Today we’re going to take a look at peanut butter vs cashew butter. I’ll share the distinct differences, their similarities, and what you can purchase if you have peanut or tree nut allergies.
Distinct Differences Between Peanut Butter and Cashew Butter
Cashew butter tends to only come in a creamy texture, and it’s usually organic or all natural. Many commercial peanut butters on the other hand can contain hydrogenated oils, added sugar, artificial sweeteners, palm oil, and other ingredients you may not want to eat. To avoid these, look for natural peanut butter or organic peanut butter. Organic peanut butter is my personal preference when shopping for my kids.
Sadly, some peanut butters contain enough of these extra ingredients that they end up calling peanut butters without them “real peanut butter”. As in, are the other options not “real”?? If you’re wanting to consume nut butters, peanut butter, and other spreads for the heart health benefits, bone health benefits, and nutritional value, you’ll want to avoid these types of products and stick to the organic/natural versions.
The next key difference is the taste. Peanut butter has an earthy taste that’s a little bit nutty. My kids tell me that it’s a unique flavor and there really isn’t anything else like it. Soy butter they tell me is similar, and that almond butter is their second choice when compared to peanut butter.
On the other hand, cashew butter has much milder taste. If anything, the super power of cashew butter is that it can lend itself to just about any flavor profile. You can use it in a wide range of sweet dishes and savory dishes where peanut butter absolutely has a more narrow range of use.
Similarities Between Cashew Butter and Peanut Butter
Both butters are suitable for a plant-based diet, gluten free diet, Celiac Disease patient, anyone on a Paleo diet, or those following a keto diet. These butters are high in healthy fats (polyunsaturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids) as well as a good source of protein.
You can use both peanut butter and cashew butter in oatmeal, smoothies, cookies, meat-focused savory dishes, and more. They also share a similar creamy texture that feels rich and indulgent in the mouth (making them great for pairing with chocolate/cacao).
Both cashew and peanut butter are great for a simple sandwich with jam, and can also be used to make sauces when cooking. Cashew butter can go a step further though and be used in salad dressings as well. OK, well, you could make a Thai basil spicy peanut salad dressing, but that has a lot less range when you look at all the different types of salad dressings cashews would work in.
Both butters lend themselves well to snacking (think: dipping apple slices), and travel well. Finally, they’re both high in calories. If weight management is something you’re concerned about, you’ll want to use a kitchen scale when dishing out your spread of choice.
Peanut Butter Quick Facts
Whilst these aren’t all the facts about peanut butter, they definitely grab your attention. You can always do more research if peanut butter interests you.
- A legume based butter (peanuts are legumes, like beans, not tree nuts as the name would suggest)
- 15 grams of fat per serving
- Contains oleic acid, a type of monounsaturated fat that can help manage blood sugar levels.
- Good source of Vitamin E, Vitamin B 3&6, and magnesium.
Cashew Butter Quick Facts
Here are some awesome facts about cashew butter. There’s a lot more to learn about them though if you’re interested.
- A tree nut based butter that’s also cross reactive with pink peppercorns (most people don’t know cashews and pink peppercorns are related).
- 14 grams of fat per serving, and contains both monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats.
- Health benefits include heart disease prevention, and aids a small amount in reducing cholesterol.
- Good source of Vitamin B6, zinc, and magnesium.
An Allergy Warning: Cross Reactivity
If you’ve had any type of allergic reactions to peanut butter, cashew butter, or any other spread/butter, it’s critical that you ask your primary care person for a referral to an allergist for allergy testing. Peanuts are a legume (bean family) and you can be allergic to one, some, or all legumes.
Cashews are in the tree nut family, and you can be allergic to one, some, or all tree nuts. Additionally, cashews are specifically cross reactive with pink peppercorns (a common ingredient in fine dining). Cashews are not cross reactive with other peppercorns (green, white, black).
