Do you like granola bars? Well, then you’ll absolutely love granola butter! It’s essentially your favorite granola bar in a spreadable form, letting you enjoy the delicious tastes on top of anything you want!
But, is it better than the popular coconut butter?
Coconut butter is often an alternative to some nut butters for its unique tropical taste. It also offers a really unique texture experience, which we’ll talk more about later! Plus, it has many uses that exceed simply spreading it and really let you enjoy its deliciousness in unique ways!
Now, both of these spreads sound great – and they are – but, we need to figure out which one is best! We’ll do that by putting them side by side, really getting deep on what one spread does better than the other one…
That way, we’ll find out exactly which one is better, and whether you should choose granola butter or coconut butter!
Let’s check them out!
Comparing granola butter vs coconut butter
Granola butter has nuts in it, but also often contains coconuts. This gives it tree nuts as an allergen, but it also shares coconuts as an allergen with coconut butter – these are technically considered tree nuts, but many people with tree nut allergies can safely eat them, so I recommend talking to your physician!
They share a versatility in terms of vegan diets, but only coconut butter can also be used in paleo and keto diets! The glycemic index for granola butter is unknown, although it’s likely medium due to the added sugar while coconut butter’s glycemic index is low. This makes coconut butter a better choice if you want to keep your blood sugar levels from spiking, but talk to your physician if you have any concerns there.
| Granola butter | Coconut butter | |
| Taste | Toasty, roasted (like granola or a graham cracker) | Coconut, rich, slightly nutty |
| Texture | Creamy, slightly grainy | Thick, pasty, slightly gritty |
| Allergens | Tree nuts (coconut) | Coconuts* |
| Vegan? | Yes | Yes |
| Paleo? | No | Yes |
| Keto? | No | Yes |
| Glycemic index (GI) | Unknown; likely medium due to added sugar | Low** |
*The USDA considers coconuts as tree nuts, but many people with tree nut allergies can safely consume coconut products.
**Coconut butter is made from the flesh of coconuts, which have a glycemic index of 45, classifying it as a low GI food. Although there isn’t clear data on the GI of coconut butter, we would assume it’s the same, or very similar, to coconuts.
What is granola butter?
Granola butter is a creamy and slightly grainy spread made by blending together oats, nuts, seeds, honey, coconut oil, and more things. Imagine your favorite granola turned into a delicious spread – that’s granola butter!
There are many types of ingredients that can be added, so you can make granola butter at home in many different ways – get creative!
What is coconut butter?
Coconut butter is simply made by grinding coconut meat into a thick, pasty, and slightly gritty spread that boasts a rich coconut taste with nutty undertones.
The grittiness is from the little bits of coconut flesh that are in it, adding a nice oomph to the texture. It’s also really easy to make coconut butter at home, and you can warm it up to make it thin and runny if you want to drizzle it!
Differences between granola butter and coconut butter
The biggest differences between granola butter and coconut butter are their flavors and textures.
Granola butter has many different flavor profiles since there are a wide variety of ingredients that can be used, so it changes from brand-to-brand. However, it generally has a nutty, toasty, roasted, and slightly sweet flavor, with hints of whatever spices were used in it – like cinnamon, for example! Coconut butter has a rich coconut taste with nutty undertones.
Texture-wise, granola butter is creamy and slightly grainy due to the oats, while coconut butter is thick, pasty, and slightly gritty – although it becomes thin and runny when you warm it up!
How to use granola butter vs coconut butter
You can use granola butter and coconut butter in many ways!
Try using either as a spread for your toast, pancakes, or waffles to add their unique flavors, or mix them into your smoothies and oatmeal for some delicious twists! You can even dip fruits and vegetables into them if you want a fun snack, or bake with them!
Granola butter’s roasted flavor is a real nice addition to bakes, while coconut butter provides a unique tropical vibe to anything you add it to!
Nutrition: Granola butter vs coconut butter
Granola butter can vary a little in its nutritional profile due to there being different recipes and types of it. However, you’ll usually find that it’s low in calories and fiber, with 1 gram of fiber per serving. It also tends to be really high in carbs, with this one boasting 13 net grams per serving. The protein sits at 3 grams per serving, and there tends to be a lot of sugar added for flavoring.
Coconut butter has a lot of unhealthy saturated fats, which is something you should keep an eye on! It’s also low in protein like granola butter, with 2 grams of protein per serving. However, it has an awesome 6 grams of fiber per serving, and just 2 grams of net carbs!
| Serving size: 2 tbsp | Granola butter | Coconut butter |
| Calories | 170 | 210 |
| Total fat (saturated) | 12 g (4 g) | 22 g (18 g) |
| Total carbs | 14 g | 8 g |
| Net carbs (fiber) | 13 g (1 g) | 2 g (6 g) |
| Total sugars (incl. added) | 4 g (4 g) | 2 g (0 g) |
| Protein | 3 g | 2 g |
How to store granola butter and coconut butter
Granola butter should be stored in the fridge to prevent it from going bad too quickly. Oil separation happens a lot in it, which the fridge will help prevent as well.
Coconut butter can be stored at room temperature in the pantry, but you can also put it in the fridge if you want to keep it nice and thick.
Homemade granola butter generally lasts in the fridge for up to 1 month if it’s covered, and coconut butter will last you around 6-12 months before going rancid, but that can vary from brand-to-brand, so check the labels!
Granola butter vs coconut butter: The ultimate verdict
So, which spread is the better one?
Granola butter has the benefit of coming in different varieties, and you have a lot of options when making it yourself!
Coconut butter offers an awesome tropical vibe, and has a lot of versatility in its texture with being either spreadable or drizz-able!
So, looking at all things, coconut butter takes the win for having much better dietary versatility, a more consistent nutritional profile, and a unique texture that can fit into many things!
FAQs
Granola butter is usually creamy, but the oats in it makes it slightly grainy.
No. Granola butter is high in carbs, making it unsuitable for keto diets.
Neither spread is particularly great in protein, but granola butter has more healthy fats for recovery, while coconut butter has much better fiber.
Coconut butter is much lower in carbs than granola butter, making it the only option for keto diets between these two spreads.
You potentially can. The USDA classifies coconuts as tree nuts, but many people with tree nut allergies can safely eat coconut butter and other coconut products. I recommend talking to your physician first!
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