was creamy and thick, with chunks of pretzels and white chocolate chips topping the mix. The aroma was not especially notable, with peanuts dominating the other ingredients.

While I found the flavor to be pleasant, I did think the white chocolate felt a bit like an afterthought compared with the salty pretzels. Additionally, the pretzels themselves were not as good as the ones in another brand I sampled, which is why this variety landed where it did on this ranking. Despite being not quite as well-balanced as I might have enjoyed, I still thought this was a good quality peanut butter.

The Cinnamon Peanut Butter from Nutty Novelties landed next on this ranking. This peanut butter was chock full of cinnamon aroma and flavor. The cinnamon almost overpowered the peanuty-ness, though not in a bad way. It wasn't a synthetic cinnamon flavor, but rather a slightly spicy one. I also felt the sweetness of this peanut butter was en pointe, having enough saltiness to balance out the heat of the cinnamon.

When it came to texture, this peanut butter was creamy, but not super smooth. It was more like a natural peanut butter, with a hint of crunchiness that was coarse, but not gritty or sandy. It was quite spreadable and had a pleasant mouthfeel. The only reason I didn't rank this flavor higher was because of the uniqueness of some of the top ranked varieties, and the fact that the cinnamon might be too aggressive for some palates.

No ranking of peanut butter would be complete without a variety from Jif. Its Peanut Butter & Chocolate Spread is a solid flavored variety that, while not fancy, does exactly what it says it will. The creamy, smooth peanut butter is infused with rich, dark chocolate. While this spread doesn't contain hazelnuts, it did have an aroma that was eerily reminiscent of Nutella. This was enough to entice me to dive right in.

The texture was on the thick side, almost like fudge. That said, it was very spreadable and had a nice, lingering mouthfeel that was velvety. Though the aroma was similar to a hazelnut spread, the flavor was not. This was purely a chocolatey peanut butter — not too sweet and fairly basic. This spread would be great on crepes, a stuffed French toast, or as a fancy topping for pancakes.

This offering from Peanut Butter & Co is the sophisticated, grown-up cousin of the Jif variety. This shouldn't have surprised me, as this brand consistently performs well in rankings of peanut butter. The Dark Chocolatey Dreams Peanut Butter is precisely that — a dream come true. The texture is thick, rich, and luxurious. It has the perfect consistency for spreading or dipping, making it potentially dangerous to have around if you have a sweet tooth.

The aroma of this peanut butter was much less akin to a hazelnut spread, having a robust, deep cocoa nose that was more complex and nuanced. Its flavor, while sweeter than the offering from Jif, was more well-balanced, with a distinct saltiness that helped to offset the sugar and amplify the bittersweet cocoa. 

Though Justin's brand insists its Honey Peanut Butter is not "the bees knees," I assure you, as honey-flavored peanut butter's go, it most certainly is stellar. This was not a fussy peanut butter, but one that was made with the highest quality ingredients. The peanut butter itself was all-natural, having that oil slick on top indicative of a product made without a lot of additives or preservatives. If smooth texture is your jam, this isn't the peanut butter brand for you. This peanut butter was creamy, yet coarse-ground. It required plenty of stirring, but it was quite spreadable once blended.

Though the aroma was not overtly honey-forward, the flavor made up for this. The natural saltiness of the peanuts was followed by a hint of sweetness and floral notes of fine, responsibly-sourced honey. The taste was subtle, yet nuanced, making this my favorite of the honey-infused peanut butter varieties.

What could be more quintessentially fall-like than the Pumpkin Spice Peanut Butter from Nutty Novelties? The answer is — nothing. This is the ultimate in pumpkin-spiced goodness that would be the perfect addition to all your autumnal baked goods. The peanut butter itself was a quality, coarse-ground, creamy variety that is spreadable, though not especially smooth. While I anticipated a spicier aroma, it had a subtle nose, making its flavor that much more surprising.

The taste of this peanut butter was marvelous, with a hint of sweetness conferred by the butterscotch and white cocoa butter drops. Though notable, the pumpkin spice was not overpowering. The cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg added a layer of warmth that was soothing and well-balanced. While I might have preferred a bit more spice, I can see why they landed on this precise blend, as it allowed for the peanut butter to remain the star.

The only reason this Wild Espresso Peanut Butter from Nutty Novelties didn't rank higher was because I know coffee is not everyone's favorite flavor. That said, if you are a coffee fanatic, this is the peanut butter for you. Made with Backyard Beans Wild Espresso Roast Coffee, this blend of peanut butter with a hint of cinnamon and butterscotch was perfectly well-balanced. It had just enough coffee to make itself known, while still allowing the peanuts to shine through. The sweet and salty elements were matched with precision, making this a great example of how to create a flavored product that doesn't seem heavy-handed.

The texture of this peanut butter was similar to all of the Nutty Novelties varieties. It was coarse-ground, yet easy to spread. When I opened the jar, it did have a distinct oil slick that required some stirring before sampling. 

Landing in second place on this ranking is the Chocolate Maple Pretzel Peanut Butter from Nuts'n More. This peanut butter contains 9 grams of protein and added omegas for a sweet treat you can feel good about eating. The peanut butter itself was quite thick, having more of a chunky texture that was a bit challenging to spread, but that had a pleasant mouthfeel once the toppings were stirred into it. Speaking of toppings, when I opened the jar, the aroma of the pretzel pieces and chocolate chips immediately hit my nose, followed by the sweet scent of maple. It was enticing to say the least.

The taste of this peanut butter was a triumph. Every bite had a sweet and salty element that lent to its complexity. Where this variety was particularly superior was in its pretzel pieces, which were crunchy, had the right amount of salt, and were the right size to harmonize with the other ingredients.

The winner for best flavored peanut butter is...the Kick Yo' Ass Hot! Creamy variety from the Ass Kickin' brand. This is not peanut butter for those who don't like heat. There was a significant amount of capsaicin, yet not enough to diminish the flavor of the high-quality nuts. The heat in this peanut butter came from habañero peppers and paprika extract, which gave it complex flavor along with spiciness.

The peanut butter itself was smooth, creamy, and uber spreadable. Though you could eat it as-is, it would be amazing as an ingredient in any number recipes. I imagine it being the pièce de résistance in a chicken satay dish, where it can be swapped for plain peanut butter, to create an even spicier and more flavorful sauce. 

One of the biggest mistakes you can make when eating peanut butter is failing to stir it. For this reason, I made sure to give each jar a good mix before sampling the peanut butter with a spoon. I assessed each variety based on aroma, texture, mouthfeel, spreadability, taste, quality, and overall fidelity to the advertised flavor. In a couple instances, where there was a close tie between two flavors, I ranked the one that had a wider appeal ahead of the more niche variety.

For clarification, the difference between texture and mouthfeel is important. While the texture may have appeared to be creamy, once I sampled some of these, they had an underlying grittiness and a lingering pasty quality that left a less-than-pleasant coating on my tongue, despite the spreadability of the peanut butter. Additionally, while the texture of the peanut butter itself may have been creamy, if there were so many add-ins that it was not particularly spreadable, I deducted points.