It’s very common to be allergic to more than one legume or one tree nut. Having allergy testing done (whilst not a perfect science) can guide you when it comes to selecting a creamy spread.
Comparing the Nutritional Value of Peanut Butter and Cashew Butter
To make this a fair fight, I’ll be using the nutritional value information for organic, no added sugar butters. Additionally, the two brands I’m using for comparison are both salt free butters. I think the best way to compare them is get as close to apples to apples as possible.
Each brand has a 2-Tablespoon Serving (32g) as the listed serving size, which is great because that makes our comparison of the nutritional content even easier. For this info CB = cashew butter and PB = peanut butter.
- Calories: CB = 180 | PB = 180
- Total Fat: CB = 15g | PB = 14g
- Saturated Fat: CB = 2.5g | PB = 2.5g
- Trans Fat: CB = 0 | PB = 0
- Cholesterol: CB = 0 | PB = 0
- Sodium: CB = 0 | PB = 0
- Total Carbohydrates: CB = 6g | PB = 10g
- Dietary Fiber: CB = 2g | PB = 1g
- Total Sugars: CB = 1g | PB = 2g
- Protein: CB = 7g | PB = 6g
- Vitamin D: CB = 0mcg | PB = 0
- Calcium: CB = 26mg | PB = 12mg
- Iron: CB = 0 | PB = 2mg
- Potassium: CB = 188mg | PB = 211mg
We can see right away that peanut butter has a little less protein than cashew butter, and the two butters are equal on the good fats. When we look at the essential nutrients of Vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium, peanut butter mostly has cashew butter beat. However, the cashew nuts are definitely bringing in more calcium. The peanut butter has a bit more carbohydrates, however, unless you’re following a low-carb diet, I don’t think that’s a deal breaker.
I’d also like to note that the sugar content listed is from the natural occurring sugars in cashew nuts and peanuts, as neither brand use added sugars. Based on nutritional facts alone, honestly, I think you’d be fine choosing either cashew butter or peanut butter. One doesn’t jump out so much as a clear winner.
Options for Those with Tree Nut and Peanut Allergies
If you’re looking for the best nut butter alternative, what I can tell you up front is that it all comes down to personal preference. My kids are all over the place when it comes to substitutes, so make sure you sample the options that you can have.
There are all kinds of nut butter and nut butter alternatives to choose from these days, so let’s take a quick look at the options.
Seed Butters
- Sunflower Seed Butter (SunButter is a popular brand name in this space, but other brands make butters from sunflower seeds as well)
- Tahini (made from sesame seeds)
- Pumpkin Seed Butter
- Watermelon Seed Butter
- Blended Seed Butter (Beyond the Equator is a good brand that sells butters made from a variety of seeds)
Tree Nut Butters
- Almond Butter
- Brazil Nut Butter
- Cashew Butter
- Hazelnut Butter (also called filberts)
- Macadamia Nut Butter
- Pecan Butter
- Pine Nut Butter (technically not a tree nut, but designated as a tree nut for labeling)
- Pistachio Butter
- Walnut Butter
Legume Butters
- Chickpea Butter (also called garbanzo bean, Pulse Power Snacks has a good option)
- Peanut Butter
- Soy Butter (sometimes called soy nut butter)
Misc. + Tuber/Vegetable Butter
- Granola Butter (can be made from a range of ingredients)
- Tiger Nut Butter (tubers, not tree nuts)
Related Resources
- Peanut Butter Substitutes (all about nut butters, seed butters, and more)
- Is Peanut Butter Gluten Free (a deeper look at ingredients, cross-contact, and more)
- Egg Free + Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe (includes options for those with a peanut allergy)
- Nutella vs Peanut Butter (comparing nutrition, taste, and more)
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Tips for Homemade Nut Butter
You can make pretty much any kind of nut butter at home, so long as you have the right tools. My top tool of choice for making any kind of nut or seed butter at home is a NutraMilk. The second top tool will be a food processor, but it needs to be a high powered processor such as a Breville. Coming in third place will be a high powered blender such as a Vitamix.
