Loaf, Laugh, Love

I have recently become the sort of person who is trying to perfect her beautiful boules of sourdough, after being gifted a starter (its name is Doughy - an apt name because the biggest fan of my bread is one poodle named Joey owned by my human partner) and immediately developing an embarrassingly earnest bread-based personality shift. 

This is relevant to peanut butter because it turns out fresh homemade sourdough is an elite peanut butter pairing: chewy, tangy, satisfyingly crisp when toasted, and sturdy enough for a generous smear. Romanticise your life and all that.

Adams Natural Creamy Peanut Butter

Rating: 7/10

• 🥜 Category: Peanut, Smooth, Plain
• Country of origin: USA

Hello, peanut butter people! I've returned from my accidental hiatus, the primary explanation for which is unfortunately very boring and adult: some career/job-related turbulence, because tragically my expensive peanut butter habit costs money. Inconvenient and annoying. I have also been in the full swing of training for my next marathon, which means much of my spare brainpower has been dedicated to laundry, carbs, and wondering whether my knees are meant to click this much.

The marathon is now a little over two weeks away, in Europe (!!!), so you bet I will be partaking in one of my favourite hobbies: peeping at international grocery stores and carefully perusing the nut butter aisle. As the great artist Pitbull would say, I am "Mr. Worldwide".

(Sometimes some fun thoughts come up on my runs though. Recently, mid-jog, I thought of the joke "Do pointers dream of electric heap?")

Anyway!

This jar is giving similar energy to the Trader Joe's one: it's a classic American natural peanut butter: simple, salty, and extremely committed to oil separation as a personality trait. This is a very oily jar, dramatically so.

Flavour-wise, it’s okay - the salt ratio is better than the Trader Joe’s one and lets the nutty flavour show up properly. The roast is pleasant, not super deep or complex, but solid. It tastes like peanuts and it spreads fine once you've done your daily arm workout by stirring it. It does the job. I prefer to drizzle/spoon it over oats than spread it on toast.

Reliable? Yes. Would I eat it happily on carbs before a run, after a run, or while avoiding my responsibilities? Also yes. Would I eat it during a run? Probably not.

Pic's Peanut & Chocolate Butter

Rating: 8/10

• 🥜 Category: Peanut, Crunchy, Flavoured
• Country of origin: New Zealand

Happy 2026!

New year, new review, and some very fun life admin. I was kindly gifted a sourdough starter at the end of last year (its name is Doughy), so I have been regularly baking beautiful boules and doing what feels morally correct: generously slathering my favourite spreads on still-warm homemade bread. Bliss. I also start marathon training on Monday (for my first international marathon!!!), which means PB4PB will soon be fully back in action. I am a runner fuelled by peanut butter and groovy jams (it says so on my Strava).

I was also blessed last year when I went into the office and two colleagues absolutely nailed it with gifts: Pics Peanut & Chocolate Butter (little treat from Aotearoa), and an echidna plushie (little treat from Japan) to add to my cute anteater collection.

This jar originally launched back in 2021 and quickly sold out, then made a welcome, but only occasional, return thanks to fan demand. It is a solid 8/10!!! It's not as dark as I like my chocolate/peanut butter usually, but it's a pleasant milk/dark choccy combo that is not too sweet. And I do love Whittaker's chocolate, the Kiwis do have that going for them. Plus the crunch of peanuts is very satisfying - would take this over Nutella any day.

If you can get your grubby mitts on a jar, I think it's worth your time.

🥜🍫

Misfits Peanut Butter Fudge Plant-Based Protein Bar

I won't bother with a rating since protein bars aren't really my forte - I stick with the same Carman's / Sam's Pantry ones at the supermarket, usually, or just make my own snacks - but on the off-chance I have to buy / want to try a different one I will (obviously) opt for the most peanut butter leaning flavour. Usually plant-based, because whey protein doesn't agree with me.

This was kind of a bad bar, texture has that unpleasant chewy thing going on (you know the kind, when it's not-nut/oat based) and the peanut butter taste was kind of non-existent. Fuelled my run though, so I guess it wasn't completely pointless.

Happiness Is Simple (and Smells Like Peanut Butter)

My partner (who absolutely understood the assignment) surprised me with a peanut butter (and salted caramel)-scented candle, and now my apartment smells like dessert, serotonin, and possibly a fire hazard 🕯️🥜✨

Shortstop Dark Roasted Peanut Butter (Classic)

 Rating: 9/10. (Donut skip!!!)

• 🥜 Category: Peanut, Smooth/Crunchy, Plain
• Country of origin: Australia (a Melbourne local)

Oh boy, eating anything from Shortstop is basically time travel. One taste and I'm back at uni, fuelled by soy chai lattes with honey (early days) → an alarming number of soy lattes (masters degree). Bad circuit diagrams everywhere. Me: "just one donut break!" Also me, some hours later - sanity questionable, whichever poor study buddy I dragged along nodding through my monologue about PCBs and menty Bs (the Venn diagram was basically a circle). Throwback to when I actually knew how to use KVL and KCL. Currently typing this in a bootleg MATLAB tee, because apparently that era never really ended.

