Best Almond Butter: Move Over PB, These Almond Butters Are Incredible

I rarely think about almond butter, so I had to do my research before heading into our almond butter taste test. In my mind, most people eat almond butter because they think it’s a “healthy” alternative to peanut butter. Then, there are some people who opt for almond butter because they are allergic to peanuts. That’s it. Those are the two people that eat almond butter—or so I thought. After our taste test, though, I’m singing a different tune. Almond butter is its own unique thing that deserves respect.

Fellow almond butter novice and Good Mythical Morning writer Kalyn French (@kamasemicolon) joined me and the rest of the Sporked team to break down what elevates almond butter from good to great. We decided that we were looking for a smooth texture, a notable almond flavor, and the lack of a thick oily layer at the top of the jar. Here are the best almond butters we tasted:

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Best of the Best

Sam’s Choice Slow Roasted Creamy Almond Butter

$5.22 Walmart

$5.22 Instacart

Sam’s Choice Creamy Almond butter is thick, luscious, sweet, almond butter perfection. The nuts taste toasted without bitter burnt flavors like other nut butters I’ve tasted. It’s really pleasantly sweet without being cloying. A hint of salt finishes each bite. Bonus: There’s not an upsetting amount of oil when you open the jar. I typically wouldn’t choose almond butter over peanut butter, but I would take Sam’s Choice Creamy Almond Butter over any other nut butter on the market.

Credit: Ryan Martin / Walmart

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Best for Sandwiches

Maranatha No Stir Creamy Almond Butter

$7.47 Walmart

$7.47 Instacart

$9.99 Target

Maranatha No Stir Creamy Almond Butter is thicker than most of the almond butters we tried, making it perfect for sandwiches. This plus banana plus honey? A dream come true. The flavor is extremely nutty without blasting you with almond, which happened with some of the other butters we tried. If you like eco-friendly foods, Maranatha uses ethically sourced palm oil, uses jars made from recycled glass, and is a “proud supporter” of the bee conservation efforts of the Xerces Society.

Credit: Ryan Martin / Target

Rating:

9.5/10

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Best Flavored

RXBAR RX Nut Butter Vanilla Almond Butter

$7.96 Walmart

$8.48 Instacart

$12.89 Target

Kalyn astutely pointed out that the RXBAR RX Vanilla Almond Butter tastes exactly like Nilla Wafers. What more could you want from a health food product? The smell reminds me of birthday cake lipgloss. Does it look a little gross when you open the jar? Yes. Why does almond butter need eggs in it? I have no clue. What I do know is that this stuff is tasty and Kalyn agreed. She said she’d “buy this on a regular basis.”

Credit: Ryan Martin / Target

Rating:

9/10

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Best for Almond Lovers

Trader Joe’s Creamy Almond Butter No Salt

$14.30 Amazon

I was shocked when I realized that the Trader Joe’s Creamy Almond Butter contained no added sugar or salt. It manages to be lightly sweetened and a little salty without any help. Since it’s protein-packed and totally sugarless, this almond butter would be sensational for breakfast. Stir it into oatmeal, add a scoop to Greek yogurt, or smear some onto a toaster waffle with some strawberries. Don’t get me wrong, though. This would also be good in homemade chocolate almond butter cups or coconut almond butter milkshakes.

Credit: Ryan Martin / Amazon

Rating:

8.5/10

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Best Crunchy

Maisie Jane’s Crunchy Almond Butter

$11.49 Whole Foods

I rarely see almond butters that aren’t smooth, so I was intrigued by Maisie Jane’s Crunchy Almond Butter. Speckled with tiny chunks of nuts, this nut butter still maintains a smooth, creamy base that perfectly contrasts with the almond pieces. It has a complex, deep flavor because it’s made with 100% dry roasted almonds. The natural, unprocessed texture and the cute little bee on the jar make me feel effortlessly outdoorsy and in touch with nature (like someone who lives a #VanLife).

Credit: Ryan Martin / Whole Foods

Rating:

8/10

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Best Nostalgic

Simple Truth Smooth No Stir Almond Butter

$6.39 Instacart

$6.39 Ralphs

$5.38 Kroger

The Simple Truth Smooth No Stir Almond Butter is the creamiest almond butter I have ever had. There is no graininess whatsoever. It tastes like Jiffy Peanut Butter’s equally velvety almond cousin. My recommendation is to put it on an AB&J (almond butter and jelly), obviously, and relive your childhood. Sure, I didn’t grow up eating PB&Js, but something about the combo of nut butter and jam feels so nostalgic. This also gets huge points for being the only truly “no-stir” almond butter we encountered in our taste test.

Credit: Ryan Martin / Kroger

Rating:

8/10

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Best for Cooking

Kirkland Creamy Almond Butter

$7.99 Costco

This huge jar is so reasonably priced it’s great as an ingredient for cooking. Dan dan noodles, black-eyed pea stew, red curry carrot soup: A scoop of Kirkland Creamy Almond Butter would thrive in any recipe that needs a bit of creamy nuttiness. To add even more depth of flavor, Costco roasts their almonds. Plus, it’s just 100% almonds blended to perfection, so no extra ingredients are sneaking their way into your dish.

Credit: Ryan Martin / Costco

Rating:

7.5/10

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