The reason the NutraMilk is the clear winner is because of its motor, which is designed for processing nuts, seeds, legumes, and tubers for long stints of time. You need to process nuts and seeds for 10 – 15 minutes to make the butter. Smaller motors (food processors and blenders) won’t last that long. You’ll need to start, stop to let the morot cool, then continue again.
The good thing about a NutraMilk is that can stay on for 20 minutes or so and never skips a beat. Is it expensive? Yuuuupppp. Does it get the job done well though? Yes. It also makes dairy free milk if that’s something you need.
Selecting the Best Nuts or Seeds
I can’t stress this enough: if you’re going to go through all the work of making your own spread/butter, make sure you choose a product you like. If you don’t love the taste of pistachios, don’t make pistachio butter.
Secondly, my taste testers tell me time and time again, organic just tastes better. If it’s in your budget, purchase organic raw materials.
Third, don’t be afraid to experiment with flavor enhancements. Once you’ve made the raw butter, divide it into several small containers and mix something different into each one. Here are some delicious additions to try:
- Organic Cacao Powder + Sweetener (such as maple syrup)
- Organic Dates (chopped dates would add an interesting texture whereas date syrup would add smooth flavour and sweetness)
- Organic Freeze Dried Fruit Powder
- Honey
- Organic Ground Vanilla
- Organic Maple Syrup and/or Maple Extract
- Organic Vanilla Extract
There are also really cool fruit extracts you can purchase from Cook’s Vanilla to add flavour to more neutral butters such as cashew butter.
Answering Your Peanut Butter Questions & Cashew Butter Questions
Is it easy to make raw cashew butter at home?
First, you should know that raw cashews is a bit of a misnomer because the cashews are usually treated with high heat before they reach your kitchen. The same is true of cacao powder. You used to be able to purchase truly raw untreated powder, but not anymore.
As for ease, I’d say it’s easy to make cashew butter at home (all butters really). All you do is pop them in your processing unit, turn the power on, and wait 10 – 15 minutes for the butter to properly form. If you’re using a food processor or high powered blender, you’ll need to babysit the process to give the motor a rest after a few minutes.
What’s the flavor of cashew butter?
The flavor of cashew butter is going to be milder when compared to other butters and spreads. I’m told that it borders on bland, and tastes much better with a little added salt and sweetener. Cashew butter doesn’t have a deep earthy flavor like some other butters and spreads.
The good thing about its mild flavor is that it’s super versatile in cooking and baking.
How much peanut butter is considered one serving?
A portion size of organic peanut butter is 2 Tablespoons, and this size seems to be pretty universal in every popular brand name peanut butter.
Can both peanut butter and cashew butter be stored at room temperature?
Prior to opening the jars, both peanut butter and cashew butter are usually stored at room temperature. However, after opening the jar, each brand will vary. Check the label, usually near the ingredients, and you’ll see something like “refrigerate after opening”. If you see that, it means that particular creamy spread cannot be stored at room temperature.
What’s the best alternative nut butter for baking?
There’s no “best alternative nut butter”, but for good reason. In baking, all of the spreads and butters are a 1:1 substitution. You can swap seed butter, legume butter, and tuber butter all for nut butters in baking.
So what it will really come down to is what you like the taste of, and what fits your budget. So long as it’s safe and delicious for you, it’s the best alternative for nut butter in baking.
Do any of the nut free spreads have a nutty flavor?
Yes, that’s going to be tiger nut butter. Remember, tiger nuts aren’t tree nuts, but tuber root vegetables. However, they have a very nutty flavor. The bad news is that you won’t find it in a grocery store, as it’s only available online (good old supply and demand). I’ll also add: tiger nut butter doesn’t have a super creamy texture as it’s usually a combination of tiger nut flour and tiger nut oil. There’s a grittiness that you’ll have to adjust to.
