🥜 Nut Butter Vocab
Here, butter means a spread made by milling nuts or seeds, not dairy. Peanut butter is the classic, tahini is sesame seed butter by another name, and coconut butter is made from ground coconut meat, not coconut oil. These are the names you’ll find on jars.
🥜 Everyday Nut Butters
🥜 Peanut Butter
spread milled from roasted peanuts
Example: Peanut butter on toast. It is a legume butter, not a tree-nut butter.
🇫🇷 French: Beurre de cacahuète
🇩🇪 German: Erdnussbutter
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di arachidi
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de amendoim
💡 Nuance: The default jar. Soy nut butter is the school-safe lookalike from roasted soy.
spread milled from roasted peanuts
Example: Peanut butter on toast. It is a legume butter, not a tree-nut butter.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Mantequilla de cacahuete / maní🇫🇷 French: Beurre de cacahuète
🇩🇪 German: Erdnussbutter
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di arachidi
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de amendoim
💡 Nuance: The default jar. Soy nut butter is the school-safe lookalike from roasted soy.
🤍 Almond Butter
spread milled from almonds
Example: Almond butter in oatmeal. Milder and less sticky than peanut butter.
🇫🇷 French: Beurre d’amande
🇩🇪 German: Mandelmus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di mandorle
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de amêndoa
💡 Nuance: Tree-nut jar. Cashew butter is creamier and sweeter.
spread milled from almonds
Example: Almond butter in oatmeal. Milder and less sticky than peanut butter.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Mantequilla de almendra🇫🇷 French: Beurre d’amande
🇩🇪 German: Mandelmus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di mandorle
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de amêndoa
💡 Nuance: Tree-nut jar. Cashew butter is creamier and sweeter.
🌙 Cashew Butter
mild, creamy spread from cashews
Example: Cashew butter in a sauce. It melts smoother than almond butter.
🇫🇷 French: Beurre de cajou
🇩🇪 German: Cashewmus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di anacardi
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de caju
💡 Nuance: Neutral cream. Good when you do not want a loud nut taste.
mild, creamy spread from cashews
Example: Cashew butter in a sauce. It melts smoother than almond butter.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Mantequilla de anacardo🇫🇷 French: Beurre de cajou
🇩🇪 German: Cashewmus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di anacardi
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de caju
💡 Nuance: Neutral cream. Good when you do not want a loud nut taste.
🌰 Hazelnut Butter
spread from toasted hazelnuts
Example: Hazelnut butter on a crepe. Chocolate-hazelnut spread is a different, sweeter jar.
🇫🇷 French: Beurre de noisette
🇩🇪 German: Haselnussmus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di nocciole
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de avelã
💡 Nuance: Plain milled nuts. Not the same as a branded chocolate spread.
spread from toasted hazelnuts
Example: Hazelnut butter on a crepe. Chocolate-hazelnut spread is a different, sweeter jar.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Mantequilla de avellana🇫🇷 French: Beurre de noisette
🇩🇪 German: Haselnussmus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di nocciole
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de avelã
💡 Nuance: Plain milled nuts. Not the same as a branded chocolate spread.
🧠 Walnut Butter
spread from walnuts, slightly bitter
Example: Walnut butter on rye. Pecan butter is sweeter and smoother.
🇫🇷 French: Beurre de noix
🇩🇪 German: Walnussmus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di noci
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de noz
💡 Nuance: Can turn bitter if the nuts are old. Pecan is the dessert cousin.
spread from walnuts, slightly bitter
Example: Walnut butter on rye. Pecan butter is sweeter and smoother.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Mantequilla de nuez🇫🇷 French: Beurre de noix
🇩🇪 German: Walnussmus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di noci
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de noz
💡 Nuance: Can turn bitter if the nuts are old. Pecan is the dessert cousin.
🟤 Pecan Butter
sweet, buttery spread from pecans
Example: Pecan butter on pancakes. Closer to dessert than walnut butter.
