Trader Joe’s Cookie Butter has become popular worldwide. This delicious food paste treat is even popular among those following a mostly healthy diet. So, is Trader Joe’s Cookie Butter vegan?
Trader Joe’s Cookie Butter is vegan. The treat is made from ground vegan cookies mixed with oil and sugar. Although it is delicious, this cookie butter is not exactly healthy. The best vegan alternatives to Trader Joe’s Cookie Butter are Barney Butter Almond Butter, 88 Acres Watermelon Seed Butter, and Big Spoon Cashew Butter with Coconut Nectar and Sea Salt.
So, Trader Joe’s Cookie Butter has been described as a creamified, spoonable, spreadable cookie. It’s so popular that Trader Joe’s has been known to limit the purchase of their Cookie Butter to one per customer! The speculoos cookies it is made from, like some animal cracker cookies, are vegan. However, this treat is full of sugar and fat. Let’s take a closer look at Trader Joe’s Cookie Butter products.
Contents
- Trader Joe’s Cookie Butter Products and Nutrition Facts
- Alternatives to Trader Joe’s Cookie Butter
- Barney Butter Almond Butter, Bare Smooth
- Barney Butter Chocolate Almond Butter Blend
- Maisie Jane’s Crunch Almond Butter
- Big Spoon Cashew Butter with Coconut Nectar and Sea Salt
- Georgia Grinders Creamy Peanut Butter
- 88 Acres Watermelon Seed Butter
- 88 Acres Roasted Pumpkin Seed Butter
- Field Trip Cinnamon Churro Chickpea Butter
- Takeaway
- Related Questions
Trader Joe’s Cookie Butter Products and Nutrition Facts
Trader Joe’s Speculoos Cookie Butter
The original and still the most popular flavor. But, beware! Fans say it’s addicting.
Ingredients:
- Speculoos cookies (wheat flour [wheat flour, malted wheat flour], caramelized sugar, vegetable oil blend [palm oil, canola oil, citric acid and lemon juice concentrate [to preserve]], cane sugar, soy flour, contains 2 % or less of: invert sugar syrup, wheat gluten, sodium bicarbonate, cinnamon, nutmeg)
- Vegetable oil blend (canola oil, palm oil, citric acid [to preserve])
- Sugar
- Canola lecithin
Nutrition Per 2 Tablespoons (30 g):
- 170 Calories
- 11 g Total Fat
- 5 g Saturated Fat
- 0 g Trans Fat
- 0 mg Cholesterol
- 55 mg Sodium
- 16 g Carbohydrates
- 0 g Dietary Fiber
- 11 g Sugars
- 11 g Added Sugars
Trader Joe’s Speculoos Crunchy Cookie Butter
Some fans say this one is even better than the original! But, it has more than half of the recommended daily allowance of saturated fat.
Ingredients:
- Speculoos cookies (wheat flour [wheat flour, malted wheat flour], caramelized sugar, vegetable oil blend [palm oil, canola oil, citric acid and lemon juice concentrate [to preserve]], cane sugar, soy flour, contains 2 % or less of: invert sugar syrup, wheat gluten, sodium bicarbonate, cinnamon, nutmeg)
- caramelized sugar
- vegetable oil blend (palm oil, candiaol circatal juice concentrate {to preserve, cane sugar, soy flour conthiszaire invert sugar syrup, wheat gluten)
- onnamoulder oil blend (canola oil, palm oil, citric acid [to preserve])
- Sugar chioley
Nutrition Per 2 Tablespoons (30 g):
- 170 Calories
- 11 g Total Fat
- 25 g Saturated Fat
- 0 g Trans Fat
- 0 mg Cholesterol
- 55 mg Sodium
- 16 g Carbohydrates
- 0 g Dietary Fiber
- 11 g Sugar
- 11 g Added Sugar
Trader Joe’s Cocoa Swirl Cookie Butter
Yep! Cookie Butter swirled with chocolate! Most cocoa powders are vegan and add lots of deliciousness to products.
