7 Peanut Butters For Grown-Ups: What's Your Favorite?
By Lynn Andriani
It's nutritious, it's filling, it's the easiest lunch known to man: Peanut butter, we salute you (and your nut butter brethren, almond, cashew and hazelnut). Here are some new flavors and combinations we've found that take the lunchbox standard in an entirely new direction. Stock up now, before escalating peanut prices drive the cost of these butters through the roof.
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The Fall Peanut Butter
You could easily mistake the menu from Chef Stella's in Summerville, S.C., for an ice cream parlor. It makes peanut butters flavored with fruits like blackberry, black currant, kiwi and strawberry; as well as spreads that draw inspiration from frozen dessert classics such as praline, coconut and coffee (actually, Chef Stella uses espresso in its peanut butter for an even bigger punch). But it's the subtly-flavored Pumpkin Spice Peanut Butter we're loving right now, perfect on top of pancakes or waffles.
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The Sweet Tooth's Peanut Butter
There are a number of white chocolate peanut butters on the market, but we've fallen hardest for Nutty's Old Fashioned White Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter. (And we're apparently not alone: The company makes more than 12 flavors, from date walnut to mint chocolate chip, but white chocolate is its bestseller.) Nutty's, located outside Dallas, melts white chocolate into freshly milled peanut butter while it's still warm, lets it cool, then adds more white chocolate chips. The result is sweet, smooth and delicious.
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The Maximalist Peanut Butter
Saratoga Peanut Butter Company's Adirondack Jack is like trail mix in a jar. A 50/50 blend of almonds and peanuts gets amped up with sweetened cranberries, sunflower seeds, honey, flax seeds and cinnamon. Surprisingly, though, it isn't overly cloying. And if you're going to eat any peanut butter straight out of the jar, this is it. No pretzels, bread or crackers necessary.
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The Local, Sustainable Take on an Italian Classic
We were intrigued when we heard Boulder, CO, outfit Justin's makes all of its nut butters in small batches, and uses only natural and organic ingredients that are sustainably harvested and, when possible, locally sourced. Then we tried the company's Chocolate Hazelnut Butter, and now there's no going back to the regular stuff.
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The Thrill-Seeker's Peanut Butter
Beware Peanut Butter & Company's spicy peanut butter. It's called The Heat Is On, and that's not an understatement. Made with chili powder, cayenne pepper, crushed red peppers and paprika, this fiery spread goes well with crackers, as well as cooling veggies like raw celery and zucchini. It's also a versatile cooking ingredient, adding flavor and depth to stir-fries, curries, barbecue sauce, buffalo wings or chili.
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The Nut Butter with Extra Health Benefits
Spread Health Foods' Nutmeric Ultra is the best thing to hit pretzels and other salty dippers since spicy mustard. Similar to that classic condiment, this spread has a little zip to it, thanks to turmeric, a spice in the ginger family. And Dr. Oz tells us turmeric may help prevent Alzheimer's disease because of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action and immune-boosting properties.
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The Sophisticate's Peanut Butter
San Diego restaurant Spread serves food made with rare fruits, vegetables and edible flowers, and its menu has such items as a "chocolate salad," made with Valrhona white chocolate, fresh arugula, rock salt and herbs. Its line of nut butters is equally genre-bending--but it totally works. Putting Spread's No. 134: Dark Chocolate Ginger Peanut Spread on toast is a decadent way to start your day, and topping a scoop of vanilla ice cream with it is a perfectly logical way to end a meal.
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