Whoever thought of turning granola bars into a spread is a genius – granola butter is delicious, with many customization options that ensures you find one that matches up with your flavor preferences!
Its unique characteristics are definitely worth checking out, and we’ll cover all of those today. However, we’ll also be comparing it to another unique spread: tahini.
This nut-free spread used as a main ingredient in making hummus is a really strong spread for many reasons, which we’ll also check out – it’s also a popular nut butter alternative! Then, we’ll put granola butter and tahini head-to-head, watching them compete in things like culinary uses, flavor profiles, dietary versatility and more!
That way, you’ll be able to ultimately decide: which one is better?
Let’s jump in!
Comparing granola butter vs tahini
Granola butter contains nuts, although it can really depend from brand to brand what kind of nuts are in it. It therefore has tree nuts as an allergen, and also contains coconut in many cases. Tahini, on the other hand, has no nuts in it, but has sesame as an allergen. Both spreads can be used for vegan diets, with tahini being suitable for paleo and keto diets, unlike granola butter.
Tahini’s glycemic index is low, making it a good choice if you’re worried about your blood sugar levels spiking. Granola butter’s glycemic index is unknown, as it can have different ingredients depending on the brand it’s from. However, it’s likely in the medium range due to the added sugar. Talk to your physician if you have any concerns here!
| Granola butter | Tahini (sesame seed butter) | |
| Taste | Toasty, roasted (like granola or a graham cracker) | Mildly nutty, toasty, slightly bitter |
| Texture | Creamy, slightly grainy | Thin, creamy |
| Allergens | Tree nuts (coconut) | Sesame |
| Vegan? | Yes | Yes |
| Paleo? | No | Yes |
| Keto? | No | Yes |
| Glycemic index (GI) | Unknown; likely medium due to added sugar | 40 |
What is granola butter?
Granola butter is basically a granola bar or your favorite granola turned into a creamy and slightly grainy spread!
The graininess comes from the oats in it, but the flavor and texture are influenced by the many ingredients in it such as spices, seeds, rolled oats, honey, coconut oil, nuts, and more! This makes it fun to customize and make granola butter at home the way you want it!
What is tahini?
Tahini is made by grinding sesame seeds down into a thin and creamy paste. It was born in the Middle East, and is completely nut-free while boasting a mild, slightly nutty, toasty, and slightly bitter flavor profile.
As I mentioned, it’s most commonly used to make hummus, but you can easily use it as a spread, and you can even make tahini at home!
Differences between granola butter and tahini
The biggest difference between granola butter and tahini is the flavor, with some differences in texture as well.
Granola butter comes in many different flavors due to the wide variety of ingredients that you can use, but you’ll usually find it has a nutty, toasty, roasted, and slightly sweet flavor with undertones from whatever spices were used (like cinnamon, for example). Tahini shares a toasty element in its flavor, but it’s also slightly bitter and mildly nutty.
Texture-wise, granola butter is creamy and slightly grainy, while tahini is also creamy, but really thin – which makes it perfect for drizzling!
How to use granola butter vs tahini
You can use both granola butter and tahini for a bunch of different things in many of the same ways!
For example, use either as a spread on your toast, pancakes, and waffles, or add them to your bakes for some nice flavor twists – granola butter is really nice in muffins for its roasted flavor. Tahini is especially good drizzled over things, but you can use both spreads to dip fruits and vegetables into them!
You can use them interchangeably, but their different tastes and textures will change the dish you’re adding them to in different ways, so just be aware of that when experimenting!
Nutrition: Granola butter vs tahini
Granola butter has a bit of a tricky nutritional profile, as different recipes and brands use different ingredients and measurements. However, granola butter tends to be fairly low in calories, but high in carbs and sugar. You’ll find that it tends to be on the lower side in protein as well.
Tahini, on the other hand, is really low in carbs, with only 3 net grams per serving! It also has 5 grams of protein per serving, and is filled with healthy fats! Plus, it’s quite similar to granola butter in terms of calories, being quite low as well.
| Serving size: 2 tbsp | Granola butter | Tahini (sesame seed butter) |
| Calories | 170 | 176 |
| Total fat (saturated) | 12 g (4 g) | 16 g (2 g) |
| Total carbs | 14 g | 6 g |
| Net carbs (fiber) | 13 g (1 g) | 3 g (3 g) |
| Total sugars (incl. added) | 4 g (4 g) | 0 g |
| Protein | 3 g | 5 g |
How to store granola butter and tahini
Granola butter and tahini should both be stored in the fridge. Granola butter is quite prone to oil separation, which the fridge will help prevent. Both spreads will thicken up a little as well, which may make them easier to handle!
Homemade granola butter generally lasts in the fridge for up to 1 month if it’s covered, but always check the labels for both spreads if you buy them from the store!
Granola butter vs tahini: Which is better?
This is a tough choice – both spreads have put up a great fight!
Granola butter is higher in calories and sugar, plus it has less protein. However, it is a lot more customizable when you’re making it at home.
Tahini, on the other hand, has a better protein content and is filled with healthy fats! It’s also quite versatile with a milder flavor, and fits into more diets. Plus, you can track your macros and calories a lot more consistently than in granola butter.
With everything taken into account, tahini takes the win here for a great dietary versatility, superior nutritional profile, and more consistent flavors!
FAQs
Granola butter is generally creamy, but it does have a slightly grainy texture due to the oats in it.
No. Granola butter is high in carbs, and has a lot of sugar in it as well.
You can! Tahini has no nuts in it, which makes it perfect if you have a nut allergy – just be aware if you have a sesame allergy!
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