I Tried 9 Flavored Peanut Butters And Ranked Them Worst To Best

Peanut butter is such a familiar and comforting spread. If you head into your pantry or perhaps your fridge, you likely already have a half-eaten jar. You can use it in classic applications like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, but it works with anything from smoothies to savory meals. The world of peanut butter goes far beyond salted, unsalted, crunchy, and smooth — there's even a slew of no sugar and no oil-added options. It's already hard enough to pick out a jar from the many available brands, but there's even a wider net when you realize there are flavored peanut butters.

To be honest, I don't really venture into the flavored territory very often, but I like a challenge. I set out to try a selection of flavored peanut butters and judge them by how well the flavors worked, whether the peanut butter aspect was discernible or masked by other ingredients, how versatile they were, and, lastly, how the textures affected the overall experience. Before we dive in, I think it's important to note that even the last-ranked option is incredibly tasty. I had to get specific on the criteria for ranking these; otherwise, it was difficult to choose. Ultimately, my top pick could be a delicious and useful addition to your collection.

Skippy is an ultra-classic brand in the peanut butter world, and its honey-infused version is quite tasty. The Natural Creamy Peanut Butter Spread with Honey uses roasted peanuts, sugar, palm and peanut oil, honey, and salt as the base of its flavors. The only thing is that I wish the honey flavor were more prominent. There's a hint of sweetness, but I don't get the complex caramel-like note I associate with honey. It's more of a straightforward sugar flavor, and even that is somewhat muted. Therefore, it doesn't really live up to what I was hoping for. When I picture peanut butter and honey, I'm thinking of a classic combination. I grew up eating PB and honey sandwiches, and this would not replace that. I need to add more honey to the mix.

Additionally, the oil begins to separate, leaving an oily layer on top. Oily PB is nothing new to me, but this is advertised as a no-stir product when it indeed could use a mix. It's good, but there are plenty of other peanut butter spreads to pick from that are more richly flavored. Based on its description, it's not supposed to be overly sweet. While I can certainly appreciate that, I would rather just get its regular creamy spread from the Natural line.

I've always wanted to try Nerdy Nuts, as I have seen it a lot on TikTok. When I was searching for my flavored PBs on Target's website and found two Nerdy Nuts options, it made sense to give them a go. Nerdy Nuts' Dubai Chocolate Bar Peanut Butter Treat is a combination of sweet milk chocolate peanut butter, kataifi pieces, kataifi pistachio cream, and chocolate chips. I wasn't even aware there were chocolate chips because when I received it, they were completely melted. I just thought it was chocolate spread. 

Although various toppings can enhance the experience, I'm basing my ranking solely on the peanut butter itself. The milk peanut butter is delicious, of course. It distinctly tastes like both chocolate and peanut butter, and the kataifi adds a really complex, delicious bite with a crunchy texture. The peanut butter itself is somewhat chunky. I absolutely love the chocolate and peanut butter base, but I feel like it would be hard to use beyond just eating it with a spoon. Spreading it on bread might be difficult because the kataifi is quite crisp; it might be good as a waffle or pancake topping. I will easily eat this and find ways to use it, but it might be a little difficult to employ, which is why I'm keeping it lower on my list.

Okay, here's the thing: I really like this peanut butter spread! Jif's Peanut Butter and Chocolate Flavored Spread is ultra soft and smooth — as evident in the photo. It's actually weirdly smooth, and I'm left wondering how the company did it. Yes, there are some added oils, but many options on this list have them, but they don't have the same consistency. I love the buttery texture that makes it easy to slather on a piece of bread; even one of those ultra-soft untoasted white breads would likely come out unscathed. It's that easy to spread. 

Based on my criteria, though, I still have to rank this low. First, it doesn't deliver as much peanut flavor as I'd like. It's more like a chocolate spread with peanut butter rather than the other way around. Given the nature of this article, that is a major flaw. It's scrumptious, and I'll happily eat it, but it doesn't have the PB flavor it needs. Therefore, this is the least peanut butter-like out of all the spreads. Cocoa sweetness comes to the forefront, then nuttiness comes through toward the end of the spoonful. Its versatility and great taste give it a lead over the previous two, but its lack of PB sets it back.