🇫🇷 French: Beurre de pécan
🇩🇪 German: Pekannussmus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di pecan
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de pecã
💡 Nuance: Rich and sweet. Macadamia is even richer.
sweet, buttery spread from pecans
Example: Pecan butter on pancakes. Closer to dessert than walnut butter.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Mantequilla de pacana🇫🇷 French: Beurre de pécan
🇩🇪 German: Pekannussmus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di pecan
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de pecã
💡 Nuance: Rich and sweet. Macadamia is even richer.
🟢 Pistachio Butter
green spread from pistachios
Example: Pistachio butter on toast. The color should come from the nut, not dye.
🇫🇷 French: Beurre de pistache
🇩🇪 German: Pistazienmus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di pistacchio
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de pistácio
💡 Nuance: Pricey jar. Pine nut butter is another luxury paste, paler and resinous.
green spread from pistachios
Example: Pistachio butter on toast. The color should come from the nut, not dye.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Mantequilla de pistacho🇫🇷 French: Beurre de pistache
🇩🇪 German: Pistazienmus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di pistacchio
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de pistácio
💡 Nuance: Pricey jar. Pine nut butter is another luxury paste, paler and resinous.
⚪ Macadamia Nut Butter
very rich, soft spread from macadamias
Example: Macadamia nut butter that pours. High oil, low fiber crunch.
🇫🇷 French: Beurre de macadamia
🇩🇪 German: Macadamus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di macadamia
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de macadâmia
💡 Nuance: Softest tree-nut butter. Brazil nut butter is denser and earthier.
very rich, soft spread from macadamias
Example: Macadamia nut butter that pours. High oil, low fiber crunch.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Mantequilla de macadamia🇫🇷 French: Beurre de macadamia
🇩🇪 German: Macadamus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di macadamia
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de macadâmia
💡 Nuance: Softest tree-nut butter. Brazil nut butter is denser and earthier.
🇧🇷 Brazil Nut Butter
thick spread from Brazil nuts
Example: A spoon of Brazil nut butter. Strong and filling.
🇫🇷 French: Beurre de noix du Brésil
🇩🇪 German: Paranussmus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di noci del Brasile
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de castanha-do-pará
💡 Nuance: Selenium-heavy nut. Not a daily peanut-butter swap by the jar.
thick spread from Brazil nuts
Example: A spoon of Brazil nut butter. Strong and filling.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Mantequilla de nuez de Brasil🇫🇷 French: Beurre de noix du Brésil
🇩🇪 German: Paranussmus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di noci del Brasile
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de castanha-do-pará
💡 Nuance: Selenium-heavy nut. Not a daily peanut-butter swap by the jar.
🌲 Pine Nut Butter
pale paste from pine nuts
Example: Pine nut butter in a sauce. Pesto is related, but pesto also has oil, cheese, and basil.
🇫🇷 French: Beurre de pignon
🇩🇪 German: Pinienkernmus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di pinoli
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de pinhão
💡 Nuance: One-ingredient paste. Pili nut butter is the Filipino rich cousin.
pale paste from pine nuts
Example: Pine nut butter in a sauce. Pesto is related, but pesto also has oil, cheese, and basil.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Mantequilla de piñón🇫🇷 French: Beurre de pignon
🇩🇪 German: Pinienkernmus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di pinoli
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de pinhão
💡 Nuance: One-ingredient paste. Pili nut butter is the Filipino rich cousin.
🇵🇭 Pili Nut Butter
buttery spread from pili nuts
Example: Pili nut butter as a specialty jar. Closer to macadamia than to peanut.
🇫🇷 French: Beurre de pili
🇩🇪 German: Pili-Mus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di pili
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de pili
💡 Nuance: Tropical luxury butter. Not pistachio butter.
buttery spread from pili nuts
Example: Pili nut butter as a specialty jar. Closer to macadamia than to peanut.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Mantequilla de nuez pili🇫🇷 French: Beurre de pili
🇩🇪 German: Pili-Mus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di pili
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de pili
💡 Nuance: Tropical luxury butter. Not pistachio butter.
🌻 Seed Butters
🌻 Sunflower Seed Butter
spread from hulled sunflower seeds
Example: Sunflower seed butter in a nut-free lunch. It can turn green in baked goods. That is chemistry, not mold.
