10 Clever Ways To Use Frozen Peanut Butter

Peanut butter always surprises with its versatility. It’s equally at home in candies and pies as it is in savory dishes like soups and satays, and there are multiple ways to get it to the consistency you’re looking for: You can melt peanut butter in the microwave or on the stovetop, and you can freeze it, too. When frozen, peanut butter has the potential to be served in a variety of clever, fun, and delicious ways that its room-temperature form can’t always provide. It all depends on the shape you freeze it in and the other ingredients — if any — that you bring into the mix. 

If you have a sweet tooth, some of your go-to PB-based desserts probably have a DIY frozen version perfect when you’re in the mood for a cold treat. For anyone counting macronutrients like protein, the formula of “peanut butter + freezer” equals a convenient and texturally pleasing solution. If it’s fiber you’re seeking, you’ll get it in a pinch when you combine a few extra ingredients with your favorite peanut butter brand’s creamy (or crunchy) offering. Even your canine pals can get in on the fun when frozen peanut butter is involved (although check the ingredients list first to make sure it is safe for them). This ingredient is a multi-species crowd-pleaser, and these are just some of the clever ways to use frozen peanut butter.

Think of peanut butter as edible playdough: Its malleable consistency means you can shape it in a number of ways. Flattening a few dollops of peanut butter into thin discs before freezing essentially turns them into the peanut-butter version of a cracker, and nothing inspires creativity more than a blank cracker.

Once your discs come out of the freezer, use them as a decadent landing pad for your topping of choice: marshmallow fluff, a maraschino cherry, a smidgen of strawberry jelly or Tastefully Simple Sweet Pepper Jalapeño Jam, and voilà! You’ve got a cold, sweet hors d’oeuvre. You could even get brave and try a crumble of blue cheese (it goes great in a peanut butter sandwich).

To make this treat, scoop out a tablespoon or so of peanut butter and transfer it to a piece of parchment paper. Repeat, making as many discs as you want. Put another sheet of paper over the peanut butter dollops and flatten them with your hands or a rolling pin. The resulting shape will be more of a “splat” than a perfectly round disc, but who needs perfection? Freeze for several hours or overnight. The discs will be workably firm but still pliable enough for a nice chewiness. Just make sure to eat them fast; they start melting pretty quickly once removed from the freezer.

One of peanut butter’s most appealing character traits (if you aren’t allergic, of course) is its nutritional profile. Besides its high quantity of potentially heart-healthy fats, it’s a fairly good source of protein, with a mere two tablespoons providing about 7 grams of this macronutrient – not bad for a plant-based food.

So, if you’re looking for add-ins for the perfect protein shake, consider dropping a ball or two of frozen peanut butter into your muscle-building concoction before blending. That extra shot of protein and fat will help keep you full longer, and your shake’s texture will be a tad thicker and creamier — plus, you’ll get that rich, nutty flavor. If you’re tracking calories (peanut butter is indeed considered high in these units of energy) this tip is perfect for you. You can pre-portion it in plastic bags or squished between parchment paper for convenience, grabbing only as many tablespoon-sized dollops as you need.

The same drops of peanut butter you might toss into your protein shake can serve another nutrition-related purpose. If sweets are your thing but you’re working to cut back on or control your sugar intake, frozen peanut butter has the potential to be your lifeline.

Whenever you’re hit with a craving for a treat, just reach into the freezer, open your zip-top bag or freezer-safe plastic container, and pull out one or two frozen peanut butter balls. Their texture will be chewy and soft, similar to that of caramels, but the amount of sugar they provide per serving will be notably lower than that of real-deal candy. There are only 3 grams of sugar in two tablespoons of regular Jif Creamy Peanut Butter (2 grams of those are added sugar), and a lower-sugar peanut butter, such as Skippy Creamy Peanut Butter Spread, No Sugar Added, provides only 2 grams of sugar (with zero grams added, of course). With so many peanut butter brands out there, you can shop around to find your ideal blend of flavor and nutrition.

These are incredibly versatile. Similar to how you can freeze leftover coffee in an ice tray, you can blend peanut butter with milk and pour it into ice molds to pop out for later use. It’s a great cool-off treat to lick on a hot summer day, or you can toss a few into a smoothie or protein shake and blend for extra texture and flavor — particularly nice if you tend to make a mess when adding room-temperature peanut butter to your shakes.

Experiment with your milk type and your milk-to-PB ratio to get the flavor and richness you want, and don’t be afraid to reach for warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or ground cardamom. These fragrant additions would play very nicely with frozen peanut butter and unlock a whole new dimension of flavor in your shakes and smoothies.

Making your own favorite store-bought cold treats at home can be great fun, not to mention a fantastic way to save money and customize flavors to your exact preferences. Anyone with a predilection for chocolate peanut butter popsicles and a hankering for a DIY dessert should be happy to know you can recreate this treat at home with peanut butter, a good Greek yogurt, melted chocolate, a little sweetener like maple syrup, and popsicle sticks.

These are shockingly simple. Mix the peanut butter with the yogurt and sweetener, dole it out onto parchment paper in a patty-shaped portion, and insert a popsicle stick in it. Freeze it for roughly two hours, and then dip it in melted chocolate before popping it back in the freezer again for about 15 minutes. 