I’ve personally found that if you mix it into something (like a cookie or ice cream) you don’t notice the grittiness. If you have it with a jam or jelly, it’s easier to ignore the grittiness. You know how some people will just eat a spoon of peanut butter? Don’t do that with tiger nut butter… you’ll regret it.
Would plain almond butter be a better choice than cashew butter or peanut butter when following a low carb diet?
Honestly, I think all three butters would be a healthy choice when you’re following a low-carb diet. Assuming you’re not allergic to peanuts, peanut butter, cashew butter, and plain almond butter are all great sources of healthy fats. They all have decent protein content and nutritional benefits.
If you’re able, I’d suggest rotating though all three since they each have a unique flavor, and this can help create variety in your meals and prevent boredom.
Could I make a blended nut butter at home from a variety of nuts?
You can, but I’d be very cautious. I once found the coolest nut butter that was made from a variety of nuts and was a great source of protein. My kids hated it. However, they were more than happy to eat the individual nuts and nut butters on their own. Sometimes the combination of several unique flavors can backfire.
What I’d suggest is wither making a really small batch to start or just eating a handful of the combined nuts. Do they actually taste good together? If you plan on adding something like cacao and a sweetener, then I think a variety nuts could absolutely work together. Without some kind of bridge between though, you may end up wasting good money.
Should you choose to move forward, make sure you’re using nuts that pair well rather than clash. For example, cashew nuts + pistachios could taste great together. Brazil nuts + pistachios might be a small disaster.
Would cashew butter be good in homemade salad dressings?
Oh my goodness yes! In fact, if you look up “raw cashew salad dressing recipe” or “cashew vegan salad dressings” you’ll find a boat load of recipes (and not a little boat, we’re talking cruise liner).
Cashew butter helps deliver a smooth consistency and creamier texture to salad dressings. Just be sure you pair it with other complimentary flavors, and make something that’s more creamy, as cashew butter wouldn’t lend itself as well to a vinaigrette.
What’s the healthiest nut butter available?
I’ll be frank with you: I don’t think there’s a healthiest nut butter. When we compare the nutritional facts of a wide range of nut butters, there’s an ebb and flow. This one over here is a good choice for calcium but that one over there is an extra good source of protein.
Sure, some nuts are being hailed as super foods and therefore their nut butter my be considered better, however, if it’s so expensive you rarely eat it, you haven’t gained any of the health benefits and you would have gotten more from two tablespoons of almond butter every day.
As long as you’re purchasing the organic/natural versions of nut butters and avoiding added sugars and extra ingredients/additives, all nut butters can positively contribute to your overall health. From there, it’s just deciding which one(s) you like the taste of best.
Which nut butter would add rich flavor to smoothies?
I think hazelnut butter and almond butter might be your best bet for tree nut butters that have a rich flavor. There are others such as pecan butter that have a distinct flavor, but I don’t know that I’d call it a rich flavor, and it would easily clash with about 50% of smoothie recipes you’ll find online.
In terms of legume butters, both peanut butter and soy bean butter will add a really rich flavor to your smoothies.
Tiger nut butter (tuber, not a tree nut) also brings a really rich flavor to the table, but given the price, it may not be the best choice long term.
Are cashew butter and peanut butter good for someone on a keto diet?
The core principles of a keto diet are high fat, good protein, and low carb. Cashew butter and peanut butter both meet the requirements for this therapeutic diet. So long as you’re able to include them in your diet and still meet your requirements for grams of protein and grams of fat, they’re both a great option.
Plus, if you’re able to have these and branch out to other nut butters, seed butters, and legume butters, you can rotate and create variety in flavors of your meals (which helps prevent boredom).
The big thing to look out for is your portion size. It’s really, really, really, incredibly easy to eat way too much peanut butter or nut butter and throw off your macros when following a keto diet. To prevent that from happening, make sure you use a kitchen scale. Also, make sure you’re purchasing organic/natural versions with no added sugars or additives.
