Can peanut butter be frozen? - The complete guide

If you’re not allergic to peanut butter, aren’t friends with anyone who is allergic to peanut butter, and live in North America, this delicious spread is probably a staple in your pantry. Kids love it. Adults love it. Even most doctors love her and they love that their patients love her.

Whether you eat it with a spoon, eat it from a carton of ice cream, or spread it on a peanut butter sandwich like a pro, peanut butter is one of the best examples of delicious and nutritious food out there.

Buying in bulk is a time-honored tradition in some families, and it’s hard to shake it off. So what do you do when you end up with a 5 pound 3 pack of peanut butter and have no one to share it with but your dog?

Can you freeze peanut butter? Yes, you can freeze peanut butter, and you shouldn’t lose any flavor or compromise texture either. However, it probably won’t extend the life of peanut butter any longer than storing it in the fridge or even in the cupboard would, so it may not be worth it.

If freezing peanut butter is on your wish list, this article is going to delve into the process of freezing and thawing peanut butter. For the rest of you, we’ll also talk about alternative ways to store peanut butter, as well as some clever ways to put your peanut butter to use.

Freezing Peanut Butter - The Complete Guide

Peanut butter can be frozen, and you have a few options as to how you want to go about the task.

If you have a 3-year supply of jars of peanut butter and a large freezer, your first option is to simply place the entire, unopened jar in your freezer.

If you have bought a plastic container, you should not worry about anything. If the peanut butter came in a jar, you’ll need to watch it for the first 24 hours.

It can expand when frozen, and if there wasn’t enough room for expansion, you could lose your peanut butter to a cracked or broken jar. This does not happen often, but it is a risk.

If you have an open jar of peanut butter that you don’t think you’ll finish in the next 9 months, you may want to repackage the peanut butter before freezing.

The worst thing for any food that goes into your freezer is air and moisture, so you’ll want to transfer the peanut butter to a Ziploc bag or freezer-safe Tupperware container.

Do your best to remove all the air from the bag or container. If there is a lot of space between the lid and the peanut butter, you can cover the surface with plastic wrap to provide an extra layer of protection for your peanut butter.

You can also freeze the peanut butter in smaller portions. My favorite way to achieve this is to fill ice cube trays with my nut butter and freeze it. Once frozen, you can take them all out and transfer them to a freezer-safe Ziploc bag or Tupperware container.

One cube is usually equal to about 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, which happens to be the recommended serving size , so it’s a great way to control and portion your peanut butter if you’re concerned about your willpower.

How long does it take to freeze peanut butter?

How long it takes for the peanut butter to freeze will depend on how much you are trying to freeze in a single container.

If you are freezing an entire unopened jar, it may take 6 hours or more to freeze completely.

However, if you freeze it in individual servings, such as in an ice cube container, it will probably only take 45 minutes to an hour for the individual servings to freeze well.

The type of peanut butter you freeze can also affect how long it will freeze. Pure peanut butter will freeze quite well, at about the times just listed.

However, the more added sugar, salt, oil, preservatives, and other ingredients there are in your peanut butter, the less we’ll be able to predict freezing time.

Some peanut butters may never freeze if there are enough non-peanut ingredients, but honestly, there were just too many options to try so you’ll have to figure that out with your own preferred brand and mix.

How long does peanut butter last in the freezer?

Well-sealed peanut butter will last 6-9 months in the freezer. If it lasts longer, you’ll probably start to notice the change in flavor. It may just start to lose flavor, which is depressing, but it can also develop a stale or frozen taste that is much worse.

How to defrost peanut butter

Defrosting peanut butter is as simple as taking the container or portion out of the freezer and setting it out on the counter to thaw.

Thaw Frozen Peanut Butter

If you’ve frozen an entire container, you’ll need to thaw the entire container in order to use your peanut butter, and it’s not a good idea to refreeze it a second time, so be sure to freeze strategically.

If you have a large dollop of peanut butter, it’s probably a good idea to place the container on a plate and let it thaw in the fridge overnight. Smaller portions will probably take 20+ minutes to thaw, depending on the size.

Thaw 100% Pure Peanut Butter

100% pure peanut butter is hands down the tastiest and healthiest peanut butter you can buy, but it has one major flaw: oil and nut butter separate.

This is one of the most frustrating parts of opening a new jar of peanut butter. It can take considerable time to mix the oil and nuts together without the oil spilling on you or the counter. However, once you get it, you will experience 100% pure pleasure.

If you are going to defrost an entire container of 100% pure peanut butter, you will go through this process just as if you were opening it fresh from the store.

However, if you’ve frozen your peanut butter in smaller portions, having pre-blended the butter so it was nice and smooth before freezing, you’re absolutely going to want to thaw your peanut butter in the fridge.

Keeping it cool will reduce separation . If it thaws on the counter, it will most likely separate again.

Defrost peanut butter with additives

Peanut butter made with added sugars, salt, oils, or chemicals does not usually separate. If you manage to freeze the peanut butter, you should have no problem thawing it on the counter, out of direct sunlight.

You don’t want to expose peanut butter to heat unless you’re baking with it, so don’t try to rush the thawing process by popping it in the microwave . Peanuts contain a lot of oil and will heat up very quickly, potentially burning and compromising the health of your peanut butter.

