Can You Freeze Nut Butter?

How to Freeze Nut Butter

Freezing nut butter really couldn’t be any easier. It freezes well, and as long as you keep it airtight, it shouldn’t change too much in the freezer.

We have a few options for you to choose from when freezing, so pick the method that works best for you and the way you would normally consider using nut butter:

How to Freeze Portions in Containers

This is the easiest method to use, and it keeps the nut butter fresh-tasting and delicious.

1. Get Prepared
   You need enough containers with lids that seal tight for every portion of nut butter you plan to freeze.  On top of this, you need a way to label the containers and some cling film.
2. Portion Out
   Spoon your nut butter into the containers. Leave a little gap because there may be some expansion as the nut butter freezes.
3. Seal with Cling Film
   If you want to ensure the nut butter stays protected, you can add a layer of cling film to the top of the butter. This helps to stop any films from forming and stops the top layer of nut butter from drying out in the freezer.
4. Seal with Lid
   Pop the lid onto the container and make sure it is sealed tightly.
5. Label and Freeze
   Label it with the date and contents and put the containers into the freezer.

How to Freeze Portions in Freezer Bags

If you don’t have enough freezer-safe containers, then you can use freezer bags instead. Just be careful because they can split and become damaged, and this could end up with a mess in the freezer.

1. Label Bags
   Prepare the number of freezer bags you need by labelling them with the date and contents. When working with squidgy or liquid foods, it is easier to write on the bags first.
2. Spoon into Bags
   Spoon a portion of nut butter into each bag.
3. Seal
   Squeeze out as much air as you can from the bags, and then seal them tightly. The better the airtight seal you can get, the better.
4. Flatten
   Lay your freezer bags containing the nut butter onto the kitchen counter and flatten the bags. This helps conserve space in the freezer and makes it easier to stack the nut butter portions.
5. Freeze on a Tray
   Pop your flattened portions onto a baking tray and put this into the freezer. This helps to keep the bags of nut butter flat until they are frozen.
6. Rearrange
   After a few hours, the nut butter should be frozen, and you can remove the baking tray and leave the nut butter in the freezer until you need a portion.

How to Freeze Small Cubes of Nut Butter

If you only ever need a small amount of nut butter, then you can freeze them in handy portion sizes using an ice cube tray.

1. Spoon into Ice Cubes
   Grab a couple of ice cube trays and spoon in portions of nut butter into each section.
2. Freeze
   Put the ice cube trays into the freezer and wait for the nut butter to freeze. This could take a few hours.
3. Transfer Cubes to a Bag
   Once the nut butter is frozen, you can remove the ice cube tray and pop the nut butter cubes out of the tray. Transfer the nut butter cubes into a freezer bag.
4. Seal
   Squeeze out as much air as possible from the bag and seal it tightly.
5. Label and Freeze
   Label the bag with the date and contents and put it into the freezer. Now, whenever you need a portion of nut butter, you can grab out the perfect number of cubes rather than waste an entire portion.

3 Tips for Freezing Nut Butter

Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing nut butter to have the best results:

• Don’t Freeze in Jars – Don’t be tempted to freeze your nut butter in the jar it comes in. These are rarely made to be freezer safe and can easily damage when in the freezer. Be extra careful if the nut butter comes in a glass jar. These can shatter and break and become dangerous.
• Use a Straw to Remove Air – If you are struggling to squeeze the air out of the freezer bags, you can use a straw. Seal the bags almost all the way and pop a straw in. Suck out the air and then seal the bag all the way.
• Consider Portions – Take care to choose the right portion sizes for freezing. You won’t be able to refreeze any that doesn’t get used up. So instead of freezing in large portions choose smaller portions instead.

How Long Can You Freeze Nut Butter?

Nut butter keeps for a while in the fridge or even in the cupboard, but you can extend its shelf life further for up to six months! We recommend using it within about four to six months from the freezing date to be sure your nut butter is as delicious as possible.

You Can Freeze Nut Butter for up to 6 Months

How Do You Defrost Nut Butter?

The best way to defrost your nut butter is in the fridge. Take your portion of nut butter out of the freeze and pop it into the fridge overnight. If you need your nut butter a little faster, you can put it on the kitchen side at room temperature instead.

Can You Refreeze Nut Butter?

We would not recommend that you refreeze your nut butter once it has been thawed out. Whilst it shouldn’t cause you too many problems, the process that occurs when freezing food does change it, and it may not taste as good.

On top of this, there is always the chance that harmful bacterias can grow on the food and make you sick.

Does Nut Butter Freeze Well?

Most types of nut butter do freeze fairly well. There may be some changes in the texture, and you may even notice that the oils separate out from the nut. You can usually fix these problems by giving the nut butter a stir before using it.

If you need a little extra help, you could even use a blender to blend the nut butter back up again.

Related FAQs

If you’ve still got questions about freezing nut butter or nut butter in general, then these may help:

How Do You Freeze Peanut Butter?

Peanut butter is the most iconic of all nut butters, and for a good reason. It is delicious and perfect in desserts or on toast.

But can you freeze peanut butter too? Well, we are glad to say that yes, you can! You can freeze peanut butter in the same methods outlined in this article.

Can You Freeze Nut Butter for Smoothies?

You can freeze nut butter for smoothies using the method we’ve outlined above for freezing nut butter into small cubes. When you want to use the nut butter in a smoothie, grab a cube and pop it straight into the blender with your other ingredients.