Roasted peanuts ground to a paste, sometimes with added oil, sugar and salt. Natural versions separate and are looser; stabilised ones stay thick and uniform.
What it does in a recipe: A thick, fatty, savoury-sweet paste that emulsifies sauces, binds no-bake mixtures and adds richness. Pick the swap that covers that job - the ratios below are written so you can act on them without doing any arithmetic.
Also called: Peanut paste
4substitutes
1close matches
Nuts & seedscategory
Quick answer
Sunflower seed butter
1/2 cup peanut butter = 1/2 cup sunflower seed butter
All substitutes, best first
4 ways to replace peanut butter
Sunflower seed butter
Closest match
1/2 cup peanut butter = 1/2 cup sunflower seed butter
Very close in fat, thickness and savoury depth, and it is free of both peanut and tree nut protein, which makes it the standard school-safe swap.
MethodIn anything raised with baking soda, add a teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar to the batter - otherwise the chlorogenic acid in the seeds reacts with the soda and turns the crumb green.
Trade-offMore savoury and slightly bitter, and the green reaction in baked goods surprises people. It is entirely harmless and does not affect the taste.
Allergen checkSunflower seed butter contains no peanut or tree nut protein and is the correct choice for a peanut-free or school-safe kitchen. Because it is often made on shared equipment, buy a brand that states a dedicated nut-free facility if the allergy is severe, and confirm with the manufacturer rather than trusting the ingredient list alone.
Almond butter
Reliable
1/2 cup peanut butter = 1/2 cup almond butter
A comparable fat content and thickness, so it emulsifies a satay sauce and binds an energy ball on the same terms.
MethodUnsweetened almond butter is usually looser and less salty. Add a pinch of salt and consider a teaspoon of honey or syrup to match the balance.
Trade-offMilder and slightly grittier, and it browns faster in a bake because of the finer particles.
Allergen checkAlmonds are a tree nut, and around a third of people with peanut allergy also react to tree nuts. This is not a safe substitution for a peanut allergy without medical guidance, and nut butters are almost always produced on shared lines - check for cross-contact statements.
Tahini
Reliable
1/2 cup peanut butter = 1/2 cup tahini, plus 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
Tahini has a similar fat content and emulsifies just as readily, but it is unsweetened and considerably more bitter, so a little sweetener brings it into range.
MethodStir the jar thoroughly first. Tahini separates hard, and the paste at the bottom is far thicker than the oil on top.
Trade-offThinner and distinctly bitter, with a sesame flavour that is unmistakable. Excellent in a savoury sauce, less convincing in a cookie.
Allergen checkTahini is pure sesame, and sesame is one of the top nine major allergens in the United States, with mandatory labelling since 2023. It is nut-free but it is not allergen-free, and it should never be offered as a blanket safe option. Check labels and treat a sesame allergy as the medical matter it is.
Cashew butter
Reliable
1/2 cup peanut butter = 1/2 cup cashew butter
The smoothest of the nut butters, with a similar fat content and a mildness that lets other flavours in a sauce come forward.
Trade-offSweeter, paler and much less savoury. A cashew satay tastes gentler and needs more lime and chilli to find its balance.
Allergen checkCashews are a tree nut and among the most frequent causes of severe nut reactions. This swaps one major allergen for another and does nothing for a peanut allergy. Nut butters are routinely made on shared equipment, so check the packaging and treat a diagnosed allergy as a clinical question.
Worth knowing
Natural peanut butter and stabilised peanut butter are not interchangeable by weight in baking. The natural kind carries more free oil and less sugar, which makes cookies spread more and taste less sweet. If a recipe was written for the stabilised sort, expect a flatter result.
At a glance
Peanut butter in summary
Peanut butter at a glance: category, its job in a recipe, the diets it suits, the diets its substitutes can satisfy, and how many substitutes there are.
Can I use sunflower seed butter instead of peanut butter?
1/2 cup peanut butter = 1/2 cup sunflower seed butter. Very close in fat, thickness and savoury depth, and it is free of both peanut and tree nut protein, which makes it the standard school-safe swap. More savoury and slightly bitter, and the green reaction in baked goods surprises people. It is entirely harmless and does not affect the taste.
Can I use almond butter instead of peanut butter?
1/2 cup peanut butter = 1/2 cup almond butter. A comparable fat content and thickness, so it emulsifies a satay sauce and binds an energy ball on the same terms. Milder and slightly grittier, and it browns faster in a bake because of the finer particles.
Can I use tahini instead of peanut butter?
1/2 cup peanut butter = 1/2 cup tahini, plus 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup. Tahini has a similar fat content and emulsifies just as readily, but it is unsweetened and considerably more bitter, so a little sweetener brings it into range. Thinner and distinctly bitter, with a sesame flavour that is unmistakable. Excellent in a savoury sauce, less convincing in a cookie.
Can I use cashew butter instead of peanut butter?
1/2 cup peanut butter = 1/2 cup cashew butter. The smoothest of the nut butters, with a similar fat content and a mildness that lets other flavours in a sauce come forward. Sweeter, paler and much less savoury. A cashew satay tastes gentler and needs more lime and chilli to find its balance.
Cooking around an allergy? Diet tags here describe the ingredient itself, not any particular brand. Processed products change formulation without notice and shared production lines are common, so read the label on everything you use. A severe allergy is a medical matter - confirm with the manufacturer or your clinician rather than relying on a substitution chart.