Peanut butter powder has emerged as a popular pantry staple, offering a convenient and healthier alternative to traditional peanut butter. This article explores the myriad benefits of peanut butter powder and provides a variety of delicious recipes to incorporate it into your diet.
What is Peanut Butter Powder?
Peanut butter powder is created by pressing roasted peanuts to remove most of the oils, then grinding the remaining solids into a fine powder. This process significantly reduces the fat content, resulting in a product with fewer calories and a longer shelf life compared to traditional peanut butter. Peanut butter tends to go rancid because of the oils in long-term storage, but peanut butter powder can last for years with optimum storage conditions.
Nutritional Benefits of Peanut Butter Powder
Peanut butter powder retains many of the nutritional benefits of regular peanut butter while offering a lighter profile.
- Lower in Fat and Calories: Contains 85% less fat than peanut butter. As Crazy Richard’s peanut butter powder is created by pressing the oil out of the roasted & ground up peanut butter to make a powder. This protein-packed powder has 90% less fat and 75% fewer calories than traditional peanut butter since it doesn’t contain the oil. That’s only 50 calories, 6g of protein, 4g of carbs, and 1.5g of fat per two tablespoons.
- High in Protein and Fiber: Like with regular peanut butter, its powdered form is full of protein and fiber. The protein and fiber help improve your metabolism and digestion, increase muscle growth, and boost your energy. The benefits of a high-protein diet have been well-researched by modern nutritional scientists: improved sparing of lean body mass, easier weight management, enhanced glycemic regulation, and increased calcium absorption, notes the Journal of Food Science.
- Heart Health: Our peanut butter powder is high in monounsaturated fat, which can help decrease cardiovascular disease risk and reduce inflammation.
- Blood Sugar Balance: All-natural peanut butter powder can help balance your glucose levels and blood sugar.
- Stress Reduction: Eating peanut butter powder every day can help reduce stress levels and normalize high cortisol levels.
- Skin Health: Peanuts help protect your skin from the damaging effects of free radicals caused by UV exposure.
- Eye Health and Cognitive Function: In addition to peanuts being high in protein, fiber, healthy fats, and antioxidants, it is also high in Vitamin E.
How to Use Peanut Butter Powder
Peanut butter powder is incredibly versatile and can be used in various ways, both sweet and savory.
Rehydrating Peanut Butter Powder
- For Peanut Butter Paste: Mix equal parts peanut butter powder to water. Use 2 tablespoons of powder to 1 tablespoon of water and blend. I find the 1:1 ratio to be more pleasing. According to Shape, two tablespoons of reconstituted peanut butter and one tablespoon of liquid make about one tablespoon of nut butter. For a more dense, chunky peanut spread, decrease the amount of water.*Please note that I’m using the PB2 brand peanut powder, and your results may vary depending on which brand you get.
Culinary Applications
- Smoothies: Blend it into your smoothies! Just add a spoonful or two to your protein shake; it’s that easy! Peanut butter powder is perfect for taking on the go.
- Baking: Mix and bake it. Peanut butter powder is an excellent replacement for protein powder in baking because you won't have to change any of the ratios in the existing recipe to account for a drier batter. If the recipe does not include protein powder, you can consider substituting a small amount of the flour for powdered peanut butter. Mona's Table recommends substituting no more than one-quarter of the flour with protein powder.
- Protein Shakes: Shake the protein powder in your workout shakes.
- Oatmeal: Adding peanut powder lifts the taste of oatmeal. You can smash a banana to add some sweetness or add some berries.
- Granola: Try this Dried Fruit & PB granola for a super snack for the kids.
- Sauces: In many Asian- and African-inspired dishes, peanut butter is used to form tasty sauces. If you’d like to cut back on your calories, but still like the taste, add this nutty powder. When substituting peanut butter powder into a sauce recipe, you can either add the powder by itself or hydrate the powder into a paste (the preferred method) before adding it to the other ingredients. Adding the hydrated paste is a better option to control the consistency and flavors of the dish. Plus, you can always add more powder or water to hydrate or thicken the peanut butter as needed. For an additional hit of spice in your peanut sauce, add your favorite hot sauce or chili crisp.
- Dehydrated Snacks: Dehydrated Banana & Peanut Butter Chips - Sprinkle peanut butter powder on your banana slices, dehydrate at 135°F / 57°C until well done, and have some really yummy snacks!
- Dipping Sauces: Dipping sauces make eating foods a little more fun, don’t they? Greek yogurt and peanut butter powder make a great high-protein dip for sliced apples, bananas, or pretzels. You don't even need to rehydrate the peanut butter before you stir it into the Greek yogurt. For an extra bit of sweetness, add a drizzle of honey or maple syrup to the top of the dip; if you're feeling adventurous, you might even add a sprinkle of chocolate chips.
- Peanut Butter Chicken: Peanut Butter Chicken - Use 1 part peanut butter powder to 1 part whole wheat flour, season with garlic powder, cumin, and a little cayenne if you’re feeling spicy.
