Healthy Peanut Butter Recipe (Vegan & Gluten Free) (2024)

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Last Updated . Published By Abbey Sharp 4 Comments

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Medically reviewed by Abbey Sharp, Registered Dietitian (RD), BASc.

This EASY Healthy Peanut Butter Recipe for kids and toddlers is naturally sweet with no added sugar and perfect for making nutrient dense PB&J sandwiches!

Healthy Peanut Butter Recipe (Vegan & Gluten Free) (1)

I know kids are stereotypically supposed to be obsessed with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, or just peanut butter anything, but my kid was never a fan. When he was really little and I was trialing different common allergens, it was always a struggle to get him to eat anything with peanut butter in it because he just didn’t like that much. That’s why I created these PB muffins, but that’s a whole other story.

Table of contents

  • Why This Recipe Works
  • Key ingredients
  • How To Make This Recipe
  • Expert Tips
  • Recipe FAQs
  • More Recipes You Might Like

Why This Recipe Works

I since figured out that he would happily eat the commercial peanut butter, but wasn’t so much a fan of the natural stuff I buy. That’s when I came up with the idea for this power protein packed healthy peanut butter recipe that is naturally sweetened with his favourite fruit, banana. I also love this recipe because it’s

  • Loaded with healthy fats
  • Packed with protein (10 grams) and fibre (5 grams)
  • SO easy to make – only 2 simple steps!
  • Free of added oils, salt, and sugar

Key ingredients

Natural Peanut Butter– Choose a peanut butter that is just peanuts, no salt, sugar, or other oils.

Ripe Banana– This is going to be our natural sweetener and adds some extra nutrients like potassium while we’re at it.

Ground Flax– Flax provides protein, fibre and healthy omega 3 fats, so this really pumps up the nutrition in this peanut butter.

Hemp Hearts – My son calls hemp hearts sprinkles, so he loves them. And I love that they supply protein, fibre and healthy omega 3 fats.

Cinnamon– For a little extra sweet flavour.

Sea Salt– If you want! I usually don’t bother and my kiddos still gobbles this up.

Healthy Peanut Butter Recipe (Vegan & Gluten Free) (2)

How To Make This Recipe

Step 1: Mash the banana in a bowl and mix in the peanut butter, hemp, flax, cinnamon and salt.

Step 2: Serve on bread, yogurt, or oatmeal.

Expert Tips

We used to think that giving young children peanut products would cause food allergies, but we now know it’s actually the complete opposite. We now want to expose our kids to the top 8 allergens as soon as we can once they start solids around 6 months. Check out this whole post on peanut allergens, and this BLW meal plan for starting solids to reduce allergens.

Looking for a healthier twist to a traditional PB&J? I suggest a nice high fibre bread, then a smear of this healthy peanut butter on on side, and my famous homemade chia jam on the other. Tada! You’ve got a kid friend and toddler friendly PB&J with no added sugar and a ton of healthy fats, protein and fibre.

Healthy Peanut Butter Recipe (Vegan & Gluten Free) (3)

Recipe FAQs

What do you use this naturally sweetened peanut butter for?

This is perfect for putting on oatmeal, swirling into yogurt or cottage cheese, or smearing on rice cakes or toast. It also makes a crazy delicious PB&J Sandwich that is naturally super sweet.

How long will this last in the fridge?

I find that this recipe lasts for about 3 days in the fridge, so I make these small batches frequently throughout the week.

How do you choose a healthy peanut butter?

I recommend looking straight at the ingredients. It should just say peanuts (or almonds, or cashews, or whatever the nut is in question). You can cut back on added sugar and salt in your kids diet by avoiding nut butters that have these products or partially hydrogenated oils in them.

Is this pb vegan and gluten free?

Yep, this is completely safe and healthy for those who stick to a vegan diet or gluten free diet.

Will kids actually like this?

Um, yes? If your kids like ripe bananas (who doesn’t like that sweetness), they will love this healthy peanut butter. And if you haven’t tried my chia jam, you MUST make them together.

Healthy Peanut Butter Recipe (Vegan & Gluten Free) (4)

More Recipes You Might Like

Looking for other delicious peanut butter packed recipes for kids? Definitely try some of these below!

  • SUGAR FREE BISCUITS WITH CHICKPEAS AND PEANUT BUTTER

Now tell me what you’re putting this amazing nut butter on! Leave me a comment below if you and your family loves this power peanut butter!

Healthy Peanut Butter Recipe (Vegan & Gluten Free) (5)

Healthy Peanut Butter Recipe for Kids

This EASY Healthy Peanut Butter Recipe for kids and toddlers is naturally sweet with no added sugar and perfect for making nutrient dense PB&J sandwiches!

5 from 8 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Snack, Lunch

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 2

Calories: 177kcal

Author: Abbey Sharp

Ingredients

  • 1 very ripe banana mashed (about 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp)
  • 1/4 cup natural peanut butter no sugar or salt
  • 4 tsp hemp hearts
  • 4 tsp ground flax seed
  • 1/8 tsp cinnamon
  • Sea salt if desired (optional)

Instructions

  • Mash the banana in a bowl and mix in the peanut butter, hemp, flax, cinnamon and salt.

  • Serve on bread, yogurt, or oatmeal.

Nutrition

Calories: 177kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 96mg | Potassium: 244mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 140IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 2mg

Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @AbbeysKitchen or tag #abbeyskitchen!