🇫🇷 French: Beurre de tournesol
🇩🇪 German: Sonnenblumenmus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di semi di girasole
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de girassol
💡 Nuance: Common peanut stand-in. Pumpkin seed butter is greener and earthier.
spread from hulled sunflower seeds
Example: Sunflower seed butter in a nut-free lunch. It can turn green in baked goods. That is chemistry, not mold.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Mantequilla de girasol🇫🇷 French: Beurre de tournesol
🇩🇪 German: Sonnenblumenmus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di semi di girasole
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de girassol
💡 Nuance: Common peanut stand-in. Pumpkin seed butter is greener and earthier.
🎃 Pumpkin Seed Butter
green-brown spread from pepitas
Example: Pumpkin seed butter on an apple. Darker than sunflower seed butter.
🇫🇷 French: Beurre de courge
🇩🇪 German: Kürbiskernmus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di semi di zucca
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de semente de abóbora
💡 Nuance: Pepita paste. Watermelon seed butter is the less common melon-seed jar.
green-brown spread from pepitas
Example: Pumpkin seed butter on an apple. Darker than sunflower seed butter.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Mantequilla de pepita🇫🇷 French: Beurre de courge
🇩🇪 German: Kürbiskernmus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di semi di zucca
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de semente de abóbora
💡 Nuance: Pepita paste. Watermelon seed butter is the less common melon-seed jar.
⚪ Sesame Seed Butter
paste from sesame seeds - tahini is the usual name
Example: Sesame seed butter in hummus is tahini. The jar may use either name.
🇫🇷 French: Tahini / beurre de sésame
🇩🇪 German: Tahini / Sesammus
🇮🇹 Italian: Tahina
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Tahine
💡 Nuance: Tahini is sesame seed butter. Chinese sesame paste is usually toasted darker.
paste from sesame seeds - tahini is the usual name
Example: Sesame seed butter in hummus is tahini. The jar may use either name.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Tahini / mantequilla de sésamo🇫🇷 French: Tahini / beurre de sésame
🇩🇪 German: Tahini / Sesammus
🇮🇹 Italian: Tahina
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Tahine
💡 Nuance: Tahini is sesame seed butter. Chinese sesame paste is usually toasted darker.
🌿 Hemp Seed Butter
soft, grassy spread from hulled hemp seeds
Example: Hemp seed butter on crackers. Earthier than cashew butter.
🇫🇷 French: Beurre de chanvre
🇩🇪 German: Hanfmus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di canapa
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de cânhamo
💡 Nuance: Seed butter, not a dairy product and not a spice paste.
soft, grassy spread from hulled hemp seeds
Example: Hemp seed butter on crackers. Earthier than cashew butter.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Mantequilla de cáñamo🇫🇷 French: Beurre de chanvre
🇩🇪 German: Hanfmus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di canapa
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de cânhamo
💡 Nuance: Seed butter, not a dairy product and not a spice paste.
⚫ Chia Seed Butter
thick spread from milled chia
Example: Chia seed butter is uncommon and pasty. Chia pudding is the usual chia food.
🇫🇷 French: Beurre de chia
🇩🇪 German: Chiamus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di chia
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de chia
💡 Nuance: Exists as a specialty jar. Not the same as soaked chia.
thick spread from milled chia
Example: Chia seed butter is uncommon and pasty. Chia pudding is the usual chia food.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Mantequilla de chía🇫🇷 French: Beurre de chia
🇩🇪 German: Chiamus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di chia
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de chia
💡 Nuance: Exists as a specialty jar. Not the same as soaked chia.
🟤 Flaxseed Butter
spread from ground flax seeds
Example: Flaxseed butter goes rancid fast. Keep it cold.
🇫🇷 French: Beurre de lin
🇩🇪 German: Leinsamenmus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di lino
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de linhaça
💡 Nuance: Also flax butter. Oil-rich and fragile. Not a shelf-stable peanut swap.
spread from ground flax seeds
Example: Flaxseed butter goes rancid fast. Keep it cold.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Mantequilla de lino🇫🇷 French: Beurre de lin
🇩🇪 German: Leinsamenmus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di lino
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de linhaça
💡 Nuance: Also flax butter. Oil-rich and fragile. Not a shelf-stable peanut swap.
