Peanut butter is one of the best creations of humankind. Its incredible taste goes well with almost anything. Given its versatility, you can lick it directly from the jar; use it as a spread, in baking, in desserts, for marinating, and the list goes on! You can never go wrong with this sublime nut butter.
If consumed in fair amounts, it can also have numerous health benefits as it is enriched with essential minerals and is high in protein.
Having all these qualities, peanut butter is available in every pantry. If you have extra jars of peanut butter lying around that you purchased in bulk and want to freeze, then this article is the perfect storage guide for you. Keep on reading!
Does freezing peanut butter ruin it?
Freezing peanut butter will neither ruin its taste nor its composition. It can keep well in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Conventionally, it was believed that freezing peanut butter would cause the constituent oils and ingredients to separate after you defrost it and thus ruin the whole jar. Well, this is not true! Your peanut butter will stay perfectly intact and store well in the freezer.
Can I freeze peanut butter?
Yes! You can easily freeze peanut butter.
Even though peanut butter has a long shelf life, you may consider freezing it for a few reasons. If you don’t have extra space to rack up bottles and bottles of peanut butter or if you won’t be staying home for some period of time, then the ideal method would be to store your peanut butter in the freezer.
Will my peanut butter get hard in the freezer?
Just like every other food, peanut butter will freeze and most definitely get hard. You won’t be able to scoop it out as soon as you pop it out of the freezer.
However, we will mention the process of defrosting or thawing your peanut butter later in the article to help you resolve this issue.
What happens if you put peanut butter in the freezer?
Just like any other food, peanut butter will get frozen in the freezer.
When you put something in the freezer, the moisture in the food gets frozen, which makes the whole thing freeze. Peanut butter has very little moisture or water content. Having said that, the peanut butter will most definitely freeze, but the lack of moisture content will make it look like a block of brown fat.
Freezing fats or oils can definitely be a challenge as they do not keep well in the freezer. The main concern while freezing peanut butter is peanut oil, as its freezing point is 3°C / 37°F.
A regular freezer has a temperature of -18°C/ -0.4°F, so your peanut butter is safe to store in the freezer.
How do I freeze peanut butter?
The most feasible approach to freezing peanut butter is by dividing it into smaller portions in an ice cube tray. Once frozen, put the cubes inside a zip lock bag, and keep the bag in the freezer. It is not ideal to freeze a whole jar and then wait for the whole thing to defrost before you can use it.
Freezing peanut butter is not a complicated process, but there are a couple of things to keep in mind before freezing it. Mentioned below are some methods to guide you:
Freezing peanut butter in cubes
STEP 1: Put peanut butter in the ice cube tray
Use an ice cube tray to make small bite-sized portions of the peanut butter. Scoop out some peanut butter and put it in the compartments of the ice tray.
STEP 2: Allow it to freeze
Pop the ice tray in the freezer and allow the peanut butter to freeze until solid.
STEP 3: Transfer the peanut butter to a zip-lock bag
Once the peanut butter has frozen, remove the cubes from the tray, put them in a large freezer-safe ziplock bag, and seal it. Make sure you remove as much air from the bag as possible. Store it in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Freezing peanut butter directly in zip-lock bags
The use of airtight zip lock bags will allow the freezing process to be a lot smoother and make the peanut butter last longer in the freezer without deteriorating in taste.
If you want to store peanut butter directly in the zip lock bag (not as in the ice cube tray method), then follow the steps below:
STEP 1: Put peanut butter in the zip-lock bag
Scoop some peanut butter out from the jar and put it in the zip lock bag. Make sure to not overfill the bag, as we will be smoothing it out to make a sheet of peanut butter.
STEP 2: Flattening the bag
Flatten out the zip lock bag as much as you can so that there is minimal air in the bag.
This method leaves you with thin sheets of peanut butter that are much easier to manage and defrost.
Freezing peanut butter in Tupperware
You can also use Tupperware airtight containers as they allow maximum reinforcement against air.
Just place a sheet of plastic wrap on the peanut butter before putting the lid on. This allows the peanut butter to be air-sealed in case of any mishaps.
Never put the glass jar, the peanut butter comes in, directly into the freezer as it is super fragile and will crack, making the peanut butter inedible.
How long does peanut butter last?