- Ice Cream: One of my favorite ice creams is peanut butter cup ice cream. Chocolate ice cream with rivers of peanut butter gooeyness inside. The peanut butter milkshake is a simple recipe at heart. Add a scoop of your favorite ice cream - either chocolate, vanilla, or peanut butter - to a blender with your milk of choice. When working with powdered peanut butter, be wary that you may need to add more milk to account for the use of a powder in the recipe. After blending the milkshake for a few minutes, scoop a bit of the shake out and taste for any residual powder. Add additional milk and continue pulsing if the peanut butter is still powdery.
- Chocolate Desserts: Adding an awesome nutty flavor to chocolate desserts is a way to kick up the flavor. Create a peanut butter ‘sauce’ by mixing peanut butter powder, water, and confectioner’s sugar, and drizzling it over your favorite brownies or chocolate cake!
- Dog Treats: Don’t forget your pup!! You can make some incredible dog treats with peanut butter powder!
- Frozen Treats: Frozen Peanut Butter Cups - if you like frozen Reese’s, you’ll love this version, too! There might be nothing better than a cold popsicle on a hot summer day. You can use a pre-made protein shake to make a high-protein popsicle at home or use a base of yogurt (Greek or traditional) and milk. Adding a scoop of protein powder along with powdered peanut butter can boost protein significantly, but also result in a dry popsicle with pockets of powder. To avoid this issue, add extra milk and regularly taste the mixture for any grittiness. If you want a chocolate surprise on the popsicles, add a chocolate shell drizzle to the mold before scooping the mixture in. This method is preferred as opposed to adding chocolate chips to the mixture because the chocolate chips usually settle in one part of the popsicle.
- Protein Balls/Bars: There are SO many great recipes for protein balls in the world. How about a protein bar for a twist? You can find more recipes at PB2Foods.com and at Jiff. Granola bars are a simple snack that can provide a great source of on-the-go protein and fiber. Perhaps the best part about granola bars is that the recipe is freeform depending on your favorite flavors and ingredients. When making granola bars at home, you're looking for ingredients that are sticky to act as a binder and ingredients that are crunchy or chewy to add texture. When working with powdered peanut butter, you'll want to reconstitute the powder before adding the rest of the ingredients. You'll want the peanut butter to be slightly stickier than a 1-to-1 ratio, so add less water and whisk until creamy. Brown rice syrup will also help other ingredients stick together in the batter.
- Cookie Dough: The antithesis of childhood (and probably adulthood too, if we're being honest) is stealing cookie dough batter out of the Tollhouse cookie bucket. There are multiple ways to make cookie dough based on your dietary needs. For a plant-based cookie dough, blend a can of drained chickpeas in a high-speed blender with reconstituted peanut butter powder, plant-based milk, vanilla extract, sweetener, and a little bit of flour. We recommend using oat flour for its high fiber and protein, as well as its consistency as a binder. Big Man's World recommends using casein, brown rice, or pea protein powder (as opposed to whey protein) to make cookie dough because of its strength and mild flavor.
- Popcorn: The problem with drizzling peanut butter over popcorn is that you never get the perfect amount; some kernels are covered, while others are missing any peanut butter essence. You can make traditional popcorn or kettle corn, but the one prerequisite is that the popcorn is hot and fresh. To make peanut butter kettle corn, heat kernels and fat (either butter or coconut oil) in a medium-sized pot. The trick with making popcorn is to constantly move the kernels to prevent burning, per Amy's Healthy Baking. After some of the kernels have popped, stir in the sugar and continue shaking until the kernels have popped. Once you have removed the heat from the popcorn, you can sprinkle your powdered peanut butter over the top of the kernels and shake to evenly spread the powder.
- Peanut Butter Cups: Peanut butter cups are a classic sweet treat. You can use powdered peanut butter to replace traditional peanut butter in homemade peanut butter cups for a delicious, low-fat substitute. To make peanut butter cups at home, melt down your favorite chocolate with a bit of coconut oil. You'll want to stir the chocolate and the fat together so that it is well incorporated. Then, spoon the chocolate into lined cupcake tins or silicone molds. Be sure to completely cover the bottom of the tin before scooping the rehydrated peanut butter mixture into it. Spread the peanut butter evenly across the tin before sealing it with another layer of chocolate.
- Peanut Stews: Peanut stews are often found in African, Middle Eastern, and Indian recipes. Using peanut butter powder in lieu of peanut butter is a smart swap for both nutrition and flavor in these recipes. You'll want to use a 2-to-1 ratio of peanut butter powder to water for a peanut stew to create the same texture as traditional peanut butter. Recipe developer Miriam Hanh recommends using ¼ cup of peanut butter in her recipe for a hearty peanut butter soup. The soup utilizes low-fat coconut milk and bulking vegetables like kale, sweet potatoes, red pepper, and red onion.
