Can You Freeze Peanut Butter? – I Test 3 Methods [Pics]

Have you just made a massive batch of peanut butter and realized there’s no way you can eat it all before it goes off?

Or are you sick of having to dirty your knife each morning spreading your peanut butter on toast? (Frozen peanut butter toast slices are real!).

You’re in the right place.

In this article, I share my results from freezing peanut butter using 3 different methods.

I also give you step-by-step instructions to ensure your peanut butter freezes just as well.

Ready? Let’s jump right in.

Can you freeze peanut butter?

Freezing peanut butter is a great way to extend its shelf life. Simply portion out your peanut butter into small airtight containers and place them in the freezer.

You can even use an ice cube tray to make peanut butter ice cubes.

(Yasss!).

If the peanut butter splits upon thawing, a quick stir will bring it back to normal.

Can you freeze peanut butter? Yes

How long does peanut butter last in the freezer? 6-12 months

Does peanut butter freeze well? Yes

Can you refreeze peanut butter? Yes

Any watch-outs for freezing peanut butter? It might split upon thawing, but this is easy to fix.

All-natural peanut butter (where peanuts are the only ingredient) will freeze solid pretty quickly in a home freezer.

It’s harder to predict the behavior of peanut butter with additives (but the ones I tested still froze without issues).

Related: How To Salt Peanuts

This is because the extra ingredients can have an effect on the freezing point and the rate of freezing.

A note on my experiment 

To see how well peanut butter freezes, I ordered several tubs and used them to perform the following tests:

• How long peanut butter freezes for (at best quality)
• Refreezing peanut butter several times to check the texture and consistency
• Testing different freezing techniques (e.g. portioning the peanut butter into ice cube trays and pre-made sandwich squares).

How to freeze peanut butter

1. Portion your peanut butter out into airtight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. Smaller portions freeze much faster.
2. Put a layer of plastic wrap (or wax paper) over the surface of the peanut butter in the airtight container, or squeeze all the air out of the freezer bag (optional).
3. Close your airtight container and put it in the freezer.

The plastic wrap helps to protect the surface of the peanut butter from frost.

Too much headspace in the container (or excess space in a bag) exposes the peanut butter to a lot of cold freezer air.

Never use a glass jar to freeze peanut butter because (although unlikely) the glass might break in the freezer.

A big tub of peanut butter will take up to 24 hours to freeze completely, while smaller portions will freeze in as little as 3-4 hours.

Note: All natural peanut butter (where peanuts are the only ingredient) will freeze solid in a home freezer.

Note: All natural peanut butter (where peanuts are the only ingredient) will freeze solid in a home freezer – since its freezing point is 37°F (3°C). 

It becomes harder to predict the behavior of peanut butter with additives, because the extra ingredients will have an effect on both the freezing point and the rate of freezing.

Related: How To Freeze Almond Butter

Alternative options

Here are some alternative methods to freeze your peanut butter.

Peanut butter portioned into ice cube trays is perfect for stress-free smoothies, and slices make peanut butter sandwiches a breeze.

Ice cubes

If you plan to use the peanut butter in smoothies or you want it in ready-to-use portions then spoon the peanut butter into an ice-cube tray and freeze it in that.

After about 2-3 hours the cubes will be frozen solid and you can transfer them into a bigger airtight container for long-term storage. 

Work quickly when you’re doing this because the cubes will start to melt almost immediately. 

Slices

Frozen nut butter slices went viral on social media a few years ago.

Most people think it’s a pretty useless life hack… but they haven’t tried peanut butter shards with bananas on toast. (Thank me later!).

You need a big piece of wax paper and a rolling pin.

Dollop a few spoonfuls of peanut butter onto the wax paper and fold it in half, then use the rolling pin to flatten the peanut butter into a thin slab.

Freeze the slab. 

Once it’s solid, you can cut or break it up into a shape of your choice and store the slices in an airtight container.

Work quickly with the peanut butter while it’s out of the freezer because it will start to melt immediately.

How to thaw peanut butter

To thaw peanut butter, take it out of the freezer and put it in the fridge to thaw overnight. For faster thawing, you can simply leave it out on the side for 20-30 minutes. If the peanut butter splits while it’s thawing, give it a quick stir and it will come back together.

Natural peanut butter is most prone to splitting.

If your peanut butter has additives, it’s less likely to split.

To avoid splitting, thaw the peanut butter in the fridge rather than on the counter.

The cool air and slower thawing reduce the chances of the solids and oils separating.

Avoid thawing peanut butter in the microwave because oil is very unpredictable in the microwave.

If you need really speedy thawing, use a warm water bath or the heat from your hands to warm the peanut butter.

Stirring while the peanut butter while it’s thawing also helps to prevent splitting.

Tips for freezing peanut butter

Here are a few quick tips to ensure you have a stress-free freezing experience.

Label your container

This is a step most people forgo, but it can be really easy to lose track of how long things have been in the freezer and which batch you should take out first. 

Labeling your container with the date you put the peanut butter in the freezer means you’ll always use it in time.

Frozen peanut butter makes a great dog treat

My dog loves frozen peanut butter in her kong, she goes crazy for it!

So if you’re looking for a new dog treat, try it out.

Just make sure there’s no xylitol listed as an ingredient on your peanut butter because this is toxic to dogs.

All-natural peanut butter is best for dog treats.

How long does peanut butter last?

Note that these numbers are based on natural peanut butter (where the only ingredient is peanuts). 

If your peanut butter contains preservatives, it will last even longer.

Does peanut butter go bad?

Peanut butter won’t become unsafe to eat, but it can go rancid because of the oil. It’s very easy to tell if your peanut butter is rancid because it will smell off and taste bitter. Keeping the peanut butter in a cool, dark place (like a fridge or freezer) helps preserve it.

Does peanut butter freeze well?

Yes, peanut butter freezes perfectly. In my tests, there were no adverse effects on the taste or texture of peanut butter after freezing. The only thing to be aware of is that the freezing-thawing cycle can cause peanut butter to split. But this is easily remedied with some stirring.

Natural peanut butter freezes solid, so it’s easy to shape how you want. 

If your peanut butter includes other ingredients like stabilizers and preservatives, it might not freeze as solid but keeping it at freezing temperatures will still help preserve it.

Can you refreeze peanut butter?

I tested re-freezing peanut butter and it worked fine, the peanut butter tasted good and there were no textural changes. Storing the peanut butter in an airtight container is crucial for re-freezing. If your peanut butter develops a lot of frost the first time you freeze it, it won’t refreeze well. 

How To Freeze Peanut Butter

In this quick recipe, I show you the best way to freeze your peanut butter.

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Course: Spread

Cuisine: American

Keyword: freeze peanut butter, peanut butter

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 1 person

Calories: 588kcal

Equipment

• Tupperware
• Plastic wrap
• Ziploc bag
• Ice cube tray

Ingredients

• 1 portion peanut butter natural or store-bought

Instructions

• Portion your peanut butter out into small airtight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. Smaller portions freeze much faster.
• Put a layer of plastic wrap / wax paper over the surface of the peanut butter in the airtight container, or squeeze all the air out of the freezer bag (optional).
• Close your airtight container and put it in the freezer.
• A big tub of peanut butter will take up to 18 hours to freeze completely, while smaller portions will freeze in as little as 2-3 hours.
• Peanut butter will last 6-12 months in the freezer.

Nutrition

Serving: 100g | Calories: 588kcal