🍉 Watermelon Seed Butter
spread from roasted watermelon seeds
Example: Watermelon seed butter as a regional snack paste. Milder than pumpkin seed butter.
🇫🇷 French: Beurre de pastèque
🇩🇪 German: Wassermelonensamenmus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di semi di anguria
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de semente de melancia
💡 Nuance: Melon-seed jar. Not a fruit jam.
spread from roasted watermelon seeds
Example: Watermelon seed butter as a regional snack paste. Milder than pumpkin seed butter.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Mantequilla de semilla de sandía🇫🇷 French: Beurre de pastèque
🇩🇪 German: Wassermelonensamenmus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di semi di anguria
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de semente de melancia
💡 Nuance: Melon-seed jar. Not a fruit jam.
💚 Sacha Inchi Butter
mild oil-seed spread from sacha inchi
Example: Sacha inchi butter as an Amazon seed jar. Soft like hemp seed butter.
🇫🇷 French: Beurre de sacha inchi
🇩🇪 German: Sacha-Inchi-Mus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di sacha inchi
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de sacha inchi
💡 Nuance: Inca peanut butter in some shops. Still a seed, not a peanut.
mild oil-seed spread from sacha inchi
Example: Sacha inchi butter as an Amazon seed jar. Soft like hemp seed butter.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Mantequilla de sacha inchi🇫🇷 French: Beurre de sacha inchi
🇩🇪 German: Sacha-Inchi-Mus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di sacha inchi
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de sacha inchi
💡 Nuance: Inca peanut butter in some shops. Still a seed, not a peanut.
🥥 Lookalikes & Other Jars
🟡 Tiger Nut Butter
spread from chufa tubers, not from tree nuts
Example: Tiger nut butter for a nut-free toast. The name says nut. The plant is a sedge.
🇫🇷 French: Beurre de souchet
🇩🇪 German: Erdmandelmus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di zigolo
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de chufa
💡 Nuance: Tuber butter. Related to horchata, not to almond butter.
spread from chufa tubers, not from tree nuts
Example: Tiger nut butter for a nut-free toast. The name says nut. The plant is a sedge.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Mantequilla de chufa🇫🇷 French: Beurre de souchet
🇩🇪 German: Erdmandelmus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di zigolo
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de chufa
💡 Nuance: Tuber butter. Related to horchata, not to almond butter.
🌱 Soy Nut Butter
spread from roasted soybeans made to mimic peanut butter
Example: Soy nut butter in a nut-free classroom. It is soy, not peanuts and not tree nuts.
🇫🇷 French: Beurre de soja
🇩🇪 German: Sojabutter
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di soia
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de soja
💡 Nuance: School-lunch stand-in. Flavor is roasted soy, not peanut.
spread from roasted soybeans made to mimic peanut butter
Example: Soy nut butter in a nut-free classroom. It is soy, not peanuts and not tree nuts.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Mantequilla de soja🇫🇷 French: Beurre de soja
🇩🇪 German: Sojabutter
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di soia
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de soja
💡 Nuance: School-lunch stand-in. Flavor is roasted soy, not peanut.
🥥 Coconut Butter
ground coconut meat - fiber plus fat, solid at cool room temperature
Example: Coconut butter on a spoon. Coconut oil is the fat only. Coconut cream is a cooking liquid.
🇫🇷 French: Beurre de coco
🇩🇪 German: Kokosmus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di cocco
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de coco
💡 Nuance: Also called coconut manna. Not oil and not shredded coconut.
ground coconut meat - fiber plus fat, solid at cool room temperature
Example: Coconut butter on a spoon. Coconut oil is the fat only. Coconut cream is a cooking liquid.
Show translations
🇪🇸 Spanish: Mantequilla de coco🇫🇷 French: Beurre de coco
🇩🇪 German: Kokosmus
🇮🇹 Italian: Burro di cocco
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Manteiga de coco
💡 Nuance: Also called coconut manna. Not oil and not shredded coconut.
🧠 Useful Distinctions
🥜 Peanut butter vs. 🌱 soy nut butter vs. tree-nut butters
Peanut is a legume. Soy nut butter is roasted soy. Almond, cashew, and walnut are tree nuts.
