The Best Creamy, Nut-Free Seed Butters

New York Times

18-04-2025

Connie Park/NYT Wirecutter
SunButter's sunflower seed butters blew all the other nut-free spreads we tried out of the water. If you're looking for a PB alternative akin to Jif or Skippy, SunButter's Creamy Sunflower Seed Butter is the one. Testers described it as having the best balance of roasty, round, nutty sunflower seed flavor; sweetness; and saltiness, without any of the unpleasant bitter aftertaste that can sometimes come with sunflower seeds.
It paired well with strawberry jam in testing, complementing the jam's sweetness and being, in the words of one tester, 'the closest to giving that classic PB&J flavor.' True to its name, its homogenous, thick texture spreads smoothly and easily on bread without threatening to drip off or saturate the slice, and it was the closest thing, texturally, to Skippy or Jif that we tried. Most testers said they'd eat it straight off a spoon.
Texture: smooth and thick
Ingredients: sunflower seeds, mono- and diglycerides, sugar, salt
Protein: 7 grams per 2 tablespoons
Allergy information: free from the top eight allergens; made in a peanut-free and tree-nut-free facility
Michael Murtaugh/NYT Wirecutter
Tied for first with SunButter's Creamy Sunflower Butter was SunButter's Original Sunflower Seed Butter, whose texture is similar to natural peanut butter. SunButter Original has a creamy, smooth, loose texture that one tester described as 'luxurious.' Its toasted, sunflower seed flavor delighted our panelists, who described it as deep and well balanced, with lip-smacking sweetness and saltiness, and no bitter aftertaste.
It's on the drippier side for making a packable sandwich, but it pairs well with jam, complementing it rather than overpowering it, unlike some other PB-alternatives we tasted. All our testers said they'd eat this off a spoon. For people who prefer some bite, this is also available in a crunchy version.
Texture: creamy and loose
Ingredients: sunflower seeds, sugar, salt
Protein: 7 grams per 2 tablespoons
Allergy information: free from the top eight allergens; made in a peanut-free and tree-nut-free facility
Michael Murtaugh/NYT Wirecutter
With less salt than SunButter Original Sunflower Seed Butter, this spread is not quite as balanced, but it tastes almost as good and costs less. $5 from Trader Joe's
in-store purchase only
In our brand-concealed taste test, panelists found similarities in flavor between Trader Joe's Sunflower Seed Spread and SunButter Original. The Trader Joe's version has a toasted nuttiness and sweetness but noticeably less salt. (It contains 70 mg of sodium per 2 tablespoon serving, versus 99 mg for SunButter Original.) For some people, the lower sodium is a bonus, though we noticed that it made the spread taste a shade sweeter, with a hint of bitterness on the finish.
Our panelists found that a small sprinkle of salt on a spoonful of Trader Joe's sunflower spread helped round out the flavor, bringing its taste even closer to SunButter Original and helping its balance when paired with jam. Its loose, creamy texture is similar to a natural peanut butter, but it was less drippy than SunButter Original, so it may hold up in a sandwich for longer. At the time of publication, it costs about 13 cents less per ounce than both our SunButter picks.
Texture: creamy and loose
Ingredients: sunflower seeds, powdered sugar (sugar, corn starch), salt
Protein: 8 grams per 2 tablespoons
Allergy information: Made in a facility where none of the top eight allergens are present, according to a Trader Joe's spokesperson, who noted, 'We strongly encourage our customers to read ingredient information every time they buy a Trader Joe's brand product, as manufacturers and ingredients can change.'
Our testers were mostly neutral on the SunButter Organic Sunflower Seed Butter, which contains only one ingredient: organic roasted sunflower seeds. It's not a bad option if you want a spread with the most minimal ingredient list. But the lack of salt or sugar made it less balanced than our picks. Some testers noticed a bitter, almost 'fishy' oily aftertaste, even when paired with strawberry jam.
Testers were intrigued by the matcha-green 88 Acres Roasted Pumpkin Seed Butter but found it overly bland for a peanut butter replacement, with an almost melon-like note. The texture was also grainier and runnier than they preferred for a sandwich.
Wowbutter (Creamy) relies on roasted soybeans, which are emulsified with soy oil and palm oil (plus sugar and salt), for its flavor. That translated to an overpowering savory quality—even when paired with strawberry jam—that was reminiscent of soy sauce. This, combined with a thick, sandy texture, made Wowbutter divisive. If you love roasted soybeans and kinako flavors, you may like this—and it could be a good peanut butter substitute in savory recipes.
Voyage Foods Peanut-Free Spread combines a number of roasted seeds, including sunflower seeds and grape seeds, as well as chickpea flour, rice protein, and wild rice. Voyage Foods also has admirable allergy-friendly practices. Unfortunately, our testers disliked the taste of this spread, finding it oily (it contains sunflower seed oil and palm oil), not roasted enough in flavor, and too sweet.
The Amazing Chickpea uses chickpeas and sunflower seeds emulsified with canola oil, sugar, corn starch, palm oil, salt, and 'natural flavor.' Though the brand has admirable allergen-friendly practices, this spread didn't live up to its 'peanut butter taste' claim, and it had an off-putting sweet note that testers described as reminiscent of vanilla protein powder, oats, or milk powder. It also contains only 5 grams of protein per 2 tablespoons, versus the 7 or 8 grams in the sunflower seed butters we recommend.
