The Best Hack for Stirring Peanut Butter (2024)

According to the National Peanut Board, 94% of Americans have at least one jar of peanut butter in their pantry. This might seem like a large percentage but it makes sense because peanut butter is incredibly versatile. From a basic peanut butter and jelly sandwich to the main flavor ingredient for peanut noodles or peanut butter icing, peanut butter has a lot of tasty culinary uses. And on top of that, peanut butter has a very long shelf life.

But individual preferences in peanut butter range as widely as the exact way people like their coffee in the morning. While some can’t imagine anything but smooth and creamy peanut butter, others like it crunchy. And while some prefer their peanut butter a bit sweet, others are all aboard the salty train. Texture, flavor, and sweetness matter to the discerning peanut butter lover. But if you’ve been studying the peanut butter aisle, you might have noticed that recently there’s been a shift from conventional peanut butter to natural peanut butter.

Why Does Natural Peanut Butter Separate?

Natural peanut butter only contains peanuts and salt, while conventional peanut butter has sugar and hydrogenated vegetable oil added to maintain its smooth texture. Because of the added stabilizers, conventional peanut butter is immune to shifts in temperature and will be exactly the same texture for a very long time.

But for those of us who are basic and like our peanut butter with just peanuts and salt, you might have noticed the dreaded peanut oil separation, i.e. when the oil rises to the top. Because natural peanut butter is missing those hydrogenated oils, the natural peanut butter separates and you have to spend an annoying amount of time and forearm strength stirring before you can use it.

The Trick for Smooth Peanut Butter

Luckily, there’s an easy hack to keeping your natural peanut butter smooth. Turn the jar upside down when you aren’t using it. By storing it upside down, you’re essentially moving the oil from the top of the jar to the bottom and back every time you grab the jar. This is like a slow shaking of the jar that requires no shaking and the peanut butter will stay smooth.

This hack works well with peanut butter but also works with tahini, Chinese sesame paste, and almond butter. Now go flip your peanut butter!