Having a long shelf life, Peanut butter can stay well in your pantry for up to 3 months. It is recommended to store it in the refrigerator after this time, and it will last for another 3-4 months. Storing it in the freezer will allow it to stay well for up to 6 months.
How do you melt frozen peanut butter?
You can melt frozen peanut butter in several ways. The methods are mentioned below for you to pick from.
Method 1: Using a Microwave
This is the easiest method of defrosting your peanut butter.
STEP 1: Put peanut butter in an oven-safe container
Put as much peanut butter as you want to melt in a microwave-oven-safe container.
STEP 2: Put the container in the microwave on a high setting
Put the container in the microwave and set it to high. Set the timer for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
STEP 3: Melt the peanut butter between 30-second intervals
Allow the frozen peanut butter to melt. Keep stirring and checking between 30-second intervals until the peanut butter has completely melted.
Method 2: Using a food processor or a blender
You must be wondering how a blender can melt peanut butter. Well, to your surprise, a blender will melt your peanut butter smoothly and quickly.
This isn’t the go-to method for many people, but it still works wonders!
STEP 1: Place the peanut butter in the food processor
Scoop out the amount of peanut butter that you want to melt and put it directly at the bottom of the blender or food processor, where it touches the blades. This gives the blades more access to the peanut butter to melt it up easily.
STEP 2: Add a small amount of water
Depending on the quantity of the butter, put in a few tablespoons of water to loosen up the mixture so that it can melt smoothly.
STEP 3: Pulse the mixture to your preferred consistency
Now, using the pulse mode, blend the mixture until you reach your desired consistency. Keep blending and checking between 5 to 10-second intervals to see if your preferred consistency has been reached or not.
How do you stir hard peanut butter?
If your peanut butter has gone hard, or if it has gone thick at the bottom and has peanut oil flowing on the top, then you can follow the steps below to make it smooth again:
STEP 1: Use a hand mixer/blender
Directly in the jar, put in a hand mixer and pulse it on the lowest speed so that the butter doesn’t flow everywhere and make a mess.
STEP 2: Pulse until it’s all mixed up
Keep pulsing the peanut butter. Slowly go up and down the jar with the mixer still on so that everything is well mixed. Do this for a few minutes until you have achieved a smooth consistency.
STEP 3: Clean the excess and store
Clean the excess peanut butter off of the mixer with a spatula to prevent any wastage. Put the lid on, and your peanut butter will be as good as new!
How do you melt peanut butter on the stove?
Follow the steps below to melt your peanut butter to perfection. Make sure to pay attention so that it doesn’t burn while heating.
- Place a non-stick pan or skillet over low heat.
- Scoop out as much peanut butter as you want to melt and flatten it out on the pan.
- Continue spreading the peanut butter around with a spoon or spatula until it starts melting. Make sure that the heat is low so that the peanut butter doesn’t burn at the bottom.
- Don’t leave the process unattended. Keep watching the peanut butter in case the oils start separating from the solids.
- Whisk the peanut butter with a light hand continuously for 5-7 minutes as this will prevent the separation of the constituent oils from the solids.
Here is another interesting article on how to freeze Oreos!
FAQs related to freezing peanut butter
Why does some peanut butter need to be refrigerated?
Storing peanut butter in the fridge is necessary to slow down the process of oil separating from the solid peanut butter. Organic peanut butter does not contain emulsifiers to hold the natural oils in it together. With time, you will see the oil separating from the butter, and thus it needs to be mixed thoroughly.
Can you thin peanut butter with water?
Yes, you can thin peanut butter with water to achieve your desired consistency. For every tablespoon of peanut butter, you can use two tablespoons of water or more as desired.
Make sure to blend this mixture thoroughly to get a smooth consistency.
What is the best way to thin peanut butter?
The use of a blender is the handiest method for this purpose. Scoop and put the desired amount of peanut butter in the blender and dilute it with a little water. Blend until you achieve your desired consistency.
Can I pour out the oil in peanut butter?
You shouldn’t pour the oil out! The oil indicates how natural your peanut butter is, plus it gives peanut butter the creaminess it is loved for. Rather than pouring it out, blend the oil in so that it incorporates with the peanut butter.
Wrapping up my thoughts on freezing peanut butter!
All the mysteries regarding freezing peanut butter have been solved in this article! Don’t fret and easily freeze up or melt your peanut butter and use it for 6 months straight. The process is easy, but you need to be particular. Just follow our steps, and you’re good to go!