If you’re not in the chocolate mood, melted white chocolate, butterscotch, or caramel would offer sweet alternatives. Whichever you choose, there’s also the option to sprinkle on some sea salt, providing a classic flavor combination that enhances the richness of the other ingredients. 

Peanut butter possesses a near-magical ability to complement a wide variety of other flavors, and one of its most harmonious pairings is whipped cream. When “light, sweet, and fluffy” meets “rich, nutty, and dense,” wonderful flavors and textures result. Part of the beauty of this blend lies in its versatility: You can make a peanut butter-whipped cream treat as indulgent or as light as you want, depending on the ingredients you choose.

But first, the basics. Besides the two stars of the show, you’ll need a muffin tin and muffin liners — something like the Amazon Basics Nonstick Round Cupcake and Muffin Baking Pan. Mix the peanut butter with the whipped cream and portion it into the muffin tins either with a spoon or a piping bag. Pop the tins into the freezer for at least half an hour, and you’ll have perfectly formed treats.

Now for the details. For the utmost in decadence, opt for full-fat whipped cream and regular (as opposed to powdered) peanut butter. You can drizzle the treats with melted peanut butter, chocolate syrup, or any other sweet sauce. For a lighter take, opt for light or fat-free whipped cream and reduced-fat peanut butter. For the lightest version possible, swap in powdered peanut butter, which contains a whopping 85% fewer calories from fat than its regular counterpart. Have water on hand to mix with the powdered PB — it has to be rehydrated in order to work.

Not all ingredients freeze well like peanut butter does, but bananas happen to be one other food that does take nicely to the ol’ ice box. When combined, the two make a delicious duo that’s even better frozen into a sweet, layered bark. Frozen bananas provide the smooth, icy coolness of sorbet but with a slightly dense, more substantial bite; frozen peanut butter’s almost fudge-like texture adds a rich and creamy contrast, clinging to those banana slices like a decadent glaze. The final touch — a crisp, snappy shell of dark chocolate that cracks with each bite — adds a hint of bitterness to the sweet and nutty flavors.

Start by spreading a single layer of banana slices onto a sheet of parchment paper. Cover them with more paper and flatten the banana slices with the bottom of a glass or other heavy object. Spread melted peanut butter over the slices, ensuring each is covered, and then freeze for about half an hour. Next, spread melted chocolate over the peanut butter layer and top with nuts, sea salt, dried fruits, pretzels, or anything else your taste buds call for. Transfer the bark back to the freezer to allow this layer to harden, and enjoy!

If your idea of heaven is a frozen Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, try making your own version of this treat at home. While it takes a bit more time than just tossing a Reese’s into your freezer, this clever hack allows you to not only enjoy a hands-on cooking project but to also use ingredients tailored to your specific needs. If you prefer organic products, for instance, opt for 365 by Whole Foods Market Organic Sweetened Smooth Peanut Butter. If you don’t want dairy, go for dark over milk chocolate and work with straight peanut butter instead of making a mousse with heavy cream. You can also customize to your taste buds’ content by adding a base of dates and pretzels or even a hint of spice with a pinch of cayenne pepper. As with any cute and cup-shaped treat, you’ll need your muffin tins and foil liners for this one.

To start, line your muffin tins with your first layer, whether that’s chocolate, melted peanut butter, or mashed dates. Keep building your mini masterpieces from there, incorporating the next layer of ingredients. If you want to top them with a drizzle or sprinkle of something sweet, do so before transferring the tin to the freezer for a few hours.

The American Heart Association recommends eating 25 to 30 grams of fiber per day from food alone — not supplements. This can be a challenge, particularly if you already feel like you lack the time and energy to cook nutrient-rich meals. While peanut butter alone isn’t a great source of fiber, per 2-tablespoon serving (you’ll get 1 gram), it combines beautifully with one of the best fiber sources you can get: oats. One half-cup serving of dry oats with water provides 4 grams of fiber. This includes a type called beta glucan, which can help regulate blood sugar levels by slowing the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates. In other words, oats are good stuff.

So, wouldn’t it be amazing if you could take in extra fiber while eating something sweet and delicious? As it turns out, you can do just that. All you’ll need, at minimum, is some uncooked oatmeal (uncooked is perfectly safe to eat), peanut butter, chocolate chips, and a bit of sweetener such as honey or maple syrup. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl with a spatula, form it into balls, and freeze until solid on a paper-lined baking sheet.

These are delightfully easy to modify. Feel free to add vanilla extract for extra warmth and creamy notes, M&M’s, raisins, shredded coconut, or ground flaxseed for more protein and a nice mild, nutty flavor.

There’s an old myth about peanut butter that it’s time to stop believing, and it pertains to a certain furry, domesticated canine species not being able to partake. Peanut butter is safe for dogs to eat, according to the National Peanut Board, so long as it doesn’t contain the artificial sweetener Xylitol. Xylitol is toxic to dogs; peanuts, salt, and a little sugar are not. That said, don’t go overboard when giving your pooch some PB. It’s still high in fat, which can be problematic for some dogs if eaten in excess, so it’s best used as an occasional reward. And when frozen in a Kong Classic Stuffable Dog Toy, it’s even more of a treat.

If this sounds messy, rest assured that you don’t have to stuff the entire Kong with a big jar of Skippy or what-have-you. Just a little bit of peanut butter pushed down into the tip of the Kong should do the trick and pop it in the freezer. Your tail-wagging pal should have their treat licked up long before it starts to liquify.