We also tested Biscoff Cookie Butter and Oat Haus Original Granola Butter, since both are safe for people with peanut and tree nut allergies. Of course, neither of these dessert spreads perfectly fills the role that peanut butter does (they both have only 1 or 2 grams of protein, respectively, per 2 tablespoons, versus 7 or 8 grams for sunflower butter and peanut butter). To soothe a sweet tooth, testers loved Biscoff spread, praising its speculoos cookie flavor and smooth texture. They were neutral on the flavor of Oat Haus granola butter, which was reminiscent of a crumble topping, and noted its gritty, almost chalky texture. One tester said, 'If I want dessert, I'd rather have Biscoff.'
Michael Murtaugh/NYT Wirecutter
The FDA requires packaged food to state on its ingredient label whether it includes one of the top eight food allergens: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans. (Packaged food that fails to disclose a top-eight allergen can be fatal and is subject to recall.) Starting in 2023, the FDA also added sesame to this list, but some packaged food may still be on shelves from before the rule. You may see these allergens listed on a separate line from the ingredients, such as 'contains peanuts,' or in parentheses within the ingredient list, such as 'lecithin (soy).'
Even with this labeling rule, for those with life-threatening, anaphylactic food allergies, it's not always enough to read the ingredients. Some packaged foods may be made on shared equipment with nuts or packaged in the same facility, which opens up the risk of potentially lethal cross-contamination. Precautionary allergen labels like 'may contain' or 'processed on the same equipment as' or 'manufactured in a facility that handles' are voluntary, and 'allergen-free' or 'peanut-free' labels are not regulated.
All of this can get extremely confusing and overwhelming. When in doubt, if the label or product's website does not clearly provide the information you need for peace of mind and to protect your health, reach out to the manufacturer and ask if its production lines or facilities handle nuts or peanuts.
For this guide, we only selected products that, at time of publication, state clearly on their ingredient labels and/or product websites that the item is not made in a shared facility or on shared equipment with peanuts or tree nuts. In one case, with Trader Joe's, we did not find sufficient information on the jar or online, so we reached out directly to the company. A representative replied, 'The Sunflower Seed Spread is made in a facility that has none of the top 8 allergens present.'
If you're not sure about what level of caution to take, consult your doctor. And even once you've found a product you buy on repeat, always double-check ingredient labels at the store, since manufacturers may change facilities, manufacturing practices, sourcing, and ingredients at any time.
Like peanut and nut butters, seed butter textures are subject to some change, and we encountered some variability during testing. Even the most homogeneous ones may separate or have textural impacts depending on storage conditions, like extreme temperatures, and the fat content of source ingredients. Some separation is normal, but to be safe, check expiration dates.
Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter
If you have a peanut or tree nut allergy, more peanut butter alternatives are available to you than ever before.
I know, because I have a life-threatening peanut allergy, so I've been meticulously shopping for and sampling peanut-free nut and seed butters for decades. I've written about traveling with food allergies and shopping for allergy-safe chocolate for Wirecutter, and I've covered food allergies for Bon Appétit and Vice. For years, I was a freelance food writer for publications including Eater, Epicurious, and Taste. And at Wirecutter, I specialize in sustainability and environmental health issues, including the ins and outs of regulations, disclosures, and certifications.
For this guide, we decided to focus on peanut butter alternatives that would be suitable for people with both peanut and tree nut allergies, so we eliminated almond butters from testing. To keep things manageable, we also eliminated sesame tahini, though it can be delicious in lieu of PB on toast and in recipes; tahini is a category unto itself, and deserves its own guide.
From there, I researched peanut-free and tree-nut-free spreads, polled my colleagues who are parents, and compiled a list for testing. I combed through ingredient lists, FAQs, and allergen statements and reached out to Trader Joe's to understand the spreads' suitability for people with peanut and tree nut allergies. All of our picks are free from the top eight allergens (milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans).
I then organized a panel for brand-concealed testing. We ate each of the 10 spreads three ways: on their own off a spoon, on untoasted white sandwich bread, and with strawberry jam. We noted aroma, flavor, texture, spreadability on the untoasted bread, drippiness, and homogeneity, as well as how it tasted in a classic combination with jam, and we compared across spreads. Two of our panelists have severe top nine food allergies, four typically eat peanut butter, and one has never tasted peanut butter.
We did not judge spreads by how similar they tasted to peanut butter. Instead, we checked for their deliciousness in typical PB applications (like on jam sandwiches), balanced flavor, pleasing texture, and lack of off aftertastes. Since some people turn to spreads for a vegetarian source of protein, I also considered protein per serving.
This article was edited by Marguerite Preston and Megan Beauchamp. I scoffed at this peanut butter mixing crank when I discovered it years ago. Now I can't live without it.
After testing more than 25 blenders since 2012, we haven't found a better one than the powerful, durable Vitamix 5200 .
We tasted 15 smooth-style peanut butters and recommend four that were the cream of the crop.