Ingredients:
- Vegetable oils (canola oil, palm oil)
- Sugar
- Speculoos 29% (Wheat flour, candy sugar, vegetable oils and fats [palm oil and fat, canola oil, coconut oil, and fat], cane sugar soy flour, invert sugar syrup, raising agent [sodium bicarbonate], cinnamon, nutmeg)
- Fat reduced cocoa powder 8%
- Emulsifier (Lecithin)
- Natural vanilla flavor
- Hazelnuts
- Cocoa butter
Nutrition Per 1 Tablespoon (15 g):
- 90 Calories
- 6 g Total Fat
- 5 Saturated Fat
- 0 g Trans Fat
- 0 mg Cholesterol
- 20 mg Sodium
- 8 g Carbohydrates
- Less than 1 g Fiber
- 6 g Sugars
Alternatives to Trader Joe’s Cookie Butter
Cookie butter may be delicious, but it is not healthy! Currently, there are not any cookie butters on the market that are any healthier than Trader Joe’s Cookie Butter. However, there are several vegan healthier nut butters, seed butters, and other plant-based spreads that are quite delicious.
Barney Butter Almond Butter, Bare Smooth
This company sources almonds from farmers who use responsible irrigation. Their almond butter is made without added sugar or salt, is gluten-free, vegan, and Orthodox Union Kosher Certified.
Ingredients:
- Blanched roasted almonds
- Palm fruit oil
Nutrition Per 32 g (1.1 ounces):
- 190 Calories
- 18 g Total Fat
- 5 g Saturated Fat
- 0 g Trans Fat
- 0 mg Cholesterol
- 5 mg Sodium
- 6 g Carbohydrates
- 3 g Dietary Fiber
- 1 g Total Sugars
- 0 g Added Sugars
Barney Butter Chocolate Almond Butter Blend
Another delicious choice from Barney Butter. It’s chocolate, but it’s vegan, gluten-free and Orthodox Union Kosher Certified.
Ingredients:
- Blanched roasted almonds
- Enjoy Life Chocolate (Sugar, Natural Chocolate Liquor, Non-Dairy Cocoa Butter)
- Palm fruit oil
- Natural vanilla flavor
- Natural chocolate flavoring
Nutrition Per 32 g (1.1 ounces):
- 190 Calories
- 16 g Total Fat
- 3 g Saturated Fat
- 0 g Trans Fat
- 0 mg Cholesterol
- 0 mg Sodium
- 8 g Total Carbohydrates
- 3 g Dietary Fiber
- 3 g Total Sugars
- 2 g Added sugars
Maisie Jane’s Crunch Almond Butter
This company uses solar-powered, water efficient irrigation in their own California almond orchards. Their nut butter is vegan, gluten-free, Certified USDA Organic, and Earth Kosher Certified.
Ingredients:
- Non-GMO Dry Roasted California Almonds
Nutrition Per 28 g (1 ounce):
- 160 Calories
- 14 g Total Fat
- 1 g Saturated Fat
- 0 g Trans Fat
- 0 mg Cholesterol
- 0 mg Sodium
- 6 g Total Carbohydrates
- 3 g Fiber
- 1 g Total Sugars
- 0 g Added Sugars
Big Spoon Cashew Butter with Coconut Nectar and Sea Salt
This company seeks to partner with farmers using sustainable, quality production methods. Their cashew butter is gluten-free and vegan.
Ingredients:
- Organic cashews
- Organic coconut nectar
- Organic virgin coconut oil
- Jacobsen sea salt
Allergen Warning: Peanuts and Coconut
Nutrition Per 28 g (2 tablespoons):
- 160 Calories
- 13 g Total Fat
- 5 g Saturated Fat
- 0 g Trans Fat
- 0 mg Cholesterol
- 60 mg Sodium
- 10 g Total Carbohydrates
- 1 g Dietary Fiber
- 2 g Total Sugars
Georgia Grinders Creamy Peanut Butter
This company is committed to eliminating “environmentally impactful oils” and to partnering with farmers who use sustainable growing practices. Their peanut butter is delicious and classic, gluten-free and vegan.