Using frozen peanut butter

A while ago there was something of an internet sensation in the form of frozen peanut butter slices. It was a “food hack” that went viral mainly because the internet world rallied around the inventor and mocked how useless this hack is.

Well, in a way I have to disagree. I love the idea of frozen peanut butter sandwiches.

It’s highly unlikely that I would spend my time spreading the peanut butter between parchment paper and waiting for it to freeze so I could use it in a peanut butter sandwich, but I can think of many other ways I could use a thin sheet. frozen peanut butter or perhaps small frozen peanut butter balls.

• decorate your ice cream
• Add frozen peanut butter to your smoothie
• Offer your pup a slice of frozen peanut butter as a summer treat
• Use a slice of frozen peanut butter to hold a dollop of jam for a PB&J treat without the bread
• Drop a few balls of frozen peanut butter on your cereal, especially if those cereals are raisin bran

Alternative Ways to Store Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is actually a very stable product, so you can screw the lid on tight and store it in your pantry or kitchen cabinet for up to 3 months after opening. If your container has not been opened, it will stay fresh for up to 9 months.

You want to make sure that you store your peanut butter in a cool, dry place that is not exposed to sunlight or heat from appliances or anything similar.

If you have remarkable holding power and think your open jar of peanut butter will last longer than 3 months, you can store it in the fridge for up to 9 months.

It will be harder to spread, but if you have a jar in which the oil and nut butter separate, mixing it really well before putting it in the fridge will keep it combined, which is a plus.

Related questions

Read on below to find out more about delicious peanut butter.

Is peanut butter healthy?

Peanut butter can certainly be considered healthy, but there are some caveats that need to be taken into account before making a definitive claim.

Pure peanut butter, made only with peanuts, preferably organic and fresh, is a great source of plant-based protein and monounsaturated fat. Both macronutrients can help you feel full and satisfied.

Peanuts are a moderate source of carbohydrates, but with a decent amount of fiber, which is definitely healthy for you. It’s also surprisingly low on the glycemic index, so it won’t send your blood sugar on a roller coaster.

Peanut butter even has a good contribution of vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins B3, B6, E, folate, magnesium, copper and almost ¾ of your recommended daily intake of manganese.

Calorie for calorie, if you’re looking for vitamins and minerals, you’ll find a better supply in rich, colorful greens, but what peanuts have is nothing to complain about.

Those are the good points.

Where you have to be careful is in quality and quantity. Because peanut butter is so popular, many manufacturers try to sell it at the lowest possible cost, which often means a reduction in quality.

They add ingredients that are not good for your health, such as chemical preservatives, refined sugars, and oils. And they make their butter from low-quality peanuts.

Peanuts are easily contaminated with a very dangerous type of mold that has been classified as a carcinogen . If you want to be safe, you’ll need to find a high-quality peanut butter that you can trust.

The other factor is quantity. Peanut butter is very hard to resist and can be very addictive. The serving size is 2 tablespoons and I know from personal experience that not many stop there. Calories add up quickly, so be very conscious of how much peanut butter you eat.

Can you lose weight by eating peanut butter?

Yes of course. Peanut butter can be part of a balanced and healthy diet that allows you to lose weight. It really comes down to how much peanut butter you eat, because it’s high in calories and fat, so you need to be aware of portion sizes.

It’s also a good idea to stick to 100% pure peanut butter to avoid unnecessary added sugars and oils. If you enjoy a reasonable amount of high-quality peanut butter, it can really be a positive influence on your diet.

Its high protein and healthy fat content will help keep you feeling fuller for longer, and it can very well substitute for less diet-friendly treats without causing a huge spike in blood sugar.

How much peanut butter can a dog eat?

The size of your dog makes a big difference in how much peanut butter he should enjoy. Try to make sure that there are only peanuts in your peanut butter, especially keeping in mind that there is no xylitol in the mix.

Many of us don’t accurately measure the calories we feed our pets, but peanut butter shouldn’t make up more than 10% of their daily food intake.

For small dogs, it’s probably no more than ½ tablespoon, while larger dogs can probably make do with a whole tablespoon or more.

Peanut butter for babies: is it safe?

Peanut butter may be safe for babies, but also anything made from peanuts can be extremely dangerous for anyone. In the case of a baby, you have no idea if he is allergic until you try it, so you have to be sure when you first introduce it to him.

If you know that your child is allergic to any food, especially eggs, or if they have other illnesses, they may be at higher risk of experiencing an allergic reaction to nuts.

Knowing whether or not your baby can tolerate peanuts is very important information, so it is convenient that you introduce them, but in a controlled and safe environment. For example, at your doctor’s office or with an allergist.

In general, babies without known allergies can be introduced to peanut butter between 4 and 6 months . Make sure it’s very soft or even runny so there’s no choking hazard. The peanuts themselves can cause choking, of course, but peanut butter is very sticky, so you need to keep an eye on your baby to make sure he is able to swallow it well.

During your first experiences with peanuts, watch for symptoms such as a runny nose, red eyes, or any swelling or indication of irritation. Don’t panic, babies often have a runny nose, but be aware of your child’s experience.