Healthy Peanut Butter Recipe (Vegan & Gluten Free) (6)

Abbey Sharp

Abbey Sharpis a Registered Dietitian (RD), regulated by theOntario College of Dietitians. She is a mom,YouTuber,Blogger,award winningcookbook author,media coachspecializing in food and nutrition influencers, and a frequent contributor to national publications likeHealthlineand on national broadcastTV shows.

About Abbey Sharp

Abbey Sharpis a Registered Dietitian (RD), regulated by theOntario College of Dietitians. She is a mom,YouTuber,Blogger,award winningcookbook author,media coachspecializing in food and nutrition influencers, and a frequent contributor to national publications likeHealthlineand on national broadcastTV shows.

Healthy Peanut Butter Recipe (Vegan & Gluten Free) (7)

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Reader Interactions

4 Comments

  1. Melissa says

    So yummy! I just had this on cornmeal waffles with mango greek yogurt labneh and sliced strawberries. Heavenly breakfast. ❤️

    reply to this comment

    • Abbey Sharp says

      Yum! Sounds super delish

      reply to this comment

  2. Caroline says

    Healthy Peanut Butter Recipe (Vegan & Gluten Free) (11)
    SOOOO good!!!!! Mashing the banana with PB is one quick step to really upgrade your PB+J! Also a great way to use up some bananas going south 🙂

    reply to this comment

    • Abbey Sharp says

      Yay so glad you liked!

      reply to this comment

Leave a Comment

Healthy Peanut Butter Recipe (Vegan & Gluten Free) (2024)

FAQs

Is peanut butter vegan and gluten-free? ›

If you're vegan or have a dairy intolerance, we have good news: peanut butter is both dairy-free and gluten-free! Most peanut butter is made from peanuts, salt, palm oil, or hydrogenated vegetable oil (Processed peanut butter may contain some added sugars, too).

Is peanut butter ok for a gluten-free diet? ›

It's important to know that peanuts, peanut butter, peanut flour and peanut oil are considered naturally gluten-free foods. Gluten is a form of protein found in wheat, barley and rye (2).

What is a healthy substitute for peanut butter? ›

Tree nut butters, such as almond, cashew, walnut, hazelnut, and pecan butters, are great substitutes for peanut butter. They all have similar nutritional profiles and provide heart-healthy fats, fiber, and antioxidants.

Is Jif peanut butter gluten and dairy free? ›

Is Jif® peanut butter gluten free? The vast majority of our peanut butters are certified gluten free. We encourage you to look for gluten free claim on the back label of your jar for the most accurate information.

Why is Jif peanut butter not vegan? ›

Jif Natural Peanut Butter is widely considered vegan because it contains only peanuts, sugar, palm oil, salt, and molasses. Note, though, that sugar is often made with bone char, an animal ingredient, and that palm oil production drives deforestation, which deters many environmental vegans.

What brand of peanut butter is gluten-free? ›

It's easy to enjoy peanut butter on a gluten-free diet, especially if you choose gluten-free-certified brands like Justin's and Peanut Butter & Co. If you're not particularly sensitive to trace gluten, you should be fine with gluten-free labeled traditional brands such as Smuckers or Jif.

Does oatmeal have gluten? ›

Yes, pure, uncontaminated oats are gluten-free. The U. S. Food and Drug Administration considers oats a gluten-free grain under its gluten-free labeling regulations and only requires that packaged products with oats as an ingredient contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten overall.

Does popcorn have gluten? ›

Popcorn is made from corn, which doesn't contain gluten. In fact, corn is often recommended as a safe alternative to wheat for those with celiac disease, and most people who cannot tolerate gluten can safely enjoy corn products ( 2 ).

What nut butter is healthier than peanut butter? ›

All of the fat in cashew butter is heart-healthy unsaturated fat, which is excellent news for anyone who enjoys the smooth, creamy taste as an alternative to peanut butter or conventional butter. Cashew butter contains about half the sugar of peanut butter and it frequently contains less additives.

Is sun butter healthier than peanut butter? ›

The natural peanut butter and sunflower butter are nearly identical when it comes to their nutritional benefits. While the natural peanut butter has slightly more fiber and protein and less sugar, the sunflower butter has less sodium and a gram less carbs and saturated fat.

Is Skippy peanut butter vegan? ›

Unlike some peanut butters that are made in facilities that process animal products and/or contain animal byproducts, Skippy® peanut butter is classified as 100% vegan. Skippy® peanut butter products are widely available at retailers across the United States.

What does Jif stand for? ›

Journal impact factor, a metric of an academic journal importance.

Are M&Ms gluten-free? ›

The following Mars candies have no gluten-containg ingredients: M&Ms (except pretzel, crispy, and potentially seasonal items) Milky Way Caramel Bars (not the original Milky Way Bar) Snickers Bars.

Is store bought peanut butter vegan? ›

Occasionally, some products may contain honey or omega-3 sourced from fish, so it's worth checking the label before you buy. But for the most part, peanut butter is vegan.

Can vegans eat PB&J? ›

When beginning your exploration of vegan sandwiches, a classic peanut butter and jam (PBJ) offers the perfect starting point. Anybody can make a decent PBJ sandwich, but let me tell you how to make a great one. Opt for jam, preserves, or conserves instead of jelly since you'll get more fruit and less sugar.

Does vegan butter have gluten? ›

Say yes to more butter! Flora Unsalted Plant Butter is made from plant-based oils and it's ready for cooking and baking. Go ahead, make chewy cookies, fluffy cakes, and creamy sauces. It's non-GMO, vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free, and free of artificial flavors and preservatives.

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