Ingredients:
- Peanuts
- Sea Salt
Nutrition Per 28 g (2 Tablespoons):
- 160 Calories
- 14 g Total Fat
- 2 g Saturated Fat
- 0 g Trans Fat
- 0 mg Cholesterol
- 70 mg Sodium
- 6 g Total Carbohydrates
- 2 g Dietary Fiber
- 1 g Sugars
88 Acres Watermelon Seed Butter
This company creates delicious nut-free and grain-free spreads. Their watermelon seed butter makes a great creamy dip for fruit and is delicious as a salad dressing.
Ingredients:
- Organic watermelon seeds
- Organic powdered sugar (organic cane sugar, organic tapioca starch)
- Organic expeller-pressed sunflower oil
- Sea salt
Nutrition Per 33 g (2 tablespoons):
- 190 Calories
- 16 g Total Fat
- 3 g Saturated Fat
- 0 g Trans Fat
- 0 mg Cholesterol
- 35 mg Sodium
- 7 g Total Carbohydrates
- 1 g Dietary Fiber
- 3 g Sugars
88 Acres Roasted Pumpkin Seed Butter
Another delicious 88 Acres spread. This spread is made with pumpkin seeds and is gluten-free, vegan, USDA Organic Certified, and Organized Kashrus Laboratories (OK) Certified Kosher.
Ingredients:
- Organic pumpkin seeds
- Organic expeller-pressed sunflower oil
- Organic powdered sugar (organic cane sugar, organic tapioca starch)
- Sea salt
Nutrition Per 33g (2 Tablespoons):
- 190 Calories
- 17 g Total Fat
- 5 g Saturated Fat
- 0 g Trans Fat
- 0 mg Cholesterol
- 10 mg Sodium
- 5 g Total Carbohydrates
- 2 g Dietary Fiber
- 3 g Sugars
Field Trip Cinnamon Churro Chickpea Butter
Field Trip makes “snacks without the junk” and prides itself on avoiding MSGs, preservatives and artificial ingredients. This chickpea butter spread is vegan, gluten-free, kosher-certified, non-GMO, and made in an allergy-free facility.
Ingredients:
- Dry roasted milled chickpeas
- Roasted sunflower seed (sunflower kernels, sunflower oil)
- Organic light brown sugar
- Olive oil
- Cinnamon
- Organic palm oil
- Sea salt
Nutrition Per 32 g (2 tablespoons):
- 160 Calories
- 10 g Total Fat
- 5 g Saturated Fat
- 0 g Trans Fat
- 0 mg Cholesterol
- 30 mg Sodium
- 15 g Total Carbohydrates
- 4 g Dietary Fiber
- 5 g Total Sugars
- 3 g Added Sugars
Takeaway
Trader Joe’s Cookie Butter comes in three delicious flavors and has become a worldwide sensation. This vegan treat can be enjoyed in numerous ways. However, it is definitely not healthy food.
Our research did not uncover any vegan, healthy cookie butters on the market. But we did find several healthy, vegan alternative spreads, including nut butters, seed butters, and chickpea butters. All the alternative options listed above are delicious and healthy choices for a spreadable, swap for cookie butter.
Related Questions
How do you use Trader Joe’s Cookie Butter?
Trader Joe’s Cookie Butter can be used in dozens of ways. Some people like to spread it on toast, others eat it with fruit. You can even bake with it and you can find tons of recipes online using it. You can also use it as an incredibly sweet and delicious substitute for peanut butter in a sandwich. The ways you use Trader Joe’s Cookie Butter is only limited by your imagination!
Is Trader Joe’s Cookie Butter healthy?
No, it’s really not a healthy food. It is full of sugar, fat, and calories. Some of the alternatives listed above would be better options for a healthy treat.
Is Trader Joe’s Cookie Butter gluten-free?
No, it is not gluten-free. Every flavor of this cookie butter contains wheat flour, making it unfit for those on a gluten-free diet.
Does Trader Joe’s Cookie Butter contain nuts?
No, Trader Joe’s Cookie Butter is nut-free. The crunchiness of Trader Joe’s Cookie Butter comes from the ground-up speculoos cookies. Speculoos cookies are thin, crunchy Belgian cookies made with spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.