I absolutely love the taste of the Nerdy Nuts Birthday Cake Peanut Butter Treat. The flavor is a colorful concoction of what the brand calls a sweet white chocolate cupcake with peanut butter. Then it is topped with birthday cake bites, a little bit of frosting for good measure, and some rainbow sprinkles. It is delicious with its peanut-forward sweet flavor. However, it does not taste like birthday cake. Instead, it tastes like a moist version of De la Rosa's classic mazapán peanut candy. 

It tastes familiar, but it's in a totally new vehicle, with a different texture. If you've had this candy before, you know how distinct it is. The Nerdy Nuts product plays on those wonderful flavors. The ingredient list is so long, though, you'd need a telescope to read the tiny font, but key players include honey-roasted peanuts, white confectionery coating, sprinkles, white chocolate chips, and much more.

The only birthday-cake-adjacent elements are the birthday cake pieces and sprinkles. That's one major reason this ranks where it does: It doesn't really live up to its name. I like that the flavor is still quite versatile, so you could incorporate it onto toasts, dunk sliced apples into it, and so on. If I had to repurchase any of the PBs so far, it'd be this one for its comforting, sweet flavor.

Next up we have a brand I'm pretty familiar with: Justin's. This iteration of Honey Peanut Butter is much better than Skippy's, I must say. First, it delivers a clear, honeyed flavor. Here we see a combination of dry, roasted peanuts, organic honey, organic cane sugar, some oils, and sea salt. The honey pairs beautifully with peanut butter to create a sweet and nutty combination that you can use in sandwiches, to dunk your apple slices, or make frozen banana treats. 

Most of all, it delivers on the honey element, which helps boost its rankings. I also think it's considerably more versatile than the Nerdy Nuts birthday-flavored spread, even though that one is also tasty. This Justin's creation is considerably more minimal, which makes it something you can whip out whenever needed. It is premixed and not oily, so you don't have to do any extra stirring; simply spread it, and you're ready to go. 

Justin's Honey Peanut Butter is quite soft and malleable, but it's not runny. That makes it a good option when you want it to stay in place without dripping off a piece of toast. I can see this being a common household ingredient, but I think there are better, more enticing options to come.

I have actually had this A-Sha Foods USA Zimm's collab with Andrew Zimmern before and use it all the time in my kitchen; therefore, I know for a fact it is incredibly versatile and, of course, absolutely scrumptious. It is a savory peanut butter — which is surprisingly hard to come by — while everything else on this list leans to the sweet side. That alone sets it apart, but it doesn't need any accolades from me when the product itself is delicious. 

It perfectly blends peanut butter with chili peppers, soy sauce, sesame oil, dehydrated garlic, and other ingredients to create a ready-to-use condiment for your cooking. And no, it doesn't rank high just because it is a savory outlier. It does so because it hits a lot of the factors I was looking for. It's still delectable enough to enjoy straight off the spoon — it only enhances whatever you use it on, whether that's vegetables, chicken, or tofu, but it could be a great addition to transform ramen or to upgrade pad Thai. 

It is only beaten by a select number of other options that I find more scrumptious. The Peanut Butter Chili Crisp Mild was also loved by another Tasting Table writer who tried it, so I'm not the only fan. I highly suggest adding this to your flavoring rotation. Just note that it is quite salty, so I would omit adding salt to your food when using it.

If you want something that's almost a treat itself, I have just the thing. The Cinnamon Swirl Peanut Butter from Peanut Butter & Co. was a sleeper hit for me. I wasn't really expecting much other than cinnamon, but it tastes like a premade confection, mostly thanks to the sugar. I could see people adding this to French toast, incorporating it into muffins, or swirling it into loaf cakes; the possibilities seem endless. You could just as easily toast an English muffin, slather it on top, and call it a day — in fact, I have made this very combination with PB, sugar, and cinnamon.

