PB2, also known as powdered peanut butter, is a low-fat alternative to traditional peanut butter that is growing in popularity. With significantly fewer calories and fat than regular peanut butter, many people use PB2 in recipes to cut back on calories and fat without sacrificing flavor. But can you use PB2 as a direct substitute for peanut butter when baking? Here is an in-depth look at whether PB2 can be swapped for peanut butter in baked goods.
What is PB2?
PB2 stands for “Peanut Butter 2.0” and is a powdered peanut butter product made by defatting roasted peanuts. The fat is removed from peanuts, leaving behind a dry, powdered peanut butter concentrate. To use PB2, you simply mix the powder with water to create a peanut butter paste. PB2 has 85% less fat than traditional peanut butter, plus more protein and fiber. It also has fewer calories – just 45 calories in a 2 tablespoon serving compared to 190 calories in regular 2 tbsp peanut butter.
Advantages of Using PB2 in Baking
There are some potential advantages to using PB2 instead of regular peanut butter when baking:
- Significantly fewer calories and less fat
- More peanut flavor with less nuts – you can use less PB2 than regular peanut butter to achieve the same flavor
- Easier to incorporate into batters for a more uniform distribution of peanut flavor
- May help baked goods stay moister longer due to the powder absorbing moisture
In recipes where peanut butter is used more for flavor than texture, PB2 can be an easy way to cut calories and fat. For example, PB2 may work well in peanut butter cookies, pie fillings, or peanut butter banana bread where you want peanut flavor without a ton of extra fat and calories.
Potential Drawbacks of PB2 in Baking
However, there are some potential downsides to using powdered peanut butter in baking:
- Lacks the creamy texture of regular peanut butter – baked goods may end up drier
- Powdered texture changes mouthfeel
- Won’t hold together or bind as well as fatty natural peanut butter
- Peanut flavor may be weaker
- Final product may be crumbly or dry rather than tender
In recipes where peanut butter’s fatty texture is important, like peanut butter cookies, using PB2 may negatively impact the end result. The cookies could end up flat, dry, and crumbly rather than chewy.
Tips for Substituting PB2 in Baking
If you want to experiment with using powdered peanut butter in baked goods, here are some tips:
- Use 25-50% more PB2 than the amount of peanut butter called for in the recipe. Start with 25% more and adjust from there.
- Mix the PB2 with water before adding to batter for a creamier texture.
- Consider adding an extra egg yolk or a bit of extra oil or butter to boost moisture and tenderness.
- Reduce baking time slightly since PB2 won’t spread as much as thick peanut butter.
- Try PB2 first in recipes where peanut butter is more of a mix-in for flavor like cookies or quick breads rather than the main star like peanut butter pie.
It may also help to add a bit of regular peanut butter along with PB2 to get the best of both worlds. For example, try using 1/4 cup PB2 plus 2 tablespoons regular peanut butter if a recipe calls for 1/2 cup peanut butter.
Baked Goods That Work Well with PB2
Based on the texture and moisture differences between PB2 and regular peanut butter, here are some baked goods that PB2 tends to work best in:
- Cookies – peanut butter cookies, oatmeal cookies, chocolate peanut butter cookies
- Muffins – peanut butter banana muffins, peanut butter chocolate chip muffins
- Quick breads – banana bread, pumpkin bread, zucchini bread
- Cakes – chocolate peanut butter cake, peanut butter cupcakes, peanut butter frosting
- Pie fillings – peanut butter pie, peanut butter banana cream pie
In these types of recipes, PB2 can provide lots of peanut flavor without ruining the texture. Just be sure to use about 25% more PB2 than the peanut butter amount listed.
Baked Goods That Are Trickier with PB2
Here are some baked goods where substituting PB2 for peanut butter is more challenging:
- Peanut butter cookies – the lack of fat from PB2 results in crumbly cookies
- Peanut butter fudge – PB2 won’t set up properly and the texture will be grainy
- Peanut butter buttercream frosting – frosting may be loose and thin rather than thick and creamy
- Peanut butter pie crust – PB2 won’t hold the crust together well enough
- Peanut butter granola bars – bars will likely be dry and crumbly
In these types of baking applications where peanut butter’s high fat content is necessary for structure and texture, it’s best to stick with regular peanut butter or experiment with incorporating just a portion of PB2.
Making Adjustments When Substituting PB2
Because PB2 absorbs moisture differently than peanut butter, you may need to alter other ingredients in a recipe when using it:
- Liquids – you may need slightly less liquid since PB2 will absorb more moisture. Reduce liquids by 1-2 tablespoons initially and adjust as needed.
- Leavening – recipes may require a bit more leavening like baking soda or baking powder to account for PB2 absorbing more moisture.
- Sweeteners – start with a little less sugar since PB2 has a naturally sweeter flavor.
- Texture – add an extra egg yolk or a bit of oil to help increase moistness and tenderness.
Take notes when you test PB2 in a recipe so you can tweak it as needed on your next bake.
Ratio for Substituting PB2 for Peanut Butter
As a general guideline, here is a simple ratio for substituting powdered peanut butter for traditional peanut butter:
- 1 cup peanut butter = 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups PB2
- 1/2 cup peanut butter = 3/4 cup PB2
- 1/4 cup peanut butter = 6 tablespoons PB2
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter = 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons PB2
You may need to adjust the other ingredients like leavening or liquids when using this substitution. But this gives you a starting point of how much PB2 to use in place of peanut butter.
Conclusion
Powdered peanut butter like PB2 can be used as a lower calorie, lower fat substitute for peanut butter in some baked goods. Quick breads, cookies, cakes and other items where peanut butter is not the main star tend to turn out well with PB2. However, items like peanut butter cookies that rely on peanut butter for texture will be trickier with powdered peanut butter. Overall, it’s best use about 25% more PB2 than the amount of peanut butter called for, and make adjustments to other ingredients like liquids or leavening. With some tweaking, PB2 can be a great way to lighten up your favorite peanut butter desserts and baked treats.