- Breakfast Cookies: There might be no better combination than peanut butter and banana (unless chocolate is involved). With peanut butter powder, you can make a simple, low-fat breakfast cookie to grab on your way to work or class. You'll need three ingredients for these cookies: peanut butter powder, oats (either quick or old-fashioned), and mashed banana. The size of the banana will impact how much oats you add to the batter, so you're looking for a dough-like consistency that holds together when balled more than anything. Add a few tablespoons of the powdered peanut butter directly to the batter, along with any additional mix-ins like chocolate chips, cinnamon, or chopped peanuts. You can bake these cookies at 350 F for about 15 minutes until solid.
- Overnight Oats: Overnight oats were a food trend that took over the food and fitness scene a few years ago - and for good reason. Overnight oats have a soft, muesli-like consistency made by combining a 1-to-1 ratio of whole rolled oats to liquid. Cooks can choose to use water, milk, or dairy-free substitutes in their overnight oats, thus making the breakfast food adaptable to many different dietary adherences. Overnight oats can be topped with granola, chia seeds, maple syrup, honey - and really anything you dream of. Peanut butter powder is an ideal complement to overnight oats because it does not result in the same gunky consistency as traditional peanut butter. Peanut butter powder can be stirred in the morning of or added when the oats are prepared the night prior.
- Pancakes: If you don't add peanut butter to your pancakes already, you need to start doing so. You may have never thought to use peanut butter in this iconic breakfast food, but the fattiness of the peanut butter pairs well with how filling pancake batter can be. Although rehydrated peanut butter powder is less dense than traditional peanut butter in a pancake or waffle recipe, we recommend adding fluffed egg whites to add extra air to the batter. What we love about making peanut butter pancakes with powdered peanut butter is that you can use either homemade pancake batter or boxed pancake mix.
- Hot Chocolate: There might not be any better combination on Earth than peanut butter and chocolate. The secret to making the best hot chocolate, besides adding a tablespoon of peanut butter powder, is to use whole chocolate rather than powdered mix. You should use a ratio of 3 ounces of chocolate to every 8 ounces (1 cup) of hot milk. We recommend upgrading your peanut butter hot chocolate by adding the classic marshmallows as well as a drizzle of chocolate syrup or peanut butter to the top. Add sweeteners to your hot chocolate as needed, or try to make a totally plant-based drink by using oat-based or almond-based chocolate bars and dairy-free milk.
Safety for Infants and Pets
Yes! Our peanut butter powder is perfectly safe to give to your little ones and your pups! For infants, you should slowly introduce peanuts into their diet under a doctor’s supervision. Since our healthy peanut butter powder doesn’t contain any extra fillers or preservatives, this ensures that our products are clean and pure, making them safe to give to children. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology recommends that you start giving your child peanut butter only after they have had other solid foods without complication or signs of allergies. This also makes our peanut butter powder safe for your dog. There is no added sugar, xylitol, erythritol, or added salt that would make it harmful for your beloved pet.
Read also: Creamy Keto Dessert
Storage Tips
Since the peanut butter is a powder, instead of a cream like regular peanut butter, it does not need to be refrigerated. However, storing something in cold temperatures ensures that it lasts longer. Store your peanut butter powder in a cool, dark, dry place. Keeping your peanut butter powder this way helps it stay good for up to 12 months. Our pure peanut powder comes in two different options: a 6.5 oz jar, and a 2 lb bag, depending on your family size and needs.
Brands of Peanut Butter Powder
There are so many premium peanut butter powder brands coming to the market as it becomes more popular in high protein diets, etc., it is hard to list all the brands.
- JIF Peanut Butter Powder: JIF Peanut Butter Powder has no added sugar, salt, or artificial sweeteners. It is roasted peanuts and the only peanuts-only brand I know at the time of this article.
- PB2: This is the powder I stock. It does have added sugar and salt (not much). PB2 Pure Peanut Flour is currently on sale on Amazon!
- Augason Farms: Usually known for their freeze-dried and dehydrated foods for emergency storage, Augason Farms also stocks long-term storage items.
- Crazy Richard’s: At Crazy Richard’s, we believe in giving you the healthiest option and only use nuts in our nut butter. We don’t add any extra unhealthy additives like sugar, palm oil, salt, or hydrogenated oil like can be found in most big companies peanut butter powders.
- Naked Nutrition: Naked Nutrition has just launched a new line of flavors for their best-selling Powdered Peanut Butter, including Organic, Chocolate, and Sugar & Salt. My focus immediately landed squarely on the Organic option for its brilliantly simple one-ingredient label. All you get are fresh, dry, finely powdered, roasted peanuts.
Can I Dehydrate Peanut Butter?
Unfortunately, no. The fat content in peanut butter makes it problematic to actually dehydrate well. While it would be great to be able to dehydrate peanut butter, unfortunately, it is not a great candidate. Peanuts are put through an extruder to remove as much of the natural oil as possible. The pulp that is left is then dried and powdered. However, there are reports that you can add maltodextrin to peanut butter to dehydrate and powder. The starch is said to bind with the fat to make it easier to powder.
Read also: Peanut Butter Powder Nutrition
Read also: Peanut Butter Keto Recipe