This option has some serious use in the kitchen. It has some winter and autumnal qualities, making it great for seasonal cozy treats, but cinnamon products are used year-round, so it's a great staple to keep on hand. The caveat is that the oil separates, so as long as you thoroughly blend it in before consuming, it makes it a lot easier to work with. It delivers on every element: There's cinnamon and peanut butter, which is a classic combination I use frequently in the kitchen. But the addition of sugar gives it a caramel-like complexity that I kept reaching back for. 

I think this has the potential to be widely enjoyed by customers. Although the sugar adds sweetness, it's somewhat gritty, and I can hear it crunch with every bite. Still, I have to give it extremely high marks; however, the next two options are even more captivating, tastier, and, best of all, versatile.

If you're wondering whether Peanut Butter & Co.'s take on a chocolate and peanut butter spread is similar to Jif's, the answer is yes. Since peanut butter and cocoa are the main players, it has a similar profile, but it's better for a few reasons. To start, it tastes more elevated and refined. Jif's was incredibly smooth, with a clearly oily mouthfeel, and while delicious, it felt muddled with all the other ingredients. Here, though, the PB is the leading star, while the cocoa and sugar are the backup singers. Jif was softer, whereas Dark Chocolatey Dreams is thick, holds its shape, but it still spreads easily onto toast or apple slices.

It has a bit more grit from the peanuts, which helps me taste more of that peanut butter flavor. Although it was named one of the unhealthiest peanut butters out there (along with the Jif one), I think it's clear this is certainly something you would treat as, well, a treat. I am so happy to have this on deck; I can use it in so many ways. I picture scooping a little spoonful over some chopped bananas or fruit to make an excellent dessert. This has a richer peanut butter flavor as well as a deeper cocoa taste that comes to the forefront, which I prefer. There's a reason why it's called "Chocolatey Dreams" — because you'll probably think about it all night. This spreadable-but-not-too-soft texture, amazing chocolatey and peanutty taste, and overall adaptability in the kitchen make this one of the best flavored peanut butters out there.

The Cocomo Coconut Creamy Peanut Butter perfectly blends its two titular flavors to create a drool-worthy combination. This peanutty concoction is different from everything else on this list because it's quite runny; that means it's basically ready to get ladled onto cut fruit or yogurt. One of the most important factors is that it actually tastes like peanut butter and has a great, smooth texture, too. After mixing, it's slightly oily and definitely runny. Since the container is somewhat small, it's very easy to stir, and it stays mixed after that initial blend.

I like the runniness, which may be limiting in some ways, but it simultaneously gives it new life that the other thicker spreads don't. This consistency is perfect for drizzling over anything from chia puddings to frozen very berry yogurt bark without doing extra work. You might typically add water to thin out peanut butter, but that mutes the peanut-forward potency. Here, we see roasted peanuts, coconut syrup, cream, and oil incorporated into the spread, but there are other ingredients as well. 

It thoroughly hits every aspect of the product label: It's indeed creamy and wonderfully meshes peanut butter and coconut into a mouthwatering combination. The taste and distinctness of the peanut butter, paired with its versatility, make this the clear — ding, ding, ding — winner! Everything about this peanut butter flavor is a 10 out of 10. If you don't like coconut, the two Peanut Butter & Co. options are sure to please.

I picked out as many flavored peanut butter options as I could find locally. I visited two stores to get this selection, and I didn't want too much flavor crossover. For example, it was easier to find honey or chocolate-blended options, so I limited how many of those I purchased. I tested them out, and the simplest method of doing so was to eat them straight from the jar with a spoon. I tried a small amount of each multiple times to formulate my thoughts.

To be fair, they all taste quite good, so I needed to be extremely specific about the criteria I used to judge them. Ultimately, I settled on two major criteria. First, the flavors had to work well together to create a flavorful, enticing peanut butter spread. Second, peanut butter still needed to be a major flavor profile.

Smaller factors were a part of the thought process, too: I was looking for a versatile product that you can use in your kitchen in many ways beyond just eating it with a spoon. Texture played a secondary role but still helped solidify where something ranked. Higher-ranking items were more successful in these criteria. Whereas lower-ranking items were either unbalanced in flavor, not as easy to pair with other ingredients, or harder to use.