So when I saw they had made a dark roasted peanut butter, and this was, in fact, available to purchase by one fangirl (me), I basically yelled "Yes, chef!" to no one in particular. And let me tell you, it's every bit as gorgeous as I hoped.

The roast - pretty deep. Low-frequency resonance deep. Like how I like my whisky, it is smoky, toasty, and slightly bittersweet: the kind of flavour that makes you pause, nod thougtfully, and say "Ah, so this is flavour". The texture is chef's kiss: spoon-offable, with tiny peanut bits that are both delicate and punchy.

Flavour-wise, it's giving grown-up nostalgia. Super reminiscent of the flavour of Shortstop's peanut butter-based donuts, but denser, darker, and a little more introspective. There's a subtly coffee-adjacent bitterness that plays very nicely with the natural sweetness of the peanuts. It's peanut butter with range, like it's been through something and come out better for it (relatable!!!). This peanut butter is nostalgic, grounded, and (maybe) (definitely) a smidge over-caffeinated.

P.S. While you're at Shortstop, please do yourself the favour of getting their honey and sea salt cruller - I still stand by it as one of the best desserts you can find in Melbourne's CBD. Golden, airy, salty-sweet perfection. You are so welcome! 🍩

The Olde Spikey Bridge Peanut Butter (Smooth & Crunchy)

Rating: 10/10. Two words: yum yum!!!

• 🥜 Category: Peanut, Smooth & Crunchy, Plain
• Country of origin: Australia (specifically Tasmania)
• Serving suggestion: Please kindly gift your jars to your local nut butter nutter (me) 😇

It's a double whammy today, besties - I'm reviewing both smooth and crunchy. With that rating, how could I not?

Sometimes the best reviews come with a story, and this one is a testament to friendship and my blatantly obvious peanut butter obsession. I absolutely demolished my first jar (brought back by a very nice coworker per request) so quickly that I didn't even have time to write a proper review. Then, a blessing: a friend who'd just returned from Tasmania surprised me with not one but two (!) replacement jars for my birthday. If that isn't a sign to finally write this review and try to do this peanut butter justice, I don't know what is.

This Tasmanian treasure is everything you want in a peanut butter. The smooth and crunchy varieties are equally good, with the crunchy version studded with delightful little peanut pebbles. The roast level hits the sweet spot of deep, rich nuttiness without any bitter notes. Butterscotch and toffee notes. Saltiness is spot-on. The natural, fragrant, sweetness of the peanuts in this is just scrum-diddly-umptious: think freshly baked goods. I recommend you keep both textures handy for whatever mood strikes. In fact, I will write you a prescription.

What makes this even more special is that it's a local hero, and one that can go toe-to-toe with any of the international brands in my collection. I'm heading to Tasmania this spring, and while I'll tell everyone it's for the nature walks, contemporary art, and wine and cheese scene... we all know I'm really just going to Salamanca Market to stock up on Olde Spikey Bridge (RIP luggage space).

🥰🥰🥰

Oh So Natural Wholefoods Smooth Peanut Butter

Rating: 3/10

• 🥜 Category: Peanut, Smooth, Plain
• Country of origin: Australia (I think - this is an Aldi brand)

Nope! While the texture is passable for a natural peanut butter, that's about the only positive thing I can say. It tastes like a mouthful of peanut oil with barely any actual peanut flavour coming through. Natural sweetness from the peanuts? Absent. The lack of salt (intentional) doesn't help. So... why bother?

If you're looking for a natural peanut butter, there are better options out there - save your $3.39.

Santa Cruz Organic Dark Roasted Creamy Peanut Butter

Rating: 6/10

• 🥜 Category: Peanut, Smooth, Plain
• Country of origin: USA
• Serving suggestion: Add a pinch of salt and use it anywhere you'd use a dark roasted PB

I wanted to like this one more. Dark roasted peanut butter is usually my jam (pun absolutely intended), but this one's giving "talented but directionless". The deep, roasty, toasty notes are there, but they're performing solo when it's not really meant to be a one-note show. To put it plainly - it needs more salt. It's like they got halfway through the recipe and forgot the supporting cast.

The texture is giving "wannabe diva" - needs frequent mixing to keep it together. The peanuts themselves are giving "fresh-faced understudy" - they don't taste like they've been forgotten in the back of the pantry. But without enough salt to amplify the flavours, it's just... there. A perfectly fine performer that never quite gets its moment to shine.

A sprinkle of salt would probably bump this up a little, but I'm reviewing what's in the jar, not what could have been.