Peanut is a legume. Soy nut butter is roasted soy. Almond, cashew, and walnut are tree nuts.
⚪ Sesame seed butter vs. tahini
Same idea. Tahini is the name cooks use.
Same idea. Tahini is the name cooks use.
🥥 Coconut butter vs. coconut oil
Butter is ground meat. Oil is fat only.
Butter is ground meat. Oil is fat only.
🟡 Tiger nut butter vs. almond butter
Tiger nut is a tuber. Almond is a tree nut. The word nut is doing different jobs.
Tiger nut is a tuber. Almond is a tree nut. The word nut is doing different jobs.
🌻 Sunflower vs. 🎃 pumpkin seed butter
Both nut-free. Sunflower is the lunchbox default. Pumpkin is greener and earthier.
Both nut-free. Sunflower is the lunchbox default. Pumpkin is greener and earthier.
🌰 Hazelnut butter vs. chocolate-hazelnut spread
One is milled nuts. The other is a sweet cocoa spread.
One is milled nuts. The other is a sweet cocoa spread.
💬 Everyday Butter Phrases
⚪ Tahini is sesame seed butter.
two names
🇫🇷 Le tahini, c’est du beurre de sésame.
🇩🇪 Tahini ist Sesammus.
🇮🇹 La tahina è burro di sesamo.
🇵🇹 O tahine é manteiga de sésamo.
two names
Show translations
🇪🇸 El tahini es mantequilla de sésamo.🇫🇷 Le tahini, c’est du beurre de sésame.
🇩🇪 Tahini ist Sesammus.
🇮🇹 La tahina è burro di sesamo.
🇵🇹 O tahine é manteiga de sésamo.
🥥 Coconut butter is not coconut oil.
meat vs. fat
🇫🇷 Le beurre de coco n’est pas de l’huile de coco.
🇩🇪 Kokosmus ist kein Kokosöl.
🇮🇹 Il burro di cocco non è olio di cocco.
🇵🇹 Manteiga de coco não é óleo de coco.
meat vs. fat
Show translations
🇪🇸 La mantequilla de coco no es aceite de coco.🇫🇷 Le beurre de coco n’est pas de l’huile de coco.
🇩🇪 Kokosmus ist kein Kokosöl.
🇮🇹 Il burro di cocco non è olio di cocco.
🇵🇹 Manteiga de coco não é óleo de coco.
🌱 Soy nut butter is soy. It is not peanut butter.
school jar
🇫🇷 Le beurre de soja, c’est du soja. Pas de la cacahuète.
🇩🇪 Sojabutter ist Soja. Keine Erdnussbutter.
🇮🇹 Il burro di soia è soia. Non è di arachidi.
🇵🇹 Manteiga de soja é soja. Não é de amendoim.
school jar
Show translations
🇪🇸 La mantequilla de soja es soja. No es de cacahuete.🇫🇷 Le beurre de soja, c’est du soja. Pas de la cacahuète.
🇩🇪 Sojabutter ist Soja. Keine Erdnussbutter.
🇮🇹 Il burro di soia è soia. Non è di arachidi.
🇵🇹 Manteiga de soja é soja. Não é de amendoim.
🟡 Tiger nut butter comes from a tuber.
the name lies
🇫🇷 Le beurre de chufa vient d’un tubercule.
🇩🇪 Erdmandelmus kommt von einer Knolle.
🇮🇹 Il burro di tiger nut viene da un tubero.
🇵🇹 A manteiga de chufa vem de um tubérculo.
the name lies
Show translations
🇪🇸 La mantequilla de chufa sale de un tubérculo.🇫🇷 Le beurre de chufa vient d’un tubercule.
🇩🇪 Erdmandelmus kommt von einer Knolle.
🇮🇹 Il burro di tiger nut viene da un tubero.
🇵🇹 A manteiga de chufa vem de um tubérculo.
🏆 Final Practice
English in the Real World:
Read the situation. Choose the more precise butter word.
Read the situation. Choose the more precise butter word.
Question 1 of 8
✅ Correct: 0
❓ Questions: 0
🎯 Accuracy: 0%