CB's 2 Ingredient Sea Salted Peanut Butter

Rating: 7/10

• 🥜 Category: Peanut, Smooth, Plain
• Country of origin: USA
• Serving suggestion: Your everyday toast companion, or anywhere you want that classic roasted peanut flavor

A Washington local! Sometimes you don't have to be extra to be likeable (note to self). CB's keeps it minimal with just two ingredients and for the most part, it works.

The texture here is quite nice - thick and substantial without being difficult to work with. Not a crazy amount of oil separation drama (a welcome break from my usual natural peanut butter adventures), just a smooth, consistent spread that behaves. It's the kind of texture that makes for easy spreading onto a slice of toast.

Flavour-wise, it reminds me of good quality roasted peanuts - the kind you might get as a bar snack at a hotel bar. The salt level is well-balanced, complementing rather than competing with the natural nuttiness. While it doesn't have the complexity or depth of some darker roasted options in my collection, it's a reliable choice that delivers what it promises: straightforward peanut butter satisfaction.

Is it particularly memorable? Nah. But it's the kind of jar you'll find yourself reaching for regularly, not because it's exciting, but because it works. Think of it as the sensible shoes of the peanut butter world - not the ones you show off about, but the ones you wear quite often. A solid and dependable choice.

Trader Joe's Creamy Salted Peanut Butter

Rating: 6/10

• 🥜 Category: Peanut, Smooth, Plain
• Country of origin: USA
• Serving suggestion: Baking projects and sauces where you need a thinner consistency and don't mind a thwacking of salt

Let's talk about this budget-friendly find from Trader Joe's - certainly a bargain at USD2.49, I didn't hesitate to grab this off the shelf and shove it into my suitcase to take back from my last trip to the States.

First impressions: pretty colour! Isn't quite the deep, dark roast I swoon at, but still easy on the eyes. Made with unblanched peanuts (which just means they kept their skins on for grinding), this spread definitely leans into the "ultra-spreadable" category.

The consistency is thin and oily. Really thin. Like, "don't try to spread this on soft bread unless you want a structural disaster" thin. While some might appreciate how easily it flows, I find myself wishing for something with a bit more body. The salt level is also dialed up past where it needs to be, which limits its versatility as a straight-up spread.

However! This isn't a total loss - that thin consistency and punchy hit of salt actually make it shine in specific applications. Need a smooth peanut butter to make some satay sauce for your meal prep friendly baked chicken because it's shredding season (wow, is this an extremely targeted ad)? This one's got your back, no extra oil or salt needed. Want to swirl some nutty goodness into your baked oat batter? Here's your budget-friendly solution. It's found its niche as a supporting player rather than a solo act.

An "it's fine" on the peanut butter spectrum. For the price point I'd say it's an acceptable pantry backup if you're planning to use a 'natural' style peanut butter in recipes rather than straight on your morning toast.

Shunchen Oil Peanut Butter

Rating: 3/10

• 🥜 Category: Peanut, Smooth, Plain
• Country of origin: Taiwan
• Serving suggestion: Peanut sauce noodles maybe???  (e.g. Nagi's - she says crunchy, I like my noodle sauce smooth, but also, this jar would make no more than 2 servings probably)

Tried this one so you don’t have to.

I had high hopes: picked this fancy little nut butter up from a bougie design store and paid a pretty penny for a very small jar. But sadly, it did not deliver. Bitter, bland, and with an odd aftertaste of burnt oil. No depth and no richness - just a flat, joyless spread.

Let’s just say this one is not getting invited back to dinner. (I am keeping the jar, though! ♻️)

Fuyuan Peanut Butter (Fine)

Rating: 8/10

• 🥜 Category: Peanut, Smooth, Plain
• Country of origin: Taiwan
• Serving suggestion: Sweet breakfasts (the best kind) - pancakes, toast, overnight oats, Greek yogurt bowls

Finally catching up on the Taiwanese peanut butter reviews after months of tasting notes marinating in my Notes app (a chaotic but sacred space). This one in two words: pure nostalgia.

Fuyuan claims to be the the most well-known peanut butter brand in Taiwan and is known for its handmade approach. This peanut butter is sweet, creamy, and mellow - basically, a childhood best friend in a jar. If you grew up on super-sweet-and-salty spreads like Kraft/Bega or Smucker;s, it's like she's come back to visit, but now she's grown-up, a lot more refined, but still the same charmer you remember. It's especially dreamy on overnight oats with seasonal fruit (berries in summer, pears in autumn, bananas year-round) and spice of choice, or swirled into/onto a thick Greek yogurt bowl to brighten up a regular degular morning. Now imagine it drizzled over blueberry pancakes. Yeah, I’m drooling too.

Simple, comforting, and